Making custom driveshafts

I know I'm a little late to the party but we would use the heat and quench method to straighten steel axle tubes. So it works.
Like someone said get it red hot and drop a wet rag on it ... add more until it cools to the touch.
But .001 on a driveshaft would be vibration free on a lathe spinning wide open.

My method of welding: one good tack, rotate and check with the dial indicator. Whack it at 180* to equal the first tack the tack it. Rotate and repeat until you have 4 tacks at 90*.
Burn her in. Never had one move.
 
Last edited:
Lizooki said:
I know I'm a little late to the party but we would use the heat and quench method to straighten steel axle tubes. So it work.
Like someone said get it read and drop a wet rag on it ... add more until it cools to the touch.
But .001 on a driveshaft would be vibration free on a lathe spinning wide open.

My method of welding: one good tack, rotate and check with the dial indicator. Whack it at 180* to equal the first tack the tack it. Rotate and repeat until you have 4 tacks at 90*.
Burn her in. Never had one move.
Click to expand...

Exactly the methodology used 👍
 
Your work and attention to detail is amazing as always! And I’m sure slightly more accurate than the method I used to build mine. :laughing:

IMG_4507.jpeg
 
Finished up all the shafts and turned out ok for a backyard hack. Just need to finish welding the carrier bearing mount and paint the mid & rear shafts.

I was able to get the front and rear shafts within 0.001" and the mid shaft within 0.004". They are 2.5"OD 0.25" wall and almost perfectly round which is not the case for the mid shaft. The mid shaft like to drove the OCD in me crazy. The mid shaft is 3"OD 0.05" wall DOM. DOM that size has a decent size seem and it's not completely round. I ground out the seem the best I could but it would still oblong the tube when I pressed in the ends. After hours of fucking with it I got it close enough for government work.

Definitely learned a lot and that was the main objective. Thanks for all the advice folks!





1000003988.jpg
1000003987.jpg
1000003986.jpg
1000003984.jpg
1000003978.jpg
1000003977.jpg
 
I have the same carrier bearings in my buggy front and rear due to the crazy drivetrain angles. I wanted to run a slip on the midship but couldn’t find a combination short enough. So mine are hard mounted with my drivetrain poly mounted. I know that’s not ideal. I wish I would’ve done something different now. Is your drivetrain rigid or poly mounted?
 
The drivetrain uses poly mounts. I've held off welding the carrier mount to the frame while I contemplate that issue. I've got some 1/4" rubber vibration mat I'm thinking of sandwiching in between the frame mount and bearing mount. The old carrier bearing used an OEM rubber mount.
 
Joe_U4 said:
The drivetrain uses poly mounts. I've held off welding the carrier mount to the frame while I contemplate that issue. I've got some 1/4" rubber vibration mat I'm thinking of sandwiching in between the frame mount and bearing mount. The old carrier bearing used an OEM rubber mount.
Click to expand...

I’ve heard of others doing that and they said it worked fine. I wish I could get something like that in mine. I’m not so much worried about vibrations in mine because the driveshaft angles are just crazy anyway because of rear engine and the drivetrain angle in the chassis. I just don’t want to worry about breaking stuff when the drivetrain flexes.
 
Hokie_YJ said:
I’ve heard of others doing that and they said it worked fine. I wish I could get something like that in mine. I’m not so much worried about vibrations in mine because the driveshaft angles are just crazy anyway because of rear engine and the drivetrain angle in the chassis. I just don’t want to worry about breaking stuff when the drivetrain flexes.
Click to expand...

Now you got me thinking and I'm probably going to over think it. I ordered a couple sizes of poly bushings that should be here tomorrow and I've got something in mind.

Have a picture of your carrier setup?
 
Hokie_YJ said:
I have the same carrier bearings in my buggy front and rear due to the crazy drivetrain angles. I wanted to run a slip on the midship but couldn’t find a combination short enough. So mine are hard mounted with my drivetrain poly mounted. I know that’s not ideal. I wish I would’ve done something different now. Is your drivetrain rigid or poly mounted?
Click to expand...
you can stick a piece of delrin or UMHW in between the tabs and the mount and it will take a TON of the vibration out of it. That said though, how short is your midshaft? I have had Carolina Driveline make me some REALLY short slip shafts

Unfortunately those style weld on carrier bearings are prone to warping from welding and it will eat bearings or vibrate if you arent careful. Its not the fault of WOD really, its just the way that design is. Welding to the tube can/will introduce some slight warpage.
 
Out of curiosity I threw the bearing carrier on the lathe and it was still warped ~.010. I took about.004" out and the bearings slip fit with slight pressure. Bearing rotation feels better although not terrible before matching the ID. With some 680 Loctite she'll be good to go 👍

However, I started down a rabbit hole with an idea to make another bearing holder supported poly bushings. Ordered some Energy Suspension bushings and some 3.5" OD .50" wall tubing from McMaster. Pieces parts should be here tomorrow and we'll see if we can reinvent the wheel 🤔
 
partiallycommittedracing said:
you can stick a piece of delrin or UMHW in between the tabs and the mount and it will take a TON of the vibration out of it. That said though, how short is your midshaft? I have had Carolina Driveline make me some REALLY short slip shafts

Unfortunately those style weld on carrier bearings are prone to warping from welding and it will eat bearings or vibrate if you arent careful. Its not the fault of WOD really, its just the way that design is. Welding to the tube can/will introduce some slight warpage.
Click to expand...

My mounts are already welded or I would do that. I have them front and rear. The rear is about 6” from the center of the joint on the t-case to the weld seam on the bearing stub. I measured it this morning actually so I could research tube shaft and slip yoke combos that might fit. The front is close to the same length, maybe slightly longer.
 
Some lessons were learned. Decided do the easiest thing, to try the WOD mount with a rubber isolator. Ordered 12"x12" 70a solid rubber sheet from McMaster Carr. Also ordered a 6"x6" from a US seller on Amazon because I was curious if there would be any difference. Both sheets were rated a shore hardness of 70A. The Amazon sheet tested dead on but the sheet from McMaster Carr tested 55A hardness. Hmmm..... never trust anyone.

Anyway, made an isolator from the harder rubber. I tacked the bracket in place with the isolator spacing out the carrier bearing. Welded everything up and installed the shaft and bearing. Instantly I noticed an issue, the rubber compressed more than I thought it would. This caused the shaft to press into the Atlas and cause the bearings to bind. Well fuck me, I should have seen that coming. I could have ordered harder rubber but IMO it's not the right way to solve the issue. So the bracket will have to be cut out and the carrier is now junk.

1000004012.jpg



So after a lot of cussing I went back my idea of using bushings to support the carrier bearing. I had already ordered bushings and some material to machine a new bearing housing. Drew up the design and cut the brackets on the CNC. Machined a new housing and welded everything up. I know I should have TIG'd it but it's setup for aluminum and not changing it over for this little project. Anyway it's ready to be installed as soon as I cut out the other bracket.

1000004005.jpg
1000004007.jpg
1000004008.jpg
1000004009.jpg
1000004010.jpg
1000004011.jpg
 
I think I’ve figured out a combination of parts that will work to re-do my mine with slip joints. It’s going to require some custom fabri-cobbling, but that just so happens to be my specialty. I’m thinking the amount of slip needed should be minimal. You guys think 1/4” would be enough, or should I go with 1/2”?

I pulled one of mine out this morning to measure. I disassembled it and the seals in the bearing were already blowing out and there’s a very noticeable rough spot just turning it by hand. I don’t think it’s due to a warped housing as the bearings went in very easy. I think it was caused by flex in the drivetrain and the solid mounted bearings. New bearings are on order.
 
Replied on your build thread.

Finished up, ended up making a bottom plate so it bolts in place for easy servicing. Going to put the beat down on it this weekend at GER 😁

1000004020.jpg
1000004021.jpg
 
Back
Top