Home made heavy duty tailshafts for a crawler

[ausyota]

I am going to make a square front shaft for my Bunky Lux.
Anyone got any pointers for making them?
What size steel is best, double cardan or staight unis etc etc?
Also I am going to use a Double cardan front shaft for the rear and I am looking at cuting the tube and welding in something a bit heavier.
Any ideas on what pipe to use?
Cheers
Paul.

[yamaha__308]

I used 50x50x5 and 40x40x5 and a double cardan, but a few people use 64x64x6 and 50x50x5.

With the 40/50 RHS shaft, the 40 needs slot ground in to clear the weld on the inside of the 50.
The 64/50 just clicks and clanks..

And make sure the 'ears' are aligned when you weld em in.

This is good for a read:

http://www.pirate4x4.com/tech/billavist ... ndex2.html

and this thread:

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthre ... aft+spline

Can't remember if your going duals or not, but for the front, if you've got a large driveshaft angle you might be better of with two unis, as it'll turn out shorter than a DC and a uni.

You'll have to change rear output flange for a front one, or drill it.

[duncan]

Paul I used 50mm square 4 mm wall and 40 mm square 4mm wall works very well.I have welded a piece of round steel to the end of the square tube then machined it in a 4 jaw chuck to make the shaft run true.I machined in a spigot the same size as the original end sections from the original drive shafts.They just fit in nice and tight like has been said line up the ears on both ends to keep the ends in phase then weld them in .Make sure you keep the shaft well greased but it works a treat can take some good hits and still keep going not like a normal thin tube round shaft.

Im makeing a front shaft for Hayden at the momment then ill do a rear one for me to match the front I already have would never go back to standard shafts again.

Duncan

[ausyota]

Duncan what are you going to do for your rear shaft?
Square the same as the front? Or just retube it with heavier round tube?

I need the long slip of a square in the front with the leafs but in the linked rear i need bugger all slip.

[duncan]

Paul thats exactly why I built my front shaft first kept dropping it of the spline thats also why Im building Hayden one as he has only about 1 inch engagement at full droop on the front.Im going to build another square one for the rear as there are a couple of marks on the rear shaft now would hate to go to the comp and twist or bend a rear shaft after doing alll the work to the car then not beable to compete.

Just a piece of mind thing.

Thinking of takeing up my spare 4 sets of standard CVs for forsale to everyone who breaks theirs on their first try at driveing rocks could make a tidy profet lol lol

[Weiner]

Mines 50x50x5 and 40x40x4, its in the front and had it up to 80km/h and had no dramas.