I don't know what your welding experience is but runNing a TIG bead around it would not be A "HILL BILLY" fix.A weld is how its held on the ends. If you happen to ever see a book called "building a T bucket on a budget" They explain how to cut a drive shaft with a pipe cutter & weld a band around it !! I don't just sit here & think about how to hack shit up!! I just know what will work & what won't.Also he didn't mention that he could weld alumn, but i'm pretty sure he has a computer( lol) So he could find a decent welder to do it. JimV
This one is simple..... How much do you have in your car...? which looks great ... How much to get another driveshaft cutdown....? Or how much to fix all the damage when it breaks and tears up your great looking car....? You have spent alot of time and effort and money... replace it..
Bite the bullet and either get another one or get it re-tubed. If you were not concerned about it you would not have posted here. Put it in the rear view mirror...history. Peace of mind and move on. Ask the drive shaft shop if they can weld it, turn it down and balance it cheaper than a new tube. I personally would not drive it hard until it is fixed or repaired.
Let me tell you all the story of my drive shaft and 9" rear end. I got my Falcon with a 9" out of a Lincon with 2.40 RP and a DS that was about 35LB. so i picked up a chunk for 150 dollers with the 3.50RP and had it rebuilt and got a locker, so now i am about 500 in to the axle. Oh ya, with this combo there was no fill plug, so add in 3 Hrs more installing one. so i get that done. now i need a new DS so i get an Alum one from an explorer, to short buy an inch, 40 dollers down, find one out of a ranger i think i spent around 70 dollers? for it and got stuck in a big traffic jam for two Hrs. I get that one shortend down,175 with new U joints to mate my C4 yok to ranger shaft to early 9" yok,all happy now I get to drive it soon. nope 1" to long i swear i got 54" every time i checked nope 53" well anouther 100 for shop labor. get it home slips right in, sweet. Go to put the rear Ujoint straps on, dont fit check the box said of a ford rear, about 1/4" to wide, go up to the speed shop and talk to the guy there he tells me there are about 3 diff yoks for the 9". his car has one that took straps for a Dana rear. So i go back to Orilleys and start to dig threw what thay have, Gm straps fit just right. get home bolt it all up. Back out the shop, car settles down, what the flip is that scraping sound! pull back in to the shop and there you have my nice groove around my pain in the a$$ drive shaft.
Welding a groove worn in the tube is a hack job. When you weld a tube in the middle it will warp the tube. Thats why they cut them on the ends to shorten them. I've never seen one shortened in the middle have you ? Yes it can be welded in the middle then Mcgiver trial and error home balance job and it won't break. I'm thrifty as they come and I can weld steel and alum. But I wouldn't weld one or have it welded anywhere but the ends. Go find yourself a alum or steel driveshaft in the junkyard. Take it to a driveshaft shop to have it shortened and fit it with the proper ends. A propeller on a boat or airplane and the driveshaft on a car are the main parts that need to be right. This is where the power is funneled to. Don't clog it up with a crooked tube and a half assed balance job. Gene
You've learned already what can happen. There's another thread on here with a bunch of driveshaft horror stories. Fix it right and you'll never have that what if feeling.
Ya, that is why i was over building it with the 4" drive shaft. Im not going to run the car with this one. Im going to reinstall it so i can move the car around and check for any other problems. Its a good thing i have a daily driver and 3 play cars i dont have to worry about it.
The Jalopy Journal
