Drive Shaft cage

[love2fly]

I wanted to share my second built drive shaft rock protector cage. I just had a D/S tube replacement that reminded me of the first time I had to replace the center tube of one of my FJ40s D/S due to a good size rock that whacked the rear part of the tube leaving it with a wobble and out of balance. So I built a D/S cage. That was an easy one to do but this has a longer D/S so it a little bit of a challenge. My 45 had the dent already but was passed the limits of what Toyota calls for on run-out (0.8mm) as mine was at 1.6mm on the run out scale. Now some say why do this as its now just a road snag now or something else that will crush on a high center climb when 4x4. Well first of all I am not a rock climber (use to be) with my 45. I plan on spending a lot of time on the jeep trails in the state I reside in, and we have a lot of trails. Most all have primitive rocky roads and that sound of "ding" while driving on the rocky roads tells you that your D/S just took a round. So to help eliminate the cost of re-tubing the D/S every winter after a full summer of fun, I installed the D/S cage. When completed it is tight with no vibrations and so far works perfect. The rear is the lowest part of the cage but still 2.5" above the differential houseing (from the side view). I took the rig out to the local rock pile were one can test the suspension and I had it in every contortion I could get it into. Took the measurements and put it into the cage configuration's and have about 1.5" of clearance between the cage and D/S at the max drop of the rear axle. I have some light wire mesh that goes across the top of the cage opening to help keep the rocks from bouncing into the cage and doing the PING PONG BALL thing as seen on the lottery's, and I have some all weather close-cell foam that I am going to cut out and install with glue at the front of the cage opening were it will have 1" clearance around the D/S tube. Oh yeah, if it is mashed it comes off with six bolts. Just getting ready for the trails this summer maybe this will be helpful to someone or maybe not.
Happy mudding.




More picture if you want

 

[SOOT]

Nice work love2fly

You have surely given a few on here a great idea to steel and a great way to protect the often overlooked tail shaft. Under body protection if often heavy duty and is hard to fix on the trail should it become damaged and affect drivability. your design could be easily bent back into shape on the fly.

Thanks for sharing

 

[love2fly]

Cage

The cage is pretty heavy duty steel wire that took some beating to get it to roll into shape from flat. I used an old empty O2 welding cylinder to help shape it. I tried to design it to were if it did get crushed it would just ride on the tube of the D/S without to much damage. As the 45 is much longer in the wheel base, they are prone to drive shaft damage so this is my best attempt to slow any damages down. One just has to be more selective when off road on choosing the terrain routes. I know that all good has some bad, I am hoping that this will be more good. I'm taking the 45 out this weekend to a known area of rough road and rock for a good test. Will let you know on the out come.

 

[47coeman]

Nice job and engineered just right.

 

[Splangy]

Nice work, but what is it designed to protect from?

 

[Gumby]

I honestly can't see how anything that would damage your driveshaft that wouldn't destroy that thing.

Then you got a bunch is steel bolted to your truck that is all bent into your driveshaft.

But then it's possible we wheel differently.

 

[Splangy]

I honestly can't see how anything that would damage your driveshaft that wouldn't destroy that thing.

Then you got a bunch is steel bolted to your truck that is all bent into your driveshaft.

But then it's possible we wheel differently.

Exactly.

 

[Tancruiser]

I could break that.

 

[Poser]

Nice work, but what is it designed to protect from?

Small stones, according to the original post.

I plan on spending a lot of time on the jeep trails in the state I reside in, and we have a lot of trails. Most all have primitive rocky roads and that sound of "ding" while driving on the rocky roads tells you that your D/S just took a round. So to help eliminate the cost of re-tubing the D/S every winter after a full summer of fun, I installed the D/S cage.

Oh, and it is LAND CRUISER

 

[SOOT]

I honestly can't see how anything that would damage your driveshaft that wouldn't destroy that thing.

Then you got a bunch is steel bolted to your truck that is all bent into your driveshaft.

But then it's possible we wheel differently.

Maybe it could deflect a loose large rock from rolling under the driveshaft and causing damage, use your imagination. Something like this happened to love2fly, read post #1, he is trying to avoid this happening again. If it was damaged and you had a bunch of steel bolted to your truck that is all bent into your driveshaft, geez man 6 bolts would be kind of hard to undo and remove.

Obviously this cage is not for everyone or every application. Each to their own, I think it has potential.

 

[Gumby]

Maybe it could deflect a loose large rock from rolling under the driveshaft and causing damage, use your imagination. Something like this happened to love2fly, read post #1, he is trying to avoid this happening again. If it was damaged and you had a bunch of steel bolted to your truck that is all bent into your driveshaft, geez man 6 bolts would be kind of hard to undo and remove.

Obviously this cage is not for everyone or every application. Each to their own, I think it has potential.

Six bolts is harder to undo and remove than none, which is what I have protecting my driveshaft.

 

[SOOT]

Get a chance to take your 45 out for a drive on the weekend and test out the cage?

 

[love2fly]

test

Wow nice to have a few opinions, everyone has one. As stated I do not rock crawl anymore (done that and did like it) around the boulders and canyons were one can spend hours going just a mile. I like to go places at a higher speeds now, that's the difference, and reason for the cage. Good thing is it comes off in 5 minutes if I want to play in the granny gear. Sure you can bend it just like you can bend your drive shaft on a ride while tooling around, stuff happens. But like I said, with everything good there will be bad.
Yeap, took it out to the high desert mountains on about 85 miles of primitive BLM (Bureau of Land Management) roads to some old mining areas. After three deep cut washouts one with mud and large rocks, and 20 or more degrees in banking and nose angles, nothing spectacular. 60% roads/trails with flat slate and rocks sized between a golf ball and a tennis ball with speeds of 20-50 mph and that occasional "BANG" that sounds like you took an RPG hit. I say it passed nicely, not one "DING" sound from the tube. Took a look at the cage this morning and it is with a few paint chips form the flying rocks (or stones). Conclusion-it works. So yes it is worth making the cage as I did for my 40, but this being a LWB and more drive shaft as a target, yeah I will make what is bulletproof already a little more bulletproof.
Oh SOOT, I think this truck like the getting dirty.

 

[cult45]

Wow, here I was thinking this was a site for Landcruiser enthusiasts.

 

[SOOT]

Good to here your cage has worked so far. Sounds like you do the same wheelin I will be doing when I finish my 47, I will do some stupid things too and break things but it is a landcruiser after all and I have some spares.

Every old cruiser I see over here is unwashed, covered in dust/dry mud and the floor pans generally have 2" of crusty gear from years of neglect. So I think all Aussie cruisers enjoy getting dirty and being used, even the ones that have been for a boat trip, like yours.

 

[Gumby]

Wow, here I was thinking this was a site for Landcruiser enthusiasts.

Close. It is a site for Land Cruiser enthusiasts as well as other Toyota owners.

but it is a landcruiser after all

Two words, both capitalized.

 

[Poser]

I just had a D/S tube replacement

Curious,

When you replaced the tube section on your Land Cruiser rear drive shaft, do you remember what wall thickness tube was used for replacement?

 

[love2fly]

A Wall

2.75 x. 083

 

[nuclearlemon]

.120 is actually very common on built driveshafts. .083 is just plain old standard size.

 

[Poser]

.120 is actually very common on built driveshafts. .083 is just plain old standard size.

Don't going posting facts Ingrid, it will just get more confusing.