Cheap Long-Travel Driveshaft

[dezertcrawlin]

Well being that I went to shackle reversal and soft toyota springs on the front of my jeep the stock size slip yoke wasn't going to work in the driveshaft.  I drooped out my front end and the driveshaft needs 4 1/2" of plunge to go through 12" of travel.  My stock shaft only has 2 1/2".  Wasn't going to work but I had two front shafts, so I cut them up and made my own.

Start with 2 driveshafts and cut the splines off one and the shaft and splines off the other. (In my case I cut the shaft because I have to lengthen it)  Also cut the yoke off one of the slip yokes.

I had to turn down one of the yokes to fit inside the tube(easily done with a grinder too)

The splined shaft cut off.  Mine was teflon coated(bonus! lol)

Had to grind down the edge of the yoke to fit

Sleeved the 2 yokes together with a piece of 1 3/4 .120 wall with 4 7/16" plug weld holes

Ground the two spline portions of the shaft to a point and put them in angle with plenty of clamps

Welding it up

Time to turn the weld down in the lathe

Welded up

Splines all lined up

All finished with the slip yoke


Plenty of travel



As soon as able to use my jeep, I'll fill you guys in on how it holds up.  It should be fine, being that it is only a front shaft.

[4x4LOYR]

That's pretty awesome.  I'd like to acquire skills like that -- or at least access to the proper tools.  I have started the process of learning to weld, but that is going quite slowly (I ought to just get my own welder).

[84socal]

man i made urs all fancy   i have squaretube     for mine and it works great