im just ordered a new u joint for my lt and i am thinking of drilling through the shaft and other side of the u joint and running a bolt all the way through with a nut i havent seen a whole lot of this and i know if you did this i would prevent you from shearing the key off on the shaft. i know the key takes the pressure from the engine spinning so the bolt would only be there for a last measure or safety in case you sheared a pin anybody heard of anyone doing this ?

I've run a longtail for 10 years or so and through some pretty rough stuff, never "sheared" a keyway or shaft. Come to think of it, I don't think I've ever heard of or seen a keyway sheared.

Don't waste your time.

well iv run one for 2 months or so and i did lol

dont drill it, youll weaken it tremendously because of the percentage of the shaft mass lost. put a small weld where the shaft enters the u joint and youll just have to do a small amount of grinding if you ever have to pull it loose again.

ten four thank you

Please specify.. You have a YOKE and a UJOINT. THe yoke is the par tthat connects a Ujoint to something. A ujoint is what allows Misalignment of 2 planes to join together.......

im pretty sure he was reffering to the yoke

i didnt think i had to specify that i would never see a reason why to drill through the joint itself lol ya i meant the yoke and i put the new one on and it fits perfect just drilled to put the set screw in

I drilled the yoke and shaft on the first long tail I built and put a 5/16 stainless bolt through it. The bold sheared after 10 minutes of hard running. I have since used a regular 3/16 square key and have never had a problem even with the hardest running and most violent rock and log slaps. Dimple the key where the set screw seats and use red loctite and you likely will never have a problem. Best of luck.

I left the key in the drilled a small hole through and place bolt exactly how you are talking about worked great....My thoughts were that it works just like a shear pin on a bush hog behind a tractor...the bolt and key are still considerablely weaker the the shaft if you dont go crazy on the size hole you drill

I think by doing that you will jeopardize the quality of your shaft. You will make it weaker by removing half the material, and it will be more likely to twist in half at the bolt hole. I know of a guy that counter sunk his u-joint tension bolt into his drive shaft and twisted the end off when he got into some thick stuff. If I were you I would drill and tap a hole above the keyway to keep the key from coming out instead. Thats what we do. Good luck