An axle shaft applies circular force, or torque, to the wheels of most vehicles. Except for some heavy-duty trucks and lightweight vans, all vehicles require an axle shaft to hold the wheels together, which in turn, allows the wheels to work together in motion toward the direction guided by the steering wheel. Vehicles without axle shafts have nondriving axles. When creating a custom vehicle, knowing exact measurements of the required axle shafts is important if you want the vehicle to be completely operable.
Locate the splined, or groved, end of the axle shaft. This end of the axle shaft will have a large bearing. The bearing allows the axle shaft to rotate.
Place the beginning of the tape measure at the spline end. Pull the tape measure out until you reach the bearing at the opposite end. This is the length of the axle shaft.
Write down the exact measurement of the axle shaft. Keep this information for future reference.
