What a Tube Yoke Does
A tube yoke, commonly referred to as a “weld yoke”, is a simple but critical component of any drive shaft. The technical definition of a tube yoke is a yoke with a piloting hub for attachment of a tube. The tube yoke is typically pressed onto the tube, along with the tube shaft, in one process. Over-pressing is a common mistake that can be made when the tube is pressed too far over the hub of the tube yoke.

Once the tube yoke (weld yoke) and the tube are pressed together.  The weld seam appears, which is important to inspect for pin holes, along with undercutting and other improper welding techniques. If a tube yoke is not welded properly, a shear point is created. See our Technical 101 page for more information on proper welding techniques.

Proper Alignment Between Tube Yoke & Slip Yoke
Proper phasing/alignment of the tube yoke (weld yoke) is an additional aspect to consider when assembling a drive shaft. If a tube yoke is not properly phased/aligned with the slip yoke, there can be a variety of vibrational problems that can occur because the u-joints will not be rotating properly with one another, see the Technical 101 for more information.

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