Machine Shops who can make drive shafts?

[nuggetau]

Does anyone know of any machine shops who could pump out drive shafts? The '12 shafts will likely be back ordered all winter, because anytime they become available they will get gobbled up( both by those who have failures and those wanting a prophylactic fix). Seems like a good business opportunity for someone with the skills and machines necessary to build the shafts.

 

[himarker]

The trick would be the large diameter extrusion for the drivers to sit on. (Center piece of the current shaft). If it was a standard sized piece of stock it wouldn't be hard, but I'd bet that's a tough piece to get...

 

[POLZIN]

I don't recall seeing a good picture but I assume the end is splined ? For me that is the hardest part. the rest is cake.

 

[HenkeEdge]

Cant be a big problem for a good machine shop.

Same company as I work for but not on my department (I´m in the Steam Generator Tubing dept.) manufacture tubes like this:

Must be easier to get the "fins" on the outside

 

[jtpolaris]

I know a shop that could do them but I know it isn't going to be cheap. If someone had a good picture of the drive shaft I could send it to him.

 

[knifedge]

--He is probably talking about machining a '12 style shaft

 

[LoudHandle]

Micro-Belmont has made both jack shafts and driveshafts for me. The easiest to make would be the older small hex style. I believe Avid still makes the drivers to fit the old style shafts. In fact if you have an old style it would be very easy to chuck it in a lathe and stretch the non-splined end and shorten it to fit the newer narrower chassis. You would need the old style SAE bearings but very doable. Even your local machine shop or guy with a lathe in his barn could handle the mod of and EDGE or older shaft.

 

[paulharris]

No runout on hex shaft

Another big advantage of the machined 1 1/16" hex style that it would not have any runout on the ends which is a very bad thing on the belt drive. I have been checking these 2011-2012 splined shafts on V-blocks and they do have runout!!! it seems that the welded style shafts do NOT have very close tolerances due to the manufacturing/welding process. this runout is a bad thing on the belt drive pulley. i believe micro belmont makes shafts out of steel and titanium.

 

[frog]

Seems to be an expensive alternative, one off machine shop projects usually are pricey. I would go the RMK 900 shaft route if I was going to do anything if you are worried about the 12' shaft being on B/O but thats just my .02.

 

[POLZIN]

Cant be a big problem for a good machine shop.

Same company as I work for but not on my department (I´m in the Steam Generator Tubing dept.) manufacture tubes like this:
View attachment 188904
Must be easier to get the "fins" on the outside

Actually no. I could make that part easily. External splines require special tooling most machine shops dont have. Im sure I could make the parts but the tooling cannot be justified for the demand in most cases.

 

[mountainhorse]

Wahl bros and Micro Belmont.

Curt at FTX no longer does them.

Maybe Brad at Power Addiction.

I'd go with the 1.25" hex size for a bit more robust drive shaft.

 

[LoudHandle]

Wahl bros and Micro Belmont.

Curt at FTX no longer does them.

Maybe Brad at Power Addiction.

I'd go with the 1.25" hex size for a bit more robust drive shaft.

Micro-Belmont makes the Wahl shafts or at least used to.

Holz Racing Products at least used to make a Polaris hollow gun drilled driveshaft.

 

[HenkeEdge]

Actually no. I could make that part easily. External splines require special tooling most machine shops dont have. Im sure I could make the parts but the tooling cannot be justified for the demand in most cases.

The piece on picture was just a "cut off" these tubes is normally 10-15 meters long (just for info).

 

[Killer Time Racing]

I got my own lathe. If some one sends me one I will cut a hex shaft down for you. Give me the dimensions from chaincase to bearing face and ID of Bearing you use in Inches ie..1.365

I can whip that out in a couple hours.

Micro Belmont is 5 exits from me. I'd make my own.

 

[cb2honk]

I don't know jack about machining. If I were to send you my driveshaft, could you make an exact replica, but make it steel?

 

[nuggetau]

I got my own lathe. If some one sends me one I will cut a hex shaft down for you. Give me the dimensions from chaincase to bearing face and ID of Bearing you use in Inches ie..1.365

I can whip that out in a couple hours.

Micro Belmont is 5 exits from me. I'd make my own.

If you can make a close tolerance shaft for these sleds I think there will be a line at your door this winter!

 

[Coffee]

really people splines are not that hard. You can make them with a Bridgeport. It just takes a ton of time and everyone want things the next day.

No I will not make shafts because I don't have one at home and I'm not going to spend my nights at work away from my family.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJiFZG1YaVA&noredirect=1

 

[mountainhorse]

Although this is great outside the box thinking... I'm not sure if the solid Hex shafts would be as rigid and resist flexing like a tubular steel driveshaft would.... especially with the kind of track tension that the PRO needs to run to keep the track from ratcheting.

Flex of the driveshaft would equal runout of the QuickDrive pulley...Run-out of the quick drive pulley would lead to short belt life.

The reason Polaris went to a hydroformed tubular splined driveshaft in 2005 was not for the minute weight savings, IMO, it was for the improved rigidity of the drive shaft.

IMO... The best solution, IF you are going to substitute a drive shaft in a 2013 PRO RMK, would be a tubular driveshaft from a 2010 RUSH, 2011-2012 RUSH/SB/RMK, or 2013 Standard RMK.... of course with the appropriate drivers.

My 2 cents.

 

[nuggetau]

Although this is great outside the box thinking... I'm not sure if the solid Hex shafts would be as rigid and resist flexing like a tubular steel driveshaft would.... especially with the kind of track tension that the PRO needs to run to keep the track from ratcheting.

Flex of the driveshaft would equal runout of the QuickDrive pulley...Run-out of the quick drive pulley would lead to short belt life.

IMO... The best solution, IF you are going to substitute a drive shaft in a 2013 PRO RMK, would be a tubular driveshaft from a 2010 RUSH, 2011-2012 RUSH/SB/RMK, or 2013 Standard RMK.... of course with the appropriate drivers.

My 2 cents.

I don't think any of those shafts will be plentiful enough to fulfill the need.

 

[POLZIN]

really people splines are not that hard. You can make them with a Bridgeport. It just takes a ton of time and everyone want things the next day.

No I will not make shafts because I don't have one at home and I'm not going to spend my nights at work away from my family.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJiFZG1YaVA&noredirect=1

LMAO everyone is a machinist! Try making 100 or 1000 or 10000 that kinda changes the game just a bit. There is a good reason not many shops bother with it.