Abstract: A stir-welded drive shaft and a method of forming a stir-welded drive shaft. The stir-welded drive shaft is formed by the process of providing a yoke and a tube, and stir welding said yoke to said tube to define the driveshaft. A balance weight may be added to the tube after stir welding said yoke to said tube. The yoke may also include a pilot having a contact surface and an outer shoulder, wherein the contact surface and outer shoulder engage the tube to form a joint interface. The driveshaft is generally stir welded at along the joint interface.

Abstract: A stir-welded drive shaft and a method of forming a stir-welded drive shaft. The stir-welded drive shaft is formed by the process of providing a yoke and a tube, and stir welding said yoke to said tube to define the driveshaft. A balance weight may be added to the tube after stir welding said yoke to said tube. The yoke may also include a pilot having a contact surface and an outer shoulder, wherein the contact surface and outer shoulder engage the tube to form a joint interface. The driveshaft is generally stir welded at along the joint interface.

Abstract: The present invention involves a laser-welded driveshaft and method of making same. The laser-welded driveshaft comprises a tube and a yoke laser welded to the tube. The tube has a driveshaft wall extending to an open end, wherein the wall has inner and outer surfaces. The yoke includes a tube-engaging pilot which is disposed through the open end and the yoke is laser-welded to the open end of the tube.