Topic: Square Rear Driveshaft?

[MiniSimp]

Since I have to lengthen my front and shorten my rear, I'm thinking about going square on both.

Would a square rear driveshaft be ok on the road?
I'm going to fill it 3/4 full of sand for balancing.

What do you guys think?

[decyfer]

i'm thinking that the rear would be no go for the road. you're going to get alot of driveline vibes. since you can't balance a square shaft

[CTENG in KS]

I would think it would suck, but if you try it, only fill the sand to about 1/8 the size of the friveshaft.  It has to be able to distribute itself to the lightest spots.  3/4 full will just make it real heavy and add drag on your drivetrain.

[crawlerdan]

Since I have to lengthen my front and shorten my rear, I'm thinking about going square on both.

Would a square rear driveshaft be ok on the road?
I'm going to fill it 3/4 full of sand for balancing.

What do you guys think?

done it, it balanced to bout 35mph, after that, girlfreind would get happy....ehhem... but on the trail it was ok, no go on the road though

[*FFC*]

I know a few people that run square driveshafts on the road... haven't heard any complaints from them. 

[decyfer]

DON"T DO IT. for the love of god, man. DON'T DO IT

[88runner]

I think the first reason people go with square drivshaft in front is because they need a cheap shaft that will allow long travel.
In a rear application, driveshaft travel isn't that important since the shackel are on the other ends of the leafs, for a truck that will see road
square shaft wouldn't be my choice of a rear shaft.

Since you have to shorten your rear drive shaft, you already have the tube, just shorten one end and reweld it together, I don't see the advantage of doing a square driveshaft.

[CTENG in KS]

Simp, you are one cross board postin mofo...I always think I have dejavu over on PBB.

[crawlerdan]

 

[MiniSimp [OP]]

Simp, you are one cross board postin mofo...I always think I have dejavu over on PBB.

Best way to get the most answers. 

[blackdiamond]

I know a few people that run square driveshafts on the road... haven't heard any complaints from them.

Being raised a Chevy man (for the record I think all the domestics are about equal in reality) I can't resist pointing out that Ford trucks are often behind tow trucks so having a square driveshaft wouldn't be much of an issue.

Found On the Road Dead
Forward Only Rolling Downhill
F'd Over Rebuilt Dodge
Fixed Or Repaired Daily

I know a horrible one for Pontiac (that I won't post), but I can't remember ever hearing any for Chevy, Dodge or Toyota, has anyone else?

I can't imaging that a square driveshaft would be much cheaper than shortening the one you already have and I would expect it to induce terrible vibration on the road.  You might get a set of Swamper Boggers and then you might not notice.

[79coyotefrg]

Mini  dude  

[WHITE_TRASH]

Take
Off
Your
Oversized
Tires
A$$hole




Dont do a square rear for the road, you'll hate life....

[Willy Mammoth]

You can shorten your own shaft and you shouldn't have to balance it. I do it all the time and seldom have a problem. Draw a line down the centerline of the U joints for reference, then use a cut off wheel and cut through the tube on the slip side next to the weld just enough to go through the tube. This will leave a shoulder to push into the tube again. now take a flexable straight edge and wrap it around the shaft tube where you want to cut it at. this will give you a square line to cut. Use your choice of tool to cut it and push it onto the slip lining it up with your mark. Now install it into the truck and raise the wheels off the ground. Use some form of indicator like a stiff wire to put next to the joint where the slip and tube come together. Slowly turn the shaft and watch for it being out of round. Tap the high spots with a hammer till you get it true. Now put a tack weld on one side and repeat to make sure it is still true. Put a tack on the opposite side and repeat until you have four tacks. Now weld it solid and re check. This should be all you need to do.

Skip the square shaft in the rear. Maybe an octagonal shaft, not square.

[*FFC*]

Being raised a Chevy man (for the record I think all the domestics are about equal in reality) I can't resist pointing out that Ford trucks are often behind tow trucks so having a square driveshaft wouldn't be much of an issue.

Found On the Road Dead
Forward Only Rolling Downhill
F'd Over Rebuilt Dodge
Fixed Or Repaired Daily

I know a horrible one for Pontiac (that I won't post), but I can't remember ever hearing any for Chevy, Dodge or Toyota, has anyone else?

I can't imaging that a square driveshaft would be much cheaper than shortening the one you already have and I would expect it to induce terrible vibration on the road.  You might get a set of Swamper Boggers and then you might not notice.

Dude, I used to like you    FFC>> <<blackdiamond


the reason there're so many for fords are that ford is a short and easy word to annotate   Yeah I know the one for Pontiac too How bout these:

First On Race Day
First Over Rough Dirt

[Willy Mammoth]

For off road driving ?

[MiniSimp [OP]]

You can shorten your own shaft and you shouldn't have to balance it. I do it all the time and seldom have a problem. Draw a line down the centerline of the U joints for reference, then use a cut off wheel and cut through the tube on the slip side next to the weld just enough to go through the tube. This will leave a shoulder to push into the tube again. now take a flexable straight edge and wrap it around the shaft tube where you want to cut it at. this will give you a square line to cut. Use your choice of tool to cut it and push it onto the slip lining it up with your mark. Now install it into the truck and raise the wheels off the ground. Use some form of indicator like a stiff wire to put next to the joint where the slip and tube come together. Slowly turn the shaft and watch for it being out of round. Tap the high spots with a hammer till you get it true. Now put a tack weld on one side and repeat to make sure it is still true. Put a tack on the opposite side and repeat until you have four tacks. Now weld it solid and re check. This should be all you need to do.

Skip the square shaft in the rear. Maybe an octagonal shaft, not square.

Thanks Willy, nice tech!

[MiniSimp [OP]]

I just talked to South Bay Driveline in San Jose and they will do it for $95.00 Balanced.
Also if I bring in a 1/4" wall tube they will install that for the same price!
2 cool.

[*FFC*]

For off road driving ?

I'm liking you more and more Mr. W

[blackdiamond]

Dude, I used to like you FFC>> <<blackdiamond


the reason there're so many for fords are that ford is a short and easy word to annotate Yeah I know the one for Pontiac too How bout these:

First On Race Day
First Over Rough Dirt

No hard feeling I hope   If I was looking to get a heavy duty truck I would probably have to get a Ford.  I owned a Camaro for a while so I also enjoyed the Mustang vs. Camaro fun.  Most of my friends drove Mustangs so it was even better.

[*FFC*]

No hard feeling I hope   If I was looking to get a heavy duty truck I would probably have to get a Ford.  I owned a Camaro for a while so I also enjoyed the Mustang vs. Camaro fun.  Most of my friends drove Mustangs so it was even better.

Ok you're starting to come back up 

[yotaboy79]

my square front aint bad ive gotten my truck up to 55 with the hubs locks and in 4wd and didnt have much for vibes it was a little noisy but no vibes, maybey im just lucky

[lilbuddy]

my square front aint bad ive gotten my truck up to 55 with the hubs locks and in 4wd and didnt have much for vibes it was a little noisy but no vibes, maybey im just lucky

Nope. Im the same way. Mines not even noisy.

[crawlerdan]

my front was good to 45 or so

[yotaboy79]

Nope. Im the same way. Mines not even noisy.

the reason mine is noisey is cus i just used some scraps i had laying around that dont fit to geather very well, they have alot of slop ill be redooing it soon

[Willy Mammoth]

What sizes of square tubing is recommended? Size and thickness?

[*FFC*]

I seen as small as 2"........

[Willy Mammoth]

Yea, but is that the inside piece or the out side piece? I have a 2 1/2" with 1/4" wall and a 2" with 1/4" wall. I think this is what is needed, but I need to grind the weld out of the 2.5" to get the 2" inside. Or find a 2.5" DOM.

[crawlerdan]

ask for reciever tubing, 2.5 inch id, and 2.48 inch od

[UNBREAKABLE]

Square d-shafts aren't that bad as long as they aren't going to be used for driving at speed....don't fill it with sand. I ran 1 all weekend long @ paragon last week and it was strong enough to support the entire weight of my rig.