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driveshaft tubing

E

EricM

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I just got home from wheeling in SD today. The only carnage was a driveshaft and 5 new dents. Which brings me to my question is there anything special about drive shaft tubing? The stock 1 ton shaft dented pretty easily so I was thinking about going to the steel yard and getting some pipe with a thicker wall thickness to make my new driveshaft. Does anyone see a problem with this?

Thanks,

Eric M.
 
No problem, just make sure to get it balanced. Take it to a driveshaft place and they will balance it. If you dont it will vibrate like crazy and destroy you tranny, transfer case, and both axles.

86 Jimmy 4"lift 35"MTRs Other cars 69Firebird w/525 hp,and 70GTO live in PHX,AZ<a target="_blank" href=http://www.geocities.com/modifierperformance>My vehicles</a>
 
Well, as long as you get tubing and not pipe.
Make sure what you're getting has the same inside diameter. It will cost a lot more to have your yokes turned down to fit inside a smaller i.d. tube.

Lift It, Lock It, LIVE IT!!!
 
In response to:
Poster: RedDwarf
Well, as long as you get tubing and not pipe

What is the difference between tubing and pipe? I always thought tubing was square and pipe was round. Is there also round tube? Why must this be used instead of pipe?

Any one have an idea of the wall thickness of a stock 1 ton d-shaft?

Thanx
 
There are lopts of differences in tubing and pipe. Pipe is suited for gas and water lines, but doesn't take too well to forming. Tubing comes in a huge variety of construction and quality as well. Exhaust is technically tubing...not pipe.

Tubing can be hot rolled mild steel with and electrically welded seam all the way up to DOM (drawn over mandrel) which is seamless and very strong.

Pipe is specced by "schedule" which is how thick it is, sched 40 is very common pipe, then there's double sched (80) etc. Pipe's critiacal dimension is "I.D." or inside diameter.

Tubing is measured "O.D." or outside diameter and is usually sold by O.D and wall thickness. Wall thickness can be as thin as .090 and just goes up from there...larger sizes can have wall thicknesses of well over 1 inch.

HREW tubing is OK but for a driveshaft I would use DOM because the consistancy of wall thicknees is much better and the tubing is stronger overall.

Unless you are very familiar with the different types of steels, types of tubing etc. I would just take the shaft in and get it re-tubed.

Rene

<font color=green>Dyslexics of the world...UNTIE!</font color=green>
 
I want to just get the right tubing and bring it to the driveshaft shop and have them put it together and balance it. I know if I walk in there and ask for thicker tubing they'll be like sorry we only carry stock thicknessess. So I guess I'll cut my shaft in half measure the wall thickness of the tube then go pick up some DOM that is substantally stronger.

Thanks
 
I'd talk to the driveline shop and ask for some recomendations. I don't think a heavy wall driveshaft is a great plan, but I'm no expert of driveshaft dynamics or the performance losses due to weight.

Rene

<font color=green>Dyslexics of the world...UNTIE!</font color=green>
 
How about giving Jess at High Angle a call to see if he can help ya out. He might be able to provide the tube for doing the job.

<font color=blue>Wayne<font color=blue>
<font color=blue>Happy Trails<font color=blue>
 
I did a lift 3" and I need both of mine 1" longer in the front and 1 1/2" longer in the back. for the back i'm going to the junkyard to get a camaro or something else drivshaft to have the machine shop cut and rebalance with my yoke for the back. $40 For the back d-shaft. for the front i'm going to have them tube it for a cost of $75 approx only called haven't done it yet
 
EricM
I'd stick with the driveshaft shop, they know what they're doing. If someone brings in their own parts, and wants something done thats out-of-the ordanary, the cost -might- be higher, than if they just let the shop do the hole job.
Check out Jess at high/angle drive lines.

Also, another way to make a driveline stonger is to increase the overall diameter of the tubeing, rather than going with a thicker tube. But, since your problem seams to be denting it as opposed to shreading it, than going to a larger dia. won't help.

<font color=purple>Sometimes life just makes you want to say,
"F*bleeeeeeeeeep*K !"</font color=purple>

<font color=blue>Twiztid</font color=blue><P ID="edit"><FONT class="small">Edited by Twiztid on 09/03/01 06:40 PM.</FONT></P>
 
Cool I met a guy last weekend that made his own driveshaft with .135 wall thickness tubing but I wasn't sure how much thicker than stock that was. He had the rear tires off the ground resting on the shaft and nothing bent he was driving an older 1 ton dodge minus the box. Looks like his was about 50% thicker.

Thanks
 
Just a note: DOM is not seamless, it is welded like HREW &amp; then it is Drawn Over a Mandrel (DOM) that makes it more uniform and the seam hard to find.

Jim '80 GMC & '73 Blazer
Tread Lightly!
<a target="_blank" href=http://www.tellicok5.rockcrawler.com>www.tellicok5.rockcrawler.com</a>
 
does anyone know where I could buy the ends to make my driveshaft? I have access to a decent lathe and want to try making my own. I am one of those guys how has to try everything once.... Any ideas?
Thanks,
Mike

You call that dirty!?
 
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