Driveshaft Carnage

[badzook]

Just some pics of a Driveshaft that come to our shop last week. The customer put the rig into 4wd and Kaboom. Seized u-Joints seem to be the cause. The 4wd wasn't used much. I can't believe how thin the tubing material is. It's a front D/S from a 92 Ford F-150 4x4 . The tube is like tin can material :duh:

http://www.tri-state4x4.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10004/normal_5%7E0.JPG

http://www.tri-state4x4.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10004/normal_6.JPG

http://www.tri-state4x4.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10004/normal_8.JPG

So, That's what we're out there wheeling with if using stock Driveshafts..

Makes me want to upgrade...

[sentinal02]

that's because DS's don't generally need to be beefy. round tubing can handle a surprising amount of torque even when thin like that. the increased diameter compensates for the lack of wall thickness. they also want to keep the rotating mass down since these things spin rather fast when engaged. easier on the bearings, etc. all about cutting cost, lol. it's when you get a rust hole or a kink in the tube that things go down hill. the slightest imperfection in a shaft that thin and you get what you have here. from the looks of the rust on the inside of that tube right at the break I would say you had a hole in that one somewhere. the seized joints just forced all the torque to find the weakest spot. not as big of a problem on the front shaft of the jeep. the jeep's is much smaller in diameter and thus much thicker. you can tell just by picking one up. not so sure about the rear shaft though. that one is much more comparable to the one in the pics so it definitely could be a good reason to upgrade. :wtg:

[XEON]

Wow... those tubes are thin. I am sure they are fine for stock and when they are new. But with rust eating them away weakens it to a point where it does that. Wow, I could not imagine that happening on the trail, that would SUCK. :doh:

[rockdawg]

I think I have seen exhaust pipe thicker walled than that!

[XEON]

I think I have seen exhaust pipe thicker walled than that!

Yea, thats true. I think my rusted exhaust on the YJ was thicker then that...

But then again, wrangler frames are pretty thin too.

[mv420xx]

holy shiat man, thats thin, makes me think twice about doing certain things that effect the shaft, i new it was thin but not that thin... :doh: