Sometime before the "new" format went into effect here on the HAMB, a member posted a thread about his 49-54 Chevrolet, enclosed driveshaft that literally came "untwisted". It was corkscrewed in shape, and a lot of guys did't believe it. I can't find the thread now. Does anyone remember it, or possibly saved an image from it? I am Butch/56sedandelivery.
I've seen conventional tubular driveshafts that were twisted like taffy. It is very rare and happened on extremely powerful drag cars. I don't see how it could be possible on a torque tube drive Chevy. The rear axle shaft would snap first, or the transmission blow if you had that powerful an engine.
It's not the torque-tube that was posted about, it was the internal "shaft", with-in the torque-tube. I am Butch/56sedandelivery.
Holy ****!!! I beat on a few old chevys back in the day, never dreamed that could happen! I don't think I would have believed that if there wasn't a picture!!! [emoji50]
YES!!!! Thank you very much for finding it, and answering my thread. How did you go about finding it? Some of the Chevy Talk members were't believing me, and since I could't find this thread, I was starting to think I was dreaming. You have saved ME, "FACE". Thanks again. I am Butch/56sedandelivery.
Sometimes a Google search with H.A.M.B. attached gets better results than searching on here direct. Curiosity had me wondering what the heck an untwisted driveshaft was, tried a couple variations of terms, looked at images and voila!
they used to make tubing a little different back then they used a narrow sheet and rolled it on a angle die and welded the sides , spiral forming ( like how they make culvert tubing ) today they run it thru progressive dies to make the circular shape and resistance weld the seam and then roll it thru a sizing die to strengthen it . I hate to been in the car when that ****er split . I know what it sounded like when I crumpled my 3" tube on my car , sounded like a M-80 in the back seat then a bunch of banging against the floor
I have no experience with these at all... so it's a flat piece that is formed into a tube with the seam welded? Then when the weld breaks it turns into a corkscrew looking mess?
Corkscrew mess is one way to describe it. Take a page of newspaper and roll it into a tube. Then hold one end and turn other. I have rebuilt or replaced many dozens of driveshafts that have been wadded up from torque. Most of them were out of big trucks for various reasons. Some of them were even DOM tubing of .180 wall thickness.