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square driveshaft?

Ghost

Ghost

Member Number 257
NAXJA Member
Location
Hartsville, South Carolina
who on here runs them and how do the round flanges weld up? How do you build them? Where can I buy the flanges to make a few of them for spares?
 
not to flip the thread around but why buy parts to build one. seems to me most people that build them build them out of broke shafts they have lying around. if your going to go buy parts to build one why not grab a few front xj shafts from the junk yard and use those as spares.
 
bj-666 said:
not to flip the thread around but why buy parts to build one. seems to me most people that build them build them out of broke shafts they have lying around. if your going to go buy parts to build one why not grab a few front xj shafts from the junk yard and use those as spares.
Click to expand...

I agree.
 
Bc I want one that is 2" not 2.5"
 
If you measure 2" square tube at its widest point, accross the diagonal, it measures 2 5/8" so in your ingenuity you are defeating your purpose. Square driveshafts are a viable alternative for a cheap repair on an off road only vehicle that isn't going to see any speed with the front axle engaged but do your best to align the shaft or you will discover what vibration really is.

But etter yet, go to pnp and buy a couple of used ones or have yours retubed smaller, usually for under $100 either way.


Dan Fredrickson
 
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Perhaps I'm missing something, but why for would you want to do this? It seems to me that the square tube shape will actually be less resistance to torsion/twisting, and with the sort of torque/torsion loading you'd be likely to see, I think you'd end up with something looking more like a barber's pole than a driveshaft.

I know this has been covered before, but I honestly can't be bothered to search. Since it's been shot down so often, and now someone is willing to do it, I'd like to hear why.

If you can defend your position, it should be worth holding. I just can't see the point, tho...

5-90
 
I think the twisting concern is valid if you were talking about similar size materials like 2.5" .060wall round vs. 2" .060wall square. However these are generally built out of .250 wall square tubing and hold up quite well. They are very common for the Toyota guys to use because they are (1) cheap, (2)rock-breaking strong, and (3)have a very long slip required for shackles at the rear of the front springs.

they obviously aren't the best for high-speed use. some also argue that they'd rather have the driveshaft bend than the force put to the pinion and t-case output. regardless, they work great for crawling.
 
Yeah but the toy guys are running 120hp 22r's I would like to see half the crap toy guys get away with running behind my stroker. They get away with welded diffs and 38's because of there weak ass engines. What toy guys vs what 4.XL guys get by with is a moot point.
 
Let's also not forget that it's been mentioned before...... square tube shafts tend to grab obstacles and "walk" the rig sideways.
 
CW said:
Yeah but the toy guys are running 120hp 22r's I would like to see half the crap toy guys get away with running behind my stroker. They get away with welded diffs and 38's because of there weak ass engines. What toy guys vs what 4.XL guys get by with is a moot point.
Click to expand...
:rolleyes:

many of them are also running 200-300:1 gear reduction which puts FAR more torque to their driveshafts than your fancy stroker and ~50:1

there are also many Toyota guys running the hardest JV and AZ trails, in fact I think it's safe to say they are the majority on those trails.

many have also swapped 4.3s, 5.0s, 350s, etc

your generalizations are rediculous and I challenge you and your fancy stroker to twist up a .250wall square shaft.
 
Ok, first off you guys must not remember that I am the 2.5L king arround here and don't run a 4.0L. I break stuff with the 2.5 why would I wnat to get a bigger meaner engine? :confused1 Second, I recently had a 2" .120 wall rear shaft built. It worked exactly as planned. I bounced it off kodak rock in URE and it bent and did not twist and fail. (See picture in SE forum if you'd like.) I liked the smaller diameter bc it afforded a little more clearance for the shaft. I would like to have another 2" round but at $215 I think I can get it built for a lot less if I can find the 2" ds parts. I believe I need a 1310 yoke. Any idea what has 2" DS with 1310 yokes? I was inquiring about the square bc I thought it would be a great spare for cheap and with some spare tube at camp an easy repair b4 the next day. So stop debating it and tell me if you can, where do I find 2" yokes to build a rear ds with?
 
BrettM said:
:rolleyes:

many of them are also running 200-300:1 gear reduction which puts FAR more torque to their driveshafts than your fancy stroker and ~50:1

there are also many Toyota guys running the hardest JV and AZ trails, in fact I think it's safe to say they are the majority on those trails.

many have also swapped 4.3s, 5.0s, 350s, etc

your generalizations are rediculous and I challenge you and your fancy stroker to twist up a .250wall square shaft.
Click to expand...
I wasn't in the clearest of mind states when I posted:cheers:, but the guys running big power and well engineered rigs are most likely not running the square shafts. I'm running a doubler so my ratio is a little better than 50:1 its around 145:1, and I dont think I could twist one even with the 9920lb/ft potential of my setup I think my rear 231 would give out first. I guess it is pretty much the consensus that if it doesn't see very high speeds and you can deal with the potential vibes then run one especially if its just a spare.

As far as 2" shaft with 1310 yokes, I have no idea. It might be time to just hit a pick and pull.
 
BrettM said:
:rolleyes:

many of them are also running 200-300:1 gear reduction which puts FAR more torque to their driveshafts than your fancy stroker and ~50:1

there are also many Toyota guys running the hardest JV and AZ trails, in fact I think it's safe to say they are the majority on those trails.

many have also swapped 4.3s, 5.0s, 350s, etc

your generalizations are rediculous and I challenge you and your fancy stroker to twist up a .250wall square shaft.
Click to expand...



better yet lets see a pic of a broken square shaft ANYWHERE on the internet, and i mean shaft not yokes or flanges. also 99% of the people that talk crap about square shafts have NEVER ran one personaly and/or have the money to spend on a real driveshaft, where as 99% of the guys giving real advice about running square shafts either are running one or have run one.

i laugh all the time reading all the jeep nazis comments on here about toyota stuff, give a guy 2000$ and youll have a toy that will run the hammers and trails in az where as you give a jeep guy 2000$ and hes got some 33's on axles that will snap driving by the entrance to the hammers. going from a cherokee to a toyota then back to a cherokee i know so much more and my mind is open to out of the box ideas that get shut down and laughed at here.



do yourself a favor and go ask this question on pirate4x4.com, or better yet search pirate youll get real world experience from guys running them instead of a bunch of people with thier nose higher then yours.
 
YELLAHEEP said:
Let's also not forget that it's been mentioned before...... square tube shafts tend to grab obstacles and "walk" the rig sideways.
Click to expand...



yeah and that happens only when you have more weight on the drive shaft then you do on the tires, and if you had more weight on a stock shaft or close to stock thickness shaft then you did on the tires instead of laughing at the rock and walking sideways its going to bend and then twist like a candy wrapper and you will be walking instead of your rig.


so whats your point? youd rather have your shaft snap and twist into a pile of useless metal (yes it happans want to see pics?) then walk your rig sideways and keep wheelin all day????
 
CW said:
I wasn't in the clearest of mind states when I posted:cheers:, but the guys running big power and well engineered rigs are most likely not running the square shafts. I'm running a doubler so my ratio is a little better than 50:1 its around 145:1, and I dont think I could twist one even with the 9920lb/ft potential of my setup I think my rear 231 would give out first. I guess it is pretty much the consensus that if it doesn't see very high speeds and you can deal with the potential vibes then run one especially if its just a spare.

As far as 2" shaft with 1310 yokes, I have no idea. It might be time to just hit a pick and pull.
Click to expand...
Driveshaft is upstream from the diffs so those ratios are probably invalid. just food for thought. :read:
 
I've seen a couple of square shafts give out, but again only at the welds for the yolks. both of these were on a 350 conversion in a cj, with 35's on rocks. the total benefit of the square home made shaft is the long slip, and the cheap-ness. If you have to buy stuff to make one, why not just buy new shafts. I don't think you could build a square shaft with a smaller rotational diameter than a stock shaft that would be as strong.
 
ive built a few square shafts, for my rigs and for others....first about on the street, a good, even weld, and good machining, and using teflon strips to keep the smaller tube tight in the big one (and still letting it slide) makes it almost perfectly balanced. up to over 100mph in the truck that ive built one for:

supercharged 350, layin down over 400 horse to 60's front and rear, locked on 37" boggers.

last time he had the truck out, in low he blew a front u joint and snapped a 35 spline alloy rear axle shaft, and both the square driveshafts were fine
 
I had no idea this would bring out the best in everyone....

Yes, the Toyota guys have used these for a while and they have proved their worth. But some of you might have an opinion that Toyotas aren't real wheelers too.

The truth of the matter is that when you don't have any money and you have a trashed 'shaft they are an alternative. Personally I like to be able to use the front axle too in the snow and like a more vibration free ride. I opt for a smaller but thicker tube.....A retube really isn't too expensive.

Dan Fredrickson
 
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