The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Driveline Driveshaft fabrication

I'm in the early stages of my shop truck build and am swapping in some modern (2007) air ride, air brake components. As I removed tandem rears and am installing a single axle, this will require a longer driveshaft, using a Spicer 1610 up front to mate to the original auxilliary trans, and a Spicer SPL90 out back to mate to the Peterbilt bus rear. My universal joint research online has led me to Action Machine in South Bend IN. Has anyone use their driveshaft fabrication service to provide any feedback? Thanks in advance. Also, here's a build thread on the shop truck. Sorry for the OT brand, John tells me I need to ride in the back..

Shop truck build

When I was in the transition period of changing from Spicer 1760 to SPL I ran into this all the time. The drive shaft people I use do not put a 1760 yoke and a Spl yoke on the other end. I am assuming your auxiliary is too old to be fitted with a SPL yoke, but you can probably get a 1610 yoke to fit your rear. There is nothing wrong with 1610 shafts. I used them on interaxle shafts for over 30 years. I scrapped a bunch of 1610 shafts recently, but I probably still have some Spicer 1610 joints in dusty boxes on the shelf. Unless you log over 100k miles per year like my trucks do, you will probably never notice the difference in life of a 1610 compared to a SPL.

The truck has about 60K original miles on it, so I'd say those 1610's are original....and almost 60 years old.

its a ford!

That's why John said I had to ride in the back!

I put new driveshafts in my truck, also 1610 joints.
Check out this tech tip
http://www.stovebolt.com/techtips/driveline/setup/index.html
The manuals linked there are the best source of info for what you're doing, they helped me a lot.

You're in MD, don't go to far to have your driveshafts made...
I looked in the manual and in the Spicer catalogs and ordered the components I needed from Central Truck and Trailer Parts in Hagerstown, MD. They delivered the parts to a local driveshaft shop that assembled and balanced them. Central picked them up and I wrote one check for the whole job. I expect you could do the same even if you have a few used components in there.

Don't go to a shop that can't balance them. Seems like a no brainer but it's more common that you'd think.. "driveshaft" shops that don't have the equipment to balance them..

Call Randall (central truck) at 301-797-1995, tell him that Grigg suggested you call about driveshafts, he was a big help with mine.

Grigg

PS
Quoting from your build thread "Once the new rear (with modern air brakes) goes in, the driveshaft parking brake will be scrapped.."
If you'd please hang onto all the parking brake stuff I'll pick it up at Johns in April.

Thanks for posting those, that is some good info. I made a phone call today, so we'll see what kind of price quote comes back....

Mine were in the 4-500 range each shaft with all new Spicer components, the welding and balancing was less than $100 of that if I remember, this has been a few years though.
Whatever they cost now I bet they're competitive and I know you'll be satisfied with the parts.

You'll find Central Truck is a great resource for lots of your project. Well worth a trip just to see what they have and worth a call even for the odd stuff, they've usually got it or can get it. I've been going there for 6 or 7 years now, a really great place to deal with.

Grigg

Coming for the Leonardtown Show? I live about two miles from there, you'll have to stop by and check out the progress. I'm sure it will still be in pieces..

I think the Homecoming is April 20-22 this year (not overlapping the show), perhaps we can stop by and catch up then,

Grigg

Grigg, thanks for the recommendation, but it didn't work out this time. One weeks time, two phone calls and one message left, and by the time I did get the estimate I had already ordered it elsewhere. I'm sure I'll have opportunity to use them in the future though, and I think they'd be more responsive to something sitting on the shelf than ordering out. The other outfit did everything in house, I ordered one Wednesday and had it on my doorstep the following Wednesday. Hope to get things bolted up this weekend.......and get a pile of parts going for you..

Sorry It didn't work out, I talked to Randall a week or two ago and he said he appreciated your call and was working on it.

I like working with friendly folks I can go see in person. I try to never rush people, so long as long as I'm not forgotten and they're working on my order I don't usually get upset because for me this a hobby and not a job.
That said Central Truck is a busy place, and has been well worth dealing with even with the occasional wait.
Stop by sometime and say hi anyhow, I bet they can help you out on another part of your truck.

Grigg

I've got no hard feelings, and I hope he doesn't think I was wasting his time. I figured they are busy and my job was more of a pain to quote, as it dealt with some outside vendors, as you indicated. So I'm sure some of the delay in quoting was due to Randall waiting for info as well. My goal was trying to get it delivered before an upcoming trip so my wife didn't have to try moving something like this off the porch. After a week of not hearing anything, I made the reminder call, just to make sure things were moving along. The other outfit had the quote out quicker, but as they have their own in-house driveshaft shop, that likely speeds up the process. (and real quick on delivering, too). But there's bound to be other parts needed to get this thing together, so I'm sure I'll be talking to Randall again...