Has anyone on here ever shortened an axle shaft by machining the u joint end off of the inner shaft cutting it and rewelding it? It seems like everyone gets there shafts resplined am I missing something. I checked and the shaft isn't hardened at that end I am gonna go talk to the local machinist this weekend but I figured I would give you guys the opportuniy to flame me first if I am being a retard. I am planning on cutting my axlehousings down this weekend so I want to know before I do, so I dont have to order $700 custom shafts.

Custom shafts would be the right way to go.I think the other route would break easy.

its not that much to get them re-splined $100 or so



:massey:

I know that would be better but I have samurai's and I am cheap...I just don't know if anyone has tried it,I'm only gonna run the 1.3L for the summer so I shouldn't be able to put to much power to it. just curious,and did I mention I am cheap

We have a local race car fabricator nearby who have cut and welded many d44 axles with great success. I have yet to hear of one failing despite some serious abuse. I'm not sure where on the axle they cut. You will want to find someone that has done it before and knows what they are doing but it does work.

there is a guy down the road from my house who was a machinist for 40 years and does it on the side now I figured i'd see what he said tonight,I was thinking about resplining them but if there not hardened afterward won't they just twist off? the stock shaft is only hardened about 5 inches in if that I wanna cut off 7.5

well, I've recombobulated some d44 (chevy 1/2 ton) axles, and if I had to do it again I'd make some custom pieces to perfectly mate and match up the 2 tubes. the o.d. on the custom piece would match the i.d. on the axle tube for a tight fit, and in the middle of the custom piece would be a narrow short lip, just enough so you can't drive the custom piece too deep into either tube. I'm thinking about 1/16" wide and maybe .050 tall.
it'll keep everthing perfectly in line for welding and remain in place. so make sure you can pass your axleshaft through it.

also, I don't think the 1.3 would break the bigger shaft if it's welded right by pros. however, that'd probably cost as much as resplining. if you do respline there's another benefit to cutting off 7.5 inches.. you can get rid of that necked down part just outside of the diff. it's the built in 'fuse' that you might not want.
. you could also harden it, then anneal it to prevent brittleness.

so are you saying I should cut the shaft and sleeve it? because I thought if I machined jst the yoke off the end of the axle and had that centered and welded back up that's what it looks like they did from the factory. although I do like your idea there would be alot more weld area. I'm only cutting the long side down so it offsets the rear and leaves the front where it is(3/4 ton chevy) with 7.5 inches cut off I can run H1 wheels with factory centers and still turn....in theory

also, I don't think the 1.3 would break the bigger shaft if it's welded right by pros. however, that'd probably cost as much as resplining. if you do respline there's another benefit to cutting off 7.5 inches.. you can get rid of that necked down part just outside of the diff. it's the built in 'fuse' that you might not want.
. you could also harden it, then anneal it to prevent brittleness.

i broke a warn d44 outer with a 1.3.

Dutchman machine in oregon will cut and respline a 44 shaft for 50 dollars once you have shipped it to them. The right way is cheap enough I wouldnt do a cut and weld.

MY 1.3 breaks d44 shafts like popcorn, but im kinda hard on my junk. Why not just get a narrower 44 instead of all this. what track width are you looking for?

Dana 44' shave been used in so many variations its not funny, narrowing them is EASY. Find a dana 44, see what length shafts it has in it on each side, and measure the WMS. Decide what WMS you want, and subtract the difference from the shafts. Then search fro what d44 front used that length shafts and you are set. THEN replacement shafts, or aftermarkets are easy to find.

I used a 1/2 ton Chevy Dana 44 which I converted to 8 lug making it 69.5 WMS. Wanted to get it to 65.5" WMS to match my d70 rear. Found that a longside shaft out of a driver drop waggy axle was exactly 4" shorter than the Chevy longside, removed the C, cut 4" off the longside tube, welded it back up. Swap the shaft in and BAM 65.5" dana 44 8 lug, I moved the perch 4" inward on this side making a 28.5" pad width, making this axle able to bolt into a zuki, yota, or even a cj very easily.

Here are the articles that MR. N did regarding dana 44 shaft lengths.
http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=425938

http://77cj.littlekeylime.com/web_rs44.html


Hope all this helps

actually, I was referring to a sleeve for the inside of the axle tube. not the axleshaft.
. although, I suppose .........

I kinda wanted to use the housing I have because it has half inch wall axle tubes in it I have scoutII axles but they aren't wide enough I want 62" wms wms which I know is what a waggy axle is or close to it but like I said I am trying not to piss off the wife so I'd rather put a little work into what I got also if I use the chevy housing and just cut the one side I can bring my springs a little closer for improved turning radius because I won't have to use the machined in spring pad I can weld on a perch

One of the scotts has a 61"wms

if its 6 lug, narrowing 4 inches on the longside will make it 63.5 not the 62 you want but getting close

It's 8 lug, I'm trying not to go to much wider than I already am the trails around my place are tight as is and I'm gonna be 8inches wider outside of tire to outside of tire than my stock sami with 31-10.5 which I can live with.I talked to the machinist down the road and he said he will cut my shafts down for me so I'm gonna try it and see what happens..on a differrent not I spent all weekend cutting up a one ton chevy and then my softop broke down so I didn't get anything done that I wanted to on my hard top but I guess you'll have this :shaking:

here is a cheap solution done right, providing good availability of salvage. early ford broncos had narrow axles. i believe the fronts went to dana 44 in 1974. cut your housing to that width and swap in the early bronco shafts. you should be able to buy used shafts cheap. then you aren't screwed when you break one and need another fast.

well after a whole lot of talking to people I've decided to get new rear shafts and I cut an extra inch off the front to use a early bronco long side shaft the housing is cut and I tacked the c back on for mock up. I feel a little better now that I've managed to accomplish something I willl try to get some pics up today. also if anyone has a stock bronco long side inner they wanna sell pm me.