Shorten a driveshaft?

[green40]

Good news is that with this engine swap I end up with
both driveshafts being the same length. Bad news is that I need to shorten
them about an inch or so. (using front shafts)
Anybody ever do this on there own?

 

[cruiserland]

yup

 

[Leaping Deer]

I'm planning on giving it a shot

 

[green40]

Thanks for the guidance you two!

 

[high country cruiser]

Hey Lane

Any local drive line shop will cut and balance ($55.00)
If you plan to use your rear shaft and drive it on the street, have it balanced.
If you want to upgrade I use .095 wall on the rear shaft and Landtank hooked me up w/ a great place in North Andover. It's a little far for you, but they do a great job.

Brookline Machine Company
87 Belmont St.
North Andover 01845
(978)689-0750

They stock .095 wall tubing

 

[green40]

Took an inch and a half off. 3/4 would have worked I think.
Just looked on Youtube for info.

 

[high country cruiser]

Great skillz

That actually looks really good, who needs a stinking drive-line shop.

Look at how thin the wall is and how much abuse we put them through.

 

[green40]

Yea, they are super thin. I've gone thru 3 shafts and had them retubed. The guy I use
machines the flanges and uses a heavier tube. Last one I had done was around $200.
I think next years project is going to be a spring-over and wheelbase stretch, when that's done I'll
have to get the shafts retubed for the longer length. Would love to keep them both the same
length so I only need to carry one spare.

 

[KLF]

Brookline Machine Company
87 Belmont St.
North Andover 01845
(978)689-0750

I have used this place as well, and they do great work. Tedd sends all his D/S work there rather than do it himself.

 

[landtank]

FYI, there has been a shortage of Toyota specific tubing. I've had to wait a month for a 4' section. The manufacturer in China did stop making it but that might have changed.

 

[Leaping Deer]

Rick do you know what the exact size is?

 

[rapovt]

I dug out my jan 2008 Toyota Trails;
Napa sells Dana/Spicer Tube, 2.75" OD with a .083 wall, slips over a LC driveshaft (2/100" clearance)
cut you shaft, slip sleeve over it , weld, done-much stronger shaft

 

[landtank]

Rick do you know what the exact size is?

it's some metric stuff and Casey only knows the inch equivalent and I can't remember that.

If you want to go with thicker wall you need to turn the stubs and go with an inch sized tube.

This is all predicated on you running Koyo joints. If you are running spicer it is likely different.

 

[crusier72]

Looks good Lane. When I weld them back up I mount them back in the rig and spin them to make sure they are lined up right. Close enough is usually good.
As far as making stronger shafts I just measure the OD of the stock tubing and buy a slightly larger piece of DOM at the local steel supplier, slip it over and weld it up. I have even used cardboard as spacers to keep it all concentric. You have seen me drive on the shafts I've made and they hold up.

 

[green40]

Looks good Lane. When I weld them back up I mount them back in the rig and spin them to make sure they are lined up right. Close enough is usually good.
As far as making stronger shafts I just measure the OD of the stock tubing and buy a slightly larger piece of DOM at the local steel supplier, slip it over and weld it up. I have even used cardboard as spacers to keep it all concentric. You have seen me drive on the shafts I've made and they hold up.

Welcome back Mark! Sleeving the shafts sounds like a good easy, cheap way to do it.

 

[cruiserland]

totally
my rear is double wall 1/4 inch
bout 40 pounds
momentum

 

[landtank]

I know people like to go all heavy and manly with the tubing but there is down sides. Like balancing and on road smoothness. Another thought is if the tube doesn't give what will be the new week point.

I personally stick with the stock thickness. They balance easily, run smooth and I'm not busting up u-joints and yokes.

But i drive to my wheeling spots and sometimes it days away so that factors into it also.

 

[yodafrick]

From what I've seen and experienced driveshafts don't get damaged on the trail due to torque, but rather rocks etc denting and abrading them. You would not be transferring torque to a weaker link ie ujoints but beefing up one of your most exposed undercarriage components. So for a trail specific truck stronger would be better.

But yeah for a dd or expo rig balancing is key. In that case a stockish DOM shaft for high speeds and then a sleeved shaft for wheelin could be optimal. In that case you would also be carrying an ever important spare.

But hey different strokes for different folks. All the freaky people make the world go round. Blab over.

 

[rain76king]

All the freaky people make the world go round.

Amen!

 

[green40]

Started working on the front shaft last night. This one had been retubed
before. Huge difference in the wall thickness of the tube. I'll get some
pics tonight. Even with the thicker wall this one has some big dents in it.
I'm sure that if it had been a stock shaft it would have failed by now.