driveshaft question

92illpony

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2005
Location
Dalton, Ga
I'm putting a dana 44 under the front of my bronco 2. I'm wanting to push the axle forward about 4-5". If i were to cut my old driveshaft and add tubing to lengthen it what kind of problems would i see other than viberation? This truck doesn't see a lot of road use just occasional trips to work.
 
Does the 44 have lockout hubs or no? If you dont, then it depends on how bad it will vibrate, and how much you are willing to live with when driving to the trails, you probably should have a DS place lengthen it, just to save any unneeded wear and tear from vibs.

If it does have hubs, then dont worry about it.
 
Sleeve the original tubing with 3/16 or 1/8 wall tubing. The tighter it fits over the original tubing the easier it will be to get straight. Just try to get it as straight as possible and it will be alot better than a square tube shaft.
 
Just make sure you have pretty straight if it vibes on you it will wear out joints and other things as well--- t-case bearings, pinion bearings and so on. The going rate for lengthening a d-shaft is $75 lengthened & balanced vs. money spent for worn out joints & bearings!

Josh
 
Dude, once you get the axle installed, take the driveshaft and figure out how much longer you need it. Then take it out to Cook’s machine shop. I took a shaft out there a few months ago and he only charged $45 for lengthening the shaft. He doesn’t have the ability to balance the shaft, but the one I had done has no vibrations at all. As a matter of fact, I don’t think that there is anyone in Jacksonville that can balance shafts. The old timer that owns the shop is nice to work with. As long as the shop isn’t busy fixing farm equipment, his specialty, they should be able to do your shaft within a day or two.
 
If you have hubs that lock it would not relly matter would it. I mean when you had the hubs unlocked the driveshaft should not turmn anyway right? So the only time it would be turning is when you are locked into 4wd and then you should not be moving fast enough to affect anything anyway right?

I know doing it right means it is balanced but I was just thinking out load there.
 
If you find some tubing that will make a press fit with the old tubing it should be balanced good enough even for road speeds. I've lengthed both the front and rear driveshafts in my TJ this way and drive it to and from the trails without any increase in vibrations.
 
drive shaft

I took the measurements from mine and made a piece of tube to fit SNUG inside the old shaft about 4 inches on each and weld it but before you do that
have a piece that goes on the outside to slide over the gap after you weld the first piece ,then slide the outer piece over gap..Dont get weld past the out side of the od of old driveshaft or the outside piece will not slide over gap..If you weld smooth all the way around it should be in decent balance.
 
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