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Square driveshaft question...

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84gmcjimmy

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Hey, I was wondering if a square driveshaft is a peice of square tubing over top of a stock driveshaft, or is it just the square tubing with the joints at each end? I know I left out the technical parts, which you guys can fill me in on. And what are the advantages of running them? Thanks /forums/images/graemlins/woot.gif
 
A square driveshaft is simply one piece of larger square tubing over one piece of smaller square tubing.

There are many advantages, the main one being strength when bashed against an object.

To run one, you'd probably want 1410 joints though, and you can't run a 1410 joint on a stock NP 205 30 spline front output. You must upgrade to a Ford 32 spline output to do so.
 
Are the 2 pieces of tubing welded together, or how does it stay from falling apart? And how are the joints held in? Thanks
 
yokes are welded to the ends of the square tubing just like any driveshaft to hold the joints.

One piece slides inside the other to allow the driveshaft to change length.

You keep it from pulling apart just like any other driveshaft--by ensuring a full droop that it still is in one piece.
 
Thanks, that cleared up alot. I don't know much about driveshafts so sorry if I seemed lost /forums/images/graemlins/doah.gif
 
You probably need 2-3" of engagement at full droop.

I do not have a square tube driveshaft myself but the concept is fairly simple.
 
Your right about it being simple. Since not alot of people ran them I thought the design and use would be very complex. But it's pretty straight forward /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif
 
Here is a pic of mine. I'm running them front and rear.

shaft4.jpg
 
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shaft4.jpg


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Did you just cut a driveline slide in the box tube beat the round tube to the square and then weld it? Does it vibrate? How are they strength wise? /forums/images/graemlins/thinking.gif
 
LOL, yeah Tim, it's pretty easy. /forums/images/graemlins/rotfl.gif But believe it or not, I was reinstalling the front late at night and in a hurry (sometime back in Jan or so) and got it out of phase (basically 90* out is the only possible) without realizing it. Got out on the trail and couldn't figure out why I had such a horrible vibration. I'm embarrased to say how long it took me to figure out what was wrong. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forums/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif

And no, I started with new weld on yokes from Jess at High Angle. You can see one in the pic.

The small side is 2" and sorta fits inside the yoke if you grind places for the 4 points. I then fully weld the 2" tube to the yoke. Next I cut a 1" long piece of the 2.5" square tube to slide up on the 2" tube. This collar is then also welded to the yoke and the 2" tube. Basically just a reinforcement.

The large 2.5" side is the opposite and is sort of fit over the cup (but not really. The "points" stick out a bit. Anyway, this is then welded to the yoke and looks just like the small end (pictured) where the collar meets the yoke.
 
well after the bashing donimator gave his square front shaft this weekend i can say this....the steel i used to make it was free to me...it was not seamless DOM...after some abuse the smaller tube had twisted like a candy cane....then the front output yoke on the 205 broke...but the shaft still held even though it was slighty candy caned /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif....for the wopping 15 buks for the u-joints and an hour to make it ...it performed excellent
 
I have seen one built by a local guy on here 77ChevyK10 that was super long travel, not made of DOM, and doesn't vibrate. He runs his truck DD with a square rear driveshaft. It was impressed. It was made from .250 wall HREW I believe.

Harley
 
I am not really sure. I know Andrew got his not to vibrate at all when he built it. He has access to a machine shop though so he can probably get a little more precise then a backyard job.

I know he takes his up to highway speeds with little if any vibs. He is running 1410 joints if I recall correctly though so that might help.

Harley
 
Okay let me see if I am following. There are 2 smaller pieces of tubing inside the larger piece of pipe. The 2 smaller pieces are cut long enough to give around 3" of droop. Then the yokes are welded to the outside end of the 2 small pieces? Then you slide the 2 small pieces inside the lardger piece of tubing, then hoook it up?
 
I think Andrew built his like this.

2.5" HREW with the seem ground out
2" HREW
both with yokes welded on.

He said the 2" piece is very long and even at full droop there is alot of 2" still inside the 2.5". He said leaving the 2" peice real long helped keep the movement down between the 2 pieces. As far as I know he only used 2 pieces of steel and 2 yokes.

Harley
 
This is 100% correct and is exactly how I did mine too...
 
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