Have to get my drive shaft shortened 4''. There are a few places close by
to do it. What would be a fair price to have it shortened and balanced? Thanks

 

$250 or so. I paid $180 in Van Nuys Ca in 1991, so figure it's up a bit, maybe down if you're not in the high dollar area.

Keep in mind, the initial payment on a really cheap job might be attractive, but the second payment could be really steep.....

 

I paid around $160 at Inland Driveline to have one shortened and re-balanced.

 

Reg where bouts you live?

 

I live in Guelph Ontario Canada.

 

If you can cut with a hacksaw and weld it's not that hard to shorten the driveshaft yourself. I have always made my own driveshafts. It's a process I've done a number of times but I've never tried to describe the process before. Here goes...

Look for weights spot welded to the shaft for balancing in the area you want to remove and avoid cutting those off. You can usually cut from either end but if you have a shaft that changes diameter midway through be sure you will have enough length left to weld the end back on after shortening. Remove the U-joints and start by cutting off the welded end on the shaft side of the weld using a hacksaw or if there are balancing weights there cut the other end. What you want to do is cut and turn cut and turn. Make the cut about 1/16 to 1/8 inch deep and then knock the end out of the tube with a hammer. Then cut the four inches off the tube. I always wrap a piece of light straight edge cardboard around the tube and tape it in place to be sure I cut the tube straight. Lay the hacksaw blade right up next the the cardboard and turn and cut turn and cut. When you have the tube the correct length tap the end back into the tube. Be sure to phase it with the other end. Run a bead around the end to weld it back on, re-install new U-joints and you are done. Most of the time the shaft will not require balancing. If it does you can always have a driveline shop balance it for you. I've done about a half dozen of these and have only had to have one balanced...

If I left anything out and there's anyone else out there who makes their own feel free to add or comment...

 

That sounds a lot easier than I would have thought. Good information on the process!

 

I paid $300 to have the whole thing fabricated and balanced using my C-6 yoke and their U-Joints and 9" rear of drive shaft thing. The tube is 3.5" steel 51" long.

 

$100.00 in Denver

 

i would hit the local wrecking yard and with tape measure in hand start measuring drivelines as i personally have put many ford drivelines in mopars,chevys and vice versa. they make just about any u-joint combo for yokes you can think of.

 

After the lowering kit, my drive shaft is too long and will need to be at least 1 to 1.5" shorter than it is now to allow for the appropriate amount of slip on the spline shaft for suspension travel. In light of the amount of damage that could occur in very short order if the drive shaft lets loose, I am inclined to allow someone else to shorten mine or build a new one. I'm guessing 100-200 dollars should do it. I think its a small price to pay for a little security.

 

kusto, i would keep the one you have and find one that is the right length just in case you decide to raise your truck back up. lowered trucks look cool but seem to hit everything in the road and entering inclines can be interesting also. ask me how i know.

 

If it turns out that the cost of a new one is very close to the cost of a rebuild, I will save the drive shaft I have....just in case....but I doubt I'd ever lift it back to stock height.