Square Tube Driveshafts

[Russell]

What kind of material do guys use for a square tube driveshaft? I've seen hitch material, but it is crazy expensive.

Also, how much angle can I get out of a stock CV if I grind the tabs down a bit? Looking to build a driveshaft that can handle 56" springs up front. A new High Angle would be my favourite option, but is a bit out of my price range, haha

 

[Hogback Fabrication]

I just bought square tube steel from my local steel place, 2.5" and 2" .250" wall.

Why would you use the CV? The only point to a CV is to help vibration from u-joints, the biggest vibrations from a square shaft are from inbalance which I'm sure you know. Don't forget that CV shafts, especially stock ones, generally can't handle nearly as much angle as non-cv shafts.

 

[blazinzuk]

I use 2" .250 wall and 1.5 .188 wall. you can use .250 on the smaller stuff if you want but I have never really had a problem with the smaller stuff

Just grind for the weld seam. IMHO its way better than using seamless stuff because it makes less noise. I try and only grind the minimum amount off though just to make it tighter, when I put them on its usually very hard to get it to move in and out

 

[84zz4ss]

I just bought square tube steel from my local steel place, 2.5" and 2" .250" wall.

Same here. It gets heavy but it's stout.

 

[Jacks'72K5]

Wow, the things you learn here. Why a square tube driveshaft? I never would have thought about that. I do know a good stout piece of tamarac will make a good sub for a driveline if you are creative with an ax and go easy on the way home.

 

[kicker30]

Kind of a hijack but do yall include any type of grease fitting to lube between the two pieces or just lube it before putting it together then take it apart to relube later? Or does it really need much lube at all?

 

[Russell]

I just bought square tube steel from my local steel place, 2.5" and 2" .250" wall.

Why would you use the CV? The only point to a CV is to help vibration from u-joints, the biggest vibrations from a square shaft are from inbalance which I'm sure you know. Don't forget that CV shafts, especially stock ones, generally can't handle nearly as much angle as non-cv shafts.

Are bigger joints capable of handling the kind of angles that the front driveshaft would be seeing? I thought the point of the CV was to help reduce the overall angle on each of the joints in the driveline?

Please educate me!

 

[howdiy]

The vibration is pretty bad

 

[bp71k5]

I believe the point of the square driveshaft (other than being cheap to build) is that since you only use it at low speeds on the trail you can get away with more extreme u-joint angles than you could if you were driving at freeway speeds and worried about vibrations. The non-cv shafts do have greater angle capability, but at a cost of greater vibration.

 

[Chaddy]

I still think round tube is better.

 

[Hogback Fabrication]

Are bigger joints capable of handling the kind of angles that the front driveshaft would be seeing? I thought the point of the CV was to help reduce the overall angle on each of the joints in the driveline?

Please educate me!

CV's are meant to reduce the operating angle on each joint but they generally make the maximum angle lower.

Bigger joints don't necessarily mean more angle, there is a chart on this page about 3/4 of the way down that compares the size and max angle for the most common light duty truck joints.

 

[Hogback Fabrication]

Wow, the things you learn here. Why a square tube driveshaft? I never would have thought about that. I do know a good stout piece of tamarac will make a good sub for a driveline if you are creative with an ax and go easy on the way home.

They're super cheap, super stout and they have all the travel you'd ever need.

The vibration is pretty bad

It isn't with mine, I've ran mine up to ~60 mph and I actually didn't notice any front driveline vibration. It probably depends on how close to true you get it, you can also pour liquid (like ATF) into the smaller tube and cap it off and that will help balance it just like using equal in tires.

 

[blazinzuk]

the main reason I did a square is because I could not afford a long travel driveshaft at the time.

I now have round like it much better, but square certainly has its place in the off road world

It will wear out your pinion seal faster and can cause bearing damage to the diff and the t-case if its way off. Usually eyeballing it is close enough.

 

[protechk5]

I just got done making mine. It was pretty expensive for me, probably $50 for the square tubing. Then the two 1410 weld on yokes were $38 a piece from HAD and 2 1410 joints. Also I had to get 1410 yokes for my d60 and 205 which were like $90 a piece. And then to fit a 1410 or 1350 yoke on a 205 you have to upgrade to a 32 spline front output shaft on the 205.

 

[Hogback Fabrication]

I just got done making mine. It was pretty expensive for me, probably $50 for the square tubing. Then the two 1410 weld on yokes were $38 a piece from HAD and 2 1410 joints. Also I had to get 1410 yokes for my d60 and 205 which were like $90 a piece. And then to fit a 1410 or 1350 yoke on a 205 you have to upgrade to a 32 spline front output shaft on the 205.

The yokes and 32 spline upgrade would be the same cost for square or round tube

Those weld yokes seem WAY expensive to me, seems like I did mine a couple years a ago with new 1410 Spicer yokes and they were $15 or so. Tubing varies a lot, seems like I had $60 or something into mine all said and done with new stuff plus joints.

 

[protechk5]

The yokes and 32 spline upgrade would be the same cost for square or round tube

Those weld yokes seem WAY expensive to me, seems like I did mine a couple years a ago with new 1410 Spicer yokes and they were $15 or so. Tubing varies a lot, seems like I had $60 or something into mine all said and done with new stuff plus joints.

Well dont some people get new CV's that work with the stock front flange, say one from HAD? And for the 1410 weld on yokes I didnt really look around, I think I saw some from somewhere else online for a few dollars cheaper but it wasnt much. Either way Im happy how mine turned out.

 

[Fred_M1010]

The vibration is pretty bad

I haven't felt any vibrations from mine, but I think I managed to get the joints really well centered.
(Or more likely, I got really lucky )

Kind of a hijack but do yall include any type of grease fitting to lube between the two pieces or just lube it before putting it together then take it apart to relube later? Or does it really need much lube at all?

I did, but I shouldn't have...
It's to easy to grease it up to much, making it to stiff, which could hurt the transfercase.

I have a write-up on page 1 in my build-thread if anyone is interrested.
But I'm not sure the sizes of tubing I used can be bought in the US...

 

[84zz4ss]

Most of the newer diesel 3/4 ton trucks have 1410 shafts in them.. I bought a couple from the local junkyards. Cut the yokes off and had the slip pieces for the rear shaft. The steel for my square shaft I had laying around. The jy shaft had joints in them. I bought some spicers and kept the factory ones for trail spares. I probably have 2-3 hundred in both my shaft plus a spare that will work in either end. I also would have gone with a shaft from Jess but I made three for less than buying one.

 

[wasted wages]

I just got done making mine. It was pretty expensive for me, probably $50 for the square tubing. Then the two 1410 weld on yokes were $38 a piece from HAD and 2 1410 joints. Also I had to get 1410 yokes for my d60 and 205 which were like $90 a piece. And then to fit a 1410 or 1350 yoke on a 205 you have to upgrade to a 32 spline front output shaft on the 205.

I bet it will last forever though......

I did the same exact thing BTW....

 

[Bossman1]

i also believe the sqare tubing for drive lines is that if it gets hung up on a rock that when you apply throtle the shaft will try to "walk" off the rock, also just a poor mans long spline shaft!