Extend 22mm solid driveline by about 200mm

[68Charger]

I have a project on a tractor where I need a specific sized sleeve to extend a solid metal drive line by about 8" (for a front axle on 4wd tractor)
The OD of this drive line is 22mm, since it's a Japanese tractor (Mitsubishi)

To help keep the axle as straight as possible when extended, I need the I.D. of said tubing to be just over 22mm (.867")
I also need the wall thickness to be around 1/8" (3mm) or more for enough strength.

1.25" OD with 3/16" wall thickness would fit the bill...

I've thought about getting something with a smaller ID and boring it out- but without a lathe, I don't think the bore would be straight enough.
as an extra added challenge, the axle must remained "timed" as referenced by a hole drilled through the axle near each end (to keep U joints timed)

Maybe I'm over thinking it- just need to cut the drive line, put the 2 ends in a straight piece of angle iron with holes drilled to locate timing based on the holes through the drive line, then put a 1/2" pipe in the middle and weld it up?

No need for this to be balanced, just straight & timed (tractor goes 12.5mph)

[Great-Kazoo]

you should still balance the shaft. It may be 12 mph, how many rpm's ?

[newracer]

I'd just take it to a drive shaft shop.

[thvigil11]

Did something similar with a hydraulic pump on the front of an 8N, the angle method would work but can lead to some issues. Best way for me was to sleeve it like you are thinking.

Here is something in 4130 that would work.
http://www.onlinemetals.com/merchant.cfm?pid=21467&step=4&showunits=inches&id=250&top_cat=0

Here it is in A513 if you want to go with mild steel. (little bit higher yield strength)
http://www.onlinemetals.com/merchant.cfm?pid=7784&step=4&showunits=inches&id=283&top_cat=0

These guys are good in that they sell small quantities. 1 foot at $20 beats buying a whole stick. I've had a good experience with them in the past.

[68Charger]

Thanks thvigil, they even do USPS flat rate so I'd pay less for shipping than the tube... [Coffee]

brings up a good point, I need to go spark test the drive line to determine what metal it's made of (probably mild steel of some type, but it is splined)

I'll look up the gear ratio in the front axle to see what RPMs it's running at, since it's a tractor it spends around 1-2% of it's life at max speed

When I get some time, I'll post up pictures of this project- it involves a broken axle casting (where it mounted to pivot point) leading to cast iron welding, brazing, 6" steel I-Beam reinforcements and re-mounting. Decided to move the axle a bit further forward to improve balance when using Front End Loader. Decided to try fixing it when I didn't get much interest in buying parts (except for, you guessed it- "how's the front axle?")

and before you ask, it's a mid 80's Mitsubishi import (not grey market), so there are virtually no parts available- Mitsubishi made a deal with Case to build their compact tractors and agreed to stop importing.

[68Charger]

Ok, spark test looks like Medium carbon steel.. also it's soft enough I can cut it with a file, but not as easily as mild steel... and can dent it pretty easily with a punch tool.

so I believe it's NOT high carbon (tool) steel, so it should be weld ok to mild steel

[thvigil11]

Sounds like you've got a plan now. Glad I was able to help. You know when I first saw metric numbers in the post title, I almost didn't open and read it. Metric? You Commie! [Muaha]

[ray1970]

If it were me, and it was going to be cutting/welding anyways, I'd probably just cut the ends off the old shaft and make a new shaft end to end instead of splicing the old one.

But, I'm a bit OCD that way.

[68Charger]

Sounds like you've got a plan now. Glad I was able to help. You know when I first saw metric numbers in the post title, I almost didn't open and read it. Metric? You Commie! [Muaha]

I have done enough work on AKs that I'm used to using Metric for mild machine work (pin sizes are metric, etc)... I supposed I could have said the shaft is .866" in diameter, and I need to extend it about 8"... and a Commie wouldn't be looking at buying a 1.25" x 3/16" wall tube to extend a metric part... [gohome]



If it were me, and it was going to be cutting/welding anyways, I'd probably just cut the ends off the old shaft and make a new shaft end to end instead of splicing the old one.

But, I'm a bit OCD that way.

If you're re-using the ends, aren't you splicing it anyway? [Sarcasm2]

This shaft is not like a car/truck driveshaft- it's solid, and has splines on each end- the U joints fit over the splines, there are not ears welded on a tube like a auto driveshaft.
I could make a new shaft but that would mean machining the splines- that would be more work than splicing the shaft...
I have a small mill, but no lathe With a rotary fixture and a key cutter, it could be possible to machine the splines- I guess that's a fall back plan if the splicing fails

[ray1970]

If you're re-using the ends, aren't you splicing it anyway?
unless you mean machining the splines- but that would be more work than splicing the shaft... I have a small mill, but no lathe

I guess I'm not quite sure what type of driveshaft you're dealing with. I just assumed it was a solid shaft. Didn't realize it was some sort of two piece splined shaft with a slip joint.

I didn't read all of the posts above very well. Probably not your original post that well either. Lol.

Just interjecting my opinion trying to give you some ideas.

[thvigil11]

I have done enough work on AKs that I'm used to using Metric for mild machine work (pin sizes are metric, etc)... I supposed I could have said the shaft is .866" in diameter, and I need to extend it about 8"... and a Commie wouldn't be looking at buying a 1.25" x 3/16" wall tube to extend a metric part... [gohome]

Well put my friend. Just make sure you use plenty of soy sauce in that hulk. [Poke]

Actually, those older Mitsu's are tanks. The mahindra's they sell now aren't bad either. Almost bought a 60's D2300 a few years back, was about to when I saw an add for a 53 TO30 Ferguson at a steal. Its actually a pre-merger, made just a few weeks before Massey got involved. I've been slowly restoring it ever since.

[mcantar18c]

Just get a Woody.
http://www.4xshaft.com/

I'm sure he'll make you one.

[68Charger]

Well put my friend. Just make sure you use plenty of soy sauce in that hulk. [Poke]

Actually, those older Mitsu's are tanks. The mahindra's they sell now aren't bad either. Almost bought a 60's D2300 a few years back, was about to when I saw an add for a 53 TO30 Ferguson at a steal. Its actually a pre-merger, made just a few weeks before Massey got involved. I've been slowly restoring it ever since.

This is an MT250D... so it's a small tank with only 25HP (3 cyl Diesel)
The design of a pin that's inserted into the top of the axle casting did not lend itself well to a front-end loader- the casting broke where the pin when thru. This first happened over 10 years ago, and the housing was not breached- so I welded the pin back into what was now a "groove" in the top of the housing, and that held until late last year when the top of the housing broke in 3 pieces... and it sat for some time while I tried to figure out what to do (including just parting out the tractor).

[68Charger]

I guess I'm not quite sure what type of driveshaft you're dealing with. I just assumed it was a solid shaft. Didn't realize it was some sort of two piece splined shaft with a slip joint.

I didn't read all of the posts above very well. Probably not your original post that well either. Lol.

Just interjecting my opinion trying to give you some ideas.

No worries, just for clarity, here's the shaft in question:
48975


Just get a Woody.
http://www.4xshaft.com/

I'm sure he'll make you one.
As you can see from the above picture, this more resembles a steering shaft than a Jeep driveshaft- but thanks for the suggestion!

[Colorado_Outback]

How are you going to weld it?

[68Charger]

How are you going to weld it?

basically drive the ends into the sleeve I've ordered until it's the correct length while insuring it stays timed (line up the holes on each end of the shaft ends), then tack weld at 6:00, 12:00, then 3:00 and 9:00 using my wire feed MIG and verify it is still straight, then crank up the amps and fill in the space between the tack welds, letting it cool between each 90 degree section to avoid warping the shaft.

Using straight CO2, I don't have Argon mix...

[Colorado_Outback]

Sounds good. Burn it hot if its a 115 machine.

[Colorado_Outback]

Or if you make it up this way I'll tig it for you.