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Hi all shortening drive shafts? not prop shafts they are easy peasy Has anyone done it, does anyone know anybody who can do it? Looked on tinternet and and range from a big no no to just weld it back together. Some get new splines machine if the outside diameter is big enough. Some say sleeve them together and then weld together. Other say make a big V and weld it up. But mig tig or stick weld? and do you heat treat them as they are hardened. Help not sure what to do
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stealthstylz
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 14,843
Club RR Member Number: 174
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shortening drive shaftsstealthstylz
@stealthstylz
Club Retro Rides Member 174
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I once made some after seeing adaptormans project, by chopping the required length out, then grinding a point into each end to be joined. I then slipped a tight fitting sleeve over one end, then clamped it all to a piece of angle iron then filled the join with weld on eleventy-billion power setting. I then ground it back flat, pushed the sleeve over and welded that on too. Still not snapped.
Matt
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A few mates have had some hollow ones shortened on projects I've worked on, all V6's into 205's and a 306.
Simple enough job really, chop out required amount from the middle, taper the ends to form a vee, and machine up a 2-3" long insert to hold the shaft together as its welded, key is to get plenty of heat BUT evenly.
No issues with balancing, they arent balanced from new anyway, as for which welding type to use, whatever your welder is best at doing, generally MIG will do just fine.
As for solid shafts, either as you mentioned make a vee between the two sections, or use a section of tube over them as a sleeve, or get them cut ground and new splines made which would probably cost more but should be stronger.
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Last Edit: Jul 8, 2011 13:02:27 GMT by welshpug
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BiAS
Club Retro Rides Member
Insert witty comment here
Posts: 2,231
Club RR Member Number: 147
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shortening drive shaftsBiAS
@cheeqi
Club Retro Rides Member 147
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I've done quite a few and always done them by having a sleeve machined up that's interference fit, hammer the two bits of shaft into the sleeve then buzz round the ends with the mig turned up to 'roast' setting. Never had any issues with them snapping or balancing issues apart from the long shaft on my 2.0 Corsa, which was entirely my fault as I got the measurement wrong on one end of the sleeve so that it wasn't a snug enough fit, this resulting in an ever so slightly bent shaft, this was noticeable only as a slight vibration between 60 and 65mph, the kind you'd get if the wheel was 5g out of balance. Having the front wheels balanced dynamically sorted this though.
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(car+wheels)-rideheight=WIN
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Cheers lads feel much happier hav'in a go with sleeving the shafts ;D
Rob
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