Schedule 40 Driveshaft?

[jcj_78FJ40]

I have some spare driveshaft carnage so I thought I would try to fab up a trail spare driveshaft using 2 ½ schedule 40.

2 1/2" Sch. 40 Pipe Drivelines Made Easy - Pirate4x4.Com Bulletin Board

After doing some searching, I read that schedule 40 can be steel or iron or a combination of both.

My question is; can you use the stuff from the local hardware store (Home depot, Lowes…etc) and can it be easily welded?

If not, are there places that stock steel schedule 40 that will sell in small quantities?

Thanks

 

[dgangle]

I have some spare driveshaft carnage so I thought I would try to fab up a trail spare driveshaft using 2 ½ schedule 40.

2 1/2" Sch. 40 Pipe Drivelines Made Easy - Pirate4x4.Com Bulletin Board

After doing some searching, I read that schedule 40 can be steel or iron or a combination of both.

My question is; can you use the stuff from the local hardware store (Home depot, Lowes…etc) and can it be easily welded?

If not, are there places that stock steel schedule 40 that will sell in small quantities?

Thanks

You ain't going to find 2.5" sch 40 at Home Cheapo or Lowes. Try a local steel supplier that will sell drops/small quantities or any driveshaft shop. Mild steel welds easily. I'm not sure where you got the 'iron' idea from.

 

[antFJ]

After doing some searching, I read that schedule 40 can be steel or iron or a combination of both.

Steel IS iron.. just with different amounts of carbon in it.. look it up on wiki.

 

[crushr]

Steel IS iron.. just with different amounts of carbon in it.. look it up on wiki.

Steel and iron are not the same thing. Iron is a component of steel.

 

[dgangle]

Steel CONTAINS iron and less than 2% carbon. Iron is an element (Fe) and is useless to us in it's elemental form. When most say iron, what they really mean is cast iron, which incidentally contains more than 2% carbon and silicon.

While steel and cast iron both contain iron, they have very different properties such as yield strength, tensile strength, elongation and the ability to be reformed or joined.

Read away:

Classification of Cast Iron

Classification of Carbon and Low-Alloy Steels


The original issue here "can be steel or iron or a combination of both" which I believe to be a Freudian slip http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/freudian slip

 

[jcj_78FJ40]

Yes..I meant to type "cast iron." I was rushing through this at lunch.

I actually found it on Lowe’s website. To dgangle’s point, Lowe’s doesn’t seem to carry larger than 1 ½ schedule 40. It is cast iron.

I will check with my local steel supplier.

Thanks all

 

[Texx]

In the piping business, 2.5" is a bastard size. You need to work with the OD you actually need...or just go to a driveshaft shop.

 

[jcj_78FJ40]

In the piping business, 2.5" is a bastard size. You need to work with the OD you actually need...or just go to a driveshaft shop.

Does that mean it’s going to be hard to find?.

I’m going by the link in the first post (and several others).

It’s only a trail spare, I’m just looking for a future project.

 

[tashby]

Any good plumbing house, fire sprinkler supplier or steel supplier should have access to some. You could order a plain end nipple if you need. Try Hajoca or Ferguson supply.

 

[dgangle]

Regarding the size of the tubing required, everytime I have had driveshafts lengthened in the +30 years I have owned FJ40's, the DS shops have had to order special dia tubing as I have been told the FJ's use a bastard size.

The home centers supply just that....stuff for homes. If they can get an 2.5" tube in cast iron, I would bet IT IS NOT FOR THIS APPLICATION, but for drainage in a house. COMPLETELY different application and design/spec criteria.

Goto a driveshaft shop. With but few exceptions, you simply can't find much for a 30 year old vehicle in a chain home improvement store.

 

[TURNMEOVER]

The 2" sch 40 will slip in side of the stock tube. I built mine that way and have great luck. Use 4 feller guages @ 90 deg separation to consume the slack. I believe I used 20 (10 x 2) thousanths to takeup the slop. It has some vibes on the road but not to bad. I have yet to damage it and I have beat it in the rocks prety hard at times.

 

[jcj_78FJ40]

The home centers supply just that....stuff for homes. If they can get an 2.5" tube in cast iron, I would bet IT IS NOT FOR THIS APPLICATION, but for drainage in a house. COMPLETELY different application and design/spec criteria.

Thanks,
This answers my 1st question.

Goto a driveshaft shop. With but few exceptions, you simply can't find much for a 30 year old vehicle in a chain home improvement store.

Again….this is just a project for a spare drive shaft. I just like cutting s*** up and welding it back together. It’s no big deal if it isn’t usable. However, I don’t want spend the $$ for a 20ft piece of stock just so I can play around in the garage.

I do need custom drive shafts. I just flipped the rear springs and swapped in a SM465. I will have someone who knows what they are doing make these. Most events for me are over 200 miles away and my cruiser is no trailer queen. I will pay to make sure they are right.

 

[jcj_78FJ40]

The 2" sch 40 will slip in side of the stock tube. I built mine that way and have great luck. Use 4 feller guages @ 90 deg separation to consume the slack. I believe I used 20 (10 x 2) thousanths to takeup the slop. It has some vibes on the road but not to bad. I have yet to damage it and I have beat it in the rocks prety hard at times.

Thanks, I will check with the plumbing suppliers. I like your idea of using the 2” pipe. Should do just as well for what I’m trying to do

 

[peesalot]

There is a reason that cheapo shafts are made from square tube. It is available and hold up. The stuff your gonna get at a hardware/home store is/may not make you proud. IMO look around until you find suitable pipe with at least a .188 wall.