How to shorten a driveshaft at home.

[@RomeOpalec]

this is the best tutorial in YT for DIY shortening driveshaft. i knew those bed rails were useful. i am going to attempt what you’ve done here. thank you and great job brother!

[@tinygaragefab]

Thank you so much! I'm glad I can inspire people to try new things.

[@BrucePierson]

Many years ago (several decades actually) I shortened a drive shaft, but I didn't do it the way you did. What I did was to cut out the weld and remove the end cap, then I cut the tube and pressed the end cap back in and welded it. Then I put it in the lathe and checked for alignment with a dial indicator and used oxy to heat and water quench the tube in the right spots to get it aligned. This is how drive shaft manufacturers do the job. I didn't need to balance it and it worked well with no vibration. To ensure alignment, I scribed a line before I removed the end cap.

[@tinygaragefab]

That is one way I'd prefer to do it, but without a lathe, I think this is more than sufficient.

[@chrisguiton7844]

Great job man thank you. The angle iron is such a good idea. 🏆

[@tinygaragefab]

This is the best way I know how to do jobs like this without a large lathe. This even works with the Explorer 8.8 rear axle when you need to shorten the drivers side tube when doing swaps.

[@tonyf2455]

You saved the day for me, once again! I need to do this on my 620 and I didn’t know where to start.

[@tinygaragefab]

Heck yeah, dude! I don't post often enough, but when I do, I try to have the best info available. Glad I could help.

[@DanielSloanMusic]

I know guys have 15 different ways of doing this because i think I've watchwd them all on here lol. i have a two piece with the same issue. Im going to use your method and i thoroughly appreciate your attention to detail when doing this video. Obviously its not what many consider a perfect way of doing it but my truck is far from perfect and its worth trying before dropping a bunch of money for someone else to do it.

[@tinygaragefab]

Thanks for trying my way. It has worked for me a few times, and I haven't had any issues.

[@tedbastwock3810]

You are able to do a lot in your tiny garage. Happy to see you publishing again. Hope all is well. Would always love to see more of you and 22RE.

[@tinygaragefab]

I have some plans for a little bit more 22RE content, so I'll have to get it all figured out and turn it into some quality video. Thanks for watching!!

[@hansjansen7047]

I've done this with pretty good results a couple of times by just cutting the tube after laying down a line long enough to match up the two left over pieces. Clamp those parts to a piece of angle iron and weld it back together. The first one was for a '72 Chev pickup, and the second was for a demo derby car, that admittedly did not have to travel at speed, but did not break during the derby.

[@tinygaragefab]

Strong enough for a derby car is strong enough for me! We used to build those when I was a teen/early 20's

[@RanchBuiltRatRods]

Nice job. I half paying attention when you were under the vehicle and you said “Uh oh “ in my experience that means you messed up. Glad it was just in gear. Great information.

[@tinygaragefab]

Oh, I mess up all the time! Lol Glad you liked the process I used. It's nearly fool-proof and has served me well for years.

[@deano6188]

I've done this before But with the off cut of tube, cut it length ways+ take out a bit extra, squish tube so it can be inserted inside the drive shaft tightly to a-line everything. Good for backstop for welding, can put on vehicle before welding to make sure it fits + spin on vehicle and once welded if it fails it just slips on itself and doesn't flap around.

[@ChipsAndSparksGarage]

Great idea, tacking the angle iron from the start. Nothing wrong with that job, at all.👍

[@tinygaragefab]

Thanks Tony! I don't have a lot of miles on it yet, but its been solid and smooth so far.

[@davidpetrus1748]

i like your idea i just bought a front shaft for my f350 from amazon and it was 2 inches to long did not have time for playing the return it game so i cut the yoke off one end but i was disappointed it only had 3/8 of an inch that went inside the tube so i was taking a chance on pounding it back in straight all went well but next time i will definitely try your way next time it looks more fool proof

[@tinygaragefab]

Thanks for watching! I'm a big fan of reference/index cutting, and this was the cheapest and easiest way to do it for this application.

[@2000redvette1]

great job. I have my motor home in shop. the rear end went out, so they got a used rear end from junk yard and got it in place. they say the carrier bearing had gone out and was what caused the ring and pinion to go bad. now their telling me they drive shaft that they also got from wrecking yard is either too long and they are going to have to cut it. I don't know why they could not find one that fit. I hope they know as much as you and can do as good a job. My question for you is how will I know that everything is good when they get it done using wrecking yard parts. they already told me the used rear end was 2600.00 so I do not know what the drive shaft and the work to shorten it will cost. I'm stuck with them as I am in Maine now and live in Texas 2600 miles away. I didn't say it is a 'forest river motor home on a 2004 e-450 super duty Ford chassis and is a 2 piece drive shaft. thanks for any help you might give me

[@broncobart4354]

Great job. I have to wonder if the balancing of the driveshaft only pertains the material beyond the tubing now. In theory, you're removing some of the tubing which should affect the overall rotational mass, but hell, it's good enough for DIY. If you're truly not noticing any vibration, I'd call that a win.

[@marcroszyk5937]

Great work man! Love to see it. Keep pressing

[@tinygaragefab]

Thanks dude! I'm still at it for a bit.

[@kawyamsuz]

If you take a piece of stock that’s about half the diameter of the shaft, you can scribe an index mark with that and avoid the angle iron. Use it to index the shaft in the bandsaw too. Save the angle for jigging when you tack it back together

[@tinygaragefab]

Why risk it? Aligning in the bandsaw from a visual mark could still allow a 1-2° error, which is plenty to induce a noticeable vibration. Physical locating (angle iron) is much more precise.

[@BlownBudgetGarage]

Good to see you upload again. I also might be needing to do this soon lol

[@tinygaragefab]

Thanks dude! Been uploading every two weeks since August...but I'm almost out of content for a little bit.

[@nicolajskovby6204]

u should make a tac setting on ur welder, like the migatronic tig tac setting, it just makes tacs so much easier and bettter

[@tinygaragefab]

I'll have to look into that. I actually want to upgrade my TIG anyway, so maybe I'll look into one that has that option. Thanks!

[@kingtut5923]

Just checking.....are you using the welder with gas? if not remove front cap , better welding and you can see the wire.

[@tinygaragefab]

This was TIG welded. Definitely uses gas and no "wire"

[@isaiahfistler1753]

Can i do this to an aluminum drive shaft cuz i put a 4l80 in my 95 k1500 heavy duty and its a quarter of a inch longer than my old 4l80 so i need to cut it down

[@tinygaragefab]

As long as you can weld aluminum properly, I don't see a reason why it can't be done.

[@BustedknucklesRebuilds]

Good video. Awesome idea

[@tinygaragefab]

Thanks dude!

[@ironsmith9769]

bed frame steel is very hard stuff. hard enough to ruin your saw blade.

[@tinygaragefab]

I've never considered that.

[@DanielSloanMusic]

I've heard this before too. Something about most of it being made from old train rail I believe. Who knows what it's made from these days lol

[@brendenmills8856]

its crazy to me as a driveline shop owner/builder that people try and keep the weights in the same place like if that's gonna keep it balanced lol. anytime you cut, and reweld a driveline the weight 9 time outta 10 even if within 5 thousands, or less the weight will never be in the same spot as before. i cant guarantee you that shaft is off more than 10 thousandths

[@tinygaragefab]

I'm sure you're 100% correct about this. But I've not had a significant enough issue with balance in any shaft I've done this to that I've regretted doing it myself. For the guys who live out in the boonies and might not have a driveline shop around the corner, I don't think that 5-10 thou will be such a deterrent that they wouldn't want to make the modification and get the vehicle up and running.

[@JoshAU44]

Good stuff man.👍🏻

[@hongmihnhahn7081]

Interesting way good job

[@strangescience3414]

Awesome!! Thanks for 🧑‍🏫

[@derrellmeek7396]

Helpful

[@johnbarker5009]

I've never seen it done this way before. This is great!

[@tinygaragefab]

Thanks dude! This is probably the best way without having a lathe.

[@kudabesi3683]

👍👍👍

[@kingtut5923]

Nobody would ever do this , ever , never.

[@tinygaragefab]

Nobody?!?!? Just every driveline shop in the country. Do you think drivelines are machined from a single piece of steel/aluminum/etc? They are cut and welded. All of them.

[@Pedrofitbulls]

I do 😂😂

[@luispina4012]

👍👍