Cutting your own drive shaft??

[FordTruck]

I've had a few people tell that i can cut my own driveshaft if i'm careful and grind off the weld and i can get away with cutting it a few inches and it will not be out of balance. So i figured i would run it by you guys if it can be done i'm gonna try to do it at my welding class this week. So if i can do it someone help me out on how Ohh my old dual driveshaft is 72" and i need 68" so i figured i would cut it off the front shaft because there's no weights so just HELP me if it can be done.

[mljjones67]

Personally I would leave it up to a drive line shop. Not worth the vibration you will get without it properly balanced.

[1971ford]

i know i wouldnt do it myself even if i could do a good weld. i would be scared of the weld breaking and vibrations. it only takes a little bit of off-centerness
edit- and if you grind down the weld then it will be weaker..

[Hawkrod]

The weld itself will affect balance but more importantly you need to be able to be sure it is true before and then after welding. Tubing does funny stuff when heated. Hawkrod

[two-bit]

We do drive shafts at our shop by cutting them apart at the yoke. Cutting off the needed amount on a liquid cooled bandsaw. Then welding the yoke back onto the drive shaft after spinning it in a lathe to make sure its straight. Actually we weld it while its in the lathe to keep it straight and the weld even.

Soooo, i would say take it to a shop. Otherwise it will vibrate like h&ll, and you will constantly be replacing U-joints.

Just my

Two-bit

[averagef250]

I do them all time.

You need a welder and a dial indicator. If you don't have a lathe and a couple spare yokes to hold the U-joints, then true up the driveline installed in the truck.

Drivelines are very basic things. They do not need balancing whatsoever, they just need to be true. Factory built drivelines are typically out .020" to .040" anyway and that's the reason they are balanced with weights. If you do it yourself you can get the driveline within .005" with some patience if the tubing is mostly round (seamed tubing is NOT round BTW). Make darn sure you phase the joints correctly though. This is where most backyard wrench turners screw it up.

If you don't get the driveline perfectly true you can flame straighten it without cutting it apart. This is not something you should try if you aren't real good with a torch though. You can ruin your driveline.

I've only had one driveline I built vibrate on me and it was because I built it from .063" wall thickness 3.5" tubing. The tubing was too thin and would whip under hard loading. It still worked fine otherwise though.

[Jake11]

Best of luck with your drivelines!
Jake

[basketcase0302]

Fordtruck,

Dustin's right on this one.
I've done it too, on a daily driver old style Bronco that never ran over 65.
Never had any issues with it or the u-joints for 10 years though...
Use the dial and make sure you get the yokes "timed", (look at where the ears of the yokes are and make sure you put them back in that "time" or alignment.
You can also just get a new yoke to weld into the shaft, (salvaging the old yoke is very time consuming if you do it like I had to).
Taking a grinder to grind off the weld, instead of a lathe to cut it off.
Any driveshaft/driveline shop near you can get you the new yoke.
Probably even get them on the net these days?

Basketcase

[RTG_RACING]

Yep I have done it my self when lifting some of these old fords. Cut the welds to get the yokes out. Cleam them up. Cut the tube on the lathe with a cutoff tool. make sure you get a nice uniform weld and your al done. I have one I made in my 68 when I installed the toploader. 100mph and its as smooth a butter.