[xpickup]

I figured I would show you yesterdays after work project. It is for my buddies COE. I needed to just shorten it. I have done so many of them at work , from all new tubed to just shortening one end. I first figure out how much I have to shorten it. Then cut the tube a little long. Then take the cut off end and chuck it up in the lathe. I then turn off the crown of the weld , then take a part off tool and go in only the depth of the tube plus a little. Then take a rod and knock the end out of the tube. Then next chuck up the tranny yoke in the chuck. That is after I set up the steady rest first. I move the steady rest towards the end that I have to part off (finish length). Then part off the end squaring it up. That is after I had figured what the length needed to be. It was 2" shorter than my center to center dimension of the drive shaft. Then make sure both ends are lined up and tap both square edges together. Then weld it all together.

Shannon