Has any one made a square drive shaft??????????
- Thread starter Baja Dan
- Start date
This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.
LockedRunner here on the board has one.
It works for him.
It works for him.
I have one. Been holding up great since I made it in 2003. When the front hubs are locked, and its in 4wd, it isn't too bad. Its just very important to phase the U-joints like you would with a normal drive-shaft. Also important to use receiver hitch tubing, and not something else.
But if you ever hit 4 high with the front hubs unlocked, watch out. It will vibrate like mad.
I did it because it was cheap. Total cost out of pocket was $34. Would I do it again? No. When I did mine, a long slip drive-line was $700. Now I can get a long slip yoke from all pro for $150 (see: http://www.allprooffroad.com/pickupdrivetrain/31 ) and make my own. All I do is lop off the end of a drive-shaft in my chop saw, hammer in the long slip, center it up in my home made drive-shaft jig (which cost me $0- very easy to make), use a dial indicator to center it up, weld it up, and have a very close to balanced drveshaft which I can also use on the street.
But if you ever hit 4 high with the front hubs unlocked, watch out. It will vibrate like mad.
I did it because it was cheap. Total cost out of pocket was $34. Would I do it again? No. When I did mine, a long slip drive-line was $700. Now I can get a long slip yoke from all pro for $150 (see: http://www.allprooffroad.com/pickupdrivetrain/31 ) and make my own. All I do is lop off the end of a drive-shaft in my chop saw, hammer in the long slip, center it up in my home made drive-shaft jig (which cost me $0- very easy to make), use a dial indicator to center it up, weld it up, and have a very close to balanced drveshaft which I can also use on the street.
Last edited:
I made one 2 years ago and haven't had any problems. Not even a vibration out of mine but I lucked out.
I have run two square drivelines for the last 3.5 years: one before duals (to accommodate the lift) and one after duals. I did not make them but my friend Kyle did. He has made 20+ square drive lines and has it dialed in pretty good. Cost less than 50 bucks.
I have had no problems with mine and I have been running the second one for 2 some years now. I have run it in 4 Hi up to 60 mph (snow) and there is vibration but its pretty minimal. Kyle is pretty good at getting his square drivelines as "balanced" as a square driveline can be. Going slow you hear a clankity clank from time to time but its not very noticeable. At higher speeds you feel the extra vibration but only 30mph +.
Like others said its important to use receiver hitch tubing. I personally will probably continue to run square drivelines because they are cheap and strong as hell. Most of my friends carry their high dollar round drivelines as spares and run the squares.
I have had no problems with mine and I have been running the second one for 2 some years now. I have run it in 4 Hi up to 60 mph (snow) and there is vibration but its pretty minimal. Kyle is pretty good at getting his square drivelines as "balanced" as a square driveline can be. Going slow you hear a clankity clank from time to time but its not very noticeable. At higher speeds you feel the extra vibration but only 30mph +.
Like others said its important to use receiver hitch tubing. I personally will probably continue to run square drivelines because they are cheap and strong as hell. Most of my friends carry their high dollar round drivelines as spares and run the squares.
- Joined
- Feb 27, 2007
- Threads
- 76
- Messages
- 448
- Location
- Tuscaloosa Ala. ROLL TIDE!!!
- Website
- www.myspace.com
I made this one for my truck after I lifted it, Read up on missouriman's writeup on square driveshafts. pretty simple! but will vibrate at higher RPM.
When I go to my local steel yard (South Bay Metals : New & Used Steel : Gilroy, CA), they have a section which they call 'receiver hitch tubing'. This is why I always refer to it as 'receiver hitch tubing'. It is seamless, and used for making trailer hitches.
thanks, where is the link. I have lost it.
I don't see the three beads of brass ran down each side???
you all should pm, or in the tread thank the person who helped you out or gave you the guts to try it.
edit
thanks found it in the toyota build thread. thanks.
Last edited:
Old boy I know built one and forgot to unlock his hubs once on the hardtop.....he trashed his pinion bearing.
- Joined
- Feb 27, 2007
- Threads
- 76
- Messages
- 448
- Location
- Tuscaloosa Ala. ROLL TIDE!!!
- Website
- www.myspace.com
I ran a continuous weld down the outer edges of each side,thanks, where is the link. I have lost it.
I don't see the three beads of brass ran down each side???
you all should pm, or in the tread thank the person who helped you out or gave you the guts to try it.
edit
thanks found it in the toyota build thread. thanks.
ok, I see the problem now. your larger outer (slip joint part) was to large to fit down inside the pipe like mine did.
I had one that was that way and just went out to the pile and found the right one.
pretty wild how much force these can take.
mine works good, but id rather have the all pro $150 option..
We made one for our buggy- works wonders at low speed. Can support the vehicle and is the beef.
High speeds arent so great though
High speeds arent so great though
Mine is alittle over 5 years old. I've been through 3 front diffs in that time. The pinion seals seem to last longer than the ring and pinions. I've had no issues with it leaking.
must be how you make them.
the one I made for my wife's truck has very little vib even at 70 mph.
maybe I just lucked out!!!
the one I made for my wife's truck has very little vib even at 70 mph.
maybe I just lucked out!!!
Is this with the hubs locked or unlocked?
I found with mine, if the hubs were locked, in 4wd, it was pretty stable. But if I unlocked the hubs, I had TONS of vibrations.
No vibrations from mine with the hubs unlocked. Slight vibration with the hubs locked at 25 mph+ otherwise just a clankity clank here and there.
We had this one made for 100$ and run in the back of our jeep. Took two front driveshafts from 80's chevy 1tons and this what we came back with. Needed to get an adapter u-joint to go to a d300 but that was it.
