Learn me: driveshaft adaptation. Is it DIY?

Looking to splice my Celica driveshaft with the tube end of a ford 8.8 shaft. Six states driveline quoted ballpark 180-250$. Can this be done by an amateur? My buddy welds professionally. How do you balance it?

I'm not sure what you are trying to accomplish. If the length is going to stay the same you can get an adapter ujoint and not have to cut the shaft.

gearheadmb wrote: I'm not sure what you are trying to accomplish. If the length is going to stay the same you can get an adapter ujoint and not have to cut the shaft.

^This, there are hundreds of adapter u-joints out there thanks to the offroad market, i think some which can even be found at some auto part box stores (napa, etc.).

but if for whatever reason you do have to cut/lengthen/shorten and you have the right equipment to make a good square cut on the driveshaft and have your buddy weld it you may be able to get away with just sending it off to just get balanced which would probably be cheaper then having them make it.

I have to take the end of the yota shaft and weld on the end of the ford shaft that connects to the 8.8 axle. The ford tube is a little bigger than the yota tube. And, length will be different.

Trackmouse wrote: I have to take the end of the yota shaft and weld on the end of the ford shaft that connects to the 8.8 axle. The ford tube is a little bigger than the yota tube. And, length will be different.

Sounds like 180-250 well spent to me.

What diameter is the Toyota drive shaft?

Trackmouse wrote: I have to take the end of the yota shaft and weld on the end of the ford shaft that connects to the 8.8 axle. The ford tube is a little bigger than the yota tube. And, length will be different.

I just don't see this being a good solution at all. Stress risers and a brittle weld in the tube just being the start.

What you are looking for is a weld yoke. 1310 U joint to whatever your diameter needs to be.

http://www.dennysdriveshaft.com/c602_weld_yokes_tube_yokes.html

Scroll down to the 1310 series and pick your diameter. Should be under $40

If you need to shorten the shaft you are golden. If you need to lengthen it buy a new tube.

Read the thread on the GRM ramp truck driveshaft explosion for reasons to do it right.

We did this with the Wreck Racing 2JZ Midget. The trans is a GM TH350, the rearend is a Ford 8.8. We got driveshafts for both: Ford Ranger and Camaro or something. The GM shaft ID was slightly larger than the Ford shaft OD. We turned two sleeves, which barely slip over the Ford shaft and inside the GM shaft. Weld the sleeves onto the Ford shaft, drill circumferential holes on the GM shaft, place it snug over the modified Ford shaft, and weld through the holes onto the sleeves. No balancing was done.

Don't have pictures but it held up to 340whp...oh and the driveshaft was 10" long.

All great ideas. It'll likely need to be shorter, since the ford axle is larger.

The main things to keep in mind are that you need to get everything lined up right (in particular, the U-joint ends need to be kept in the same plane) and good quality welds. There's a trick using a hose clamp to balance them. I opted to have a shop take care of the driveshaft on my truck, but I have seen home builds turn out OK if you take suitable care with them.

I watched a video of the hose clamps too. The redneck in the video made it seem fine, but talked like he had meth-mouf...

I've shortened driveshafts myself then had them balanced. The driveline shop was impressed I got the yoke alignment right - that is not usually the case, it would seem - and it balanced out nicely. I spent a lot of time on that yoke alignment.

Considerably less cost than a custom built shaft, which I've also done.

I was inspired by the old Locost book to cut and wrld my own driveshaft when i swapped an overdrive gearbox into my spitfire. For fun i used nothing but wrenches to measure alignment, and a hammer to adjust it all. Then i torch welded on a fence post. It worked well for the many years i drove it.

Cost of new driveshaft $200 Getting to keep your legs, hip and floor pan where they belong......Priceless.

I raced with a guy who lost a drive shaft in practice went home and Made a new one....we all said no don't go out...oh I just need to take the green to get my points and keep my points lead.... BOOM on the warm up lap. Shattered his hip and femur, smashed his hand when the broken section turned 90 deg and took out the seat floor pan. At the same time the back section dug in to the track lifting the rear off the ground.

In 16 years of dwarf racing I lost 3 shafts.. I thank god every day for teaching me when to know its better to spend $$ then get a disability check for life.

44Dwarf wrote: Cost of new driveshaft $200 Getting to keep your legs, hip and floor pan where they belong......Priceless. I raced with a guy who lost a drive shaft in practice went home and Made a new one....we all said no don't go out...oh I just need to take the green to get my points and keep my points lead.... BOOM on the warm up lap. Shattered his hip and femur, smashed his hand when the broken section turned 90 deg and took out the seat floor pan. At the same time the back section dug in to the track lifting the rear off the ground. In 16 years of dwarf racing I lost 3 shafts.. I thank god every day for teaching me when to know its better to spend $$ then get a disability check for life.

You may have saved a life today man. Thanks. I've heard enough fellas, I'll pony up and stop being a stingy tightwad.

Had a home-made driveshaft in an MG Midget/Fiat swap chase me out of the car when it let go around 4000 rpm. (Was on axle stands) Thank god all the carnage happened on the PS and there was no passenger. NOHOME woulda been NOLEG

I don't mess around with driveshafts anymore. I like driveshaft hoops.

I second the get a pro to do it. Drive shafts and flywheels are two things I don't mess with.