most driveshafts are steel warped insultion. I would imagine that the yokes are welded on to withstand the speeds. You could probaly cut the shaft or pick up an SD drive shaft

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1986 300SDL, 211K,Dealership serviced its whole life
1991 190E 2.6(120k)
1983 300D(300k)
1977 300D(211k)

Someone here can probably explain this better than I. The shaft guy I spoke to said MB shafts are spin-welded, one side rotated at high speed against and within the other to melt them together. The joint is virtually seamless, and better balanced.

The problem is undoing that joint. It has to be carefully machined apart to end up with parts that are square and axially aligned. I am guessing MB does not recommend this AT ALL.

Someone else chime in here, if I am getting this wrong.

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Peter
1985 300TD 4-speed 212K
1992 400E 343K
2001 E320 72K

The shop I'm dealing with called this "friction welding". They were the first shop I talked to that even knew how the shafts were put together. I'm not sure how they're going to shorten my driveshaft, if they'll sleeve it inside, or friction weld it again.

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84 300SD was driver,now donor for 89
89 420SEL diesel swap
84 300TD parts car,soon to scrap

that dana 2-2-329 flex disk to U-joint adapter the gm truck converter is using offers the opportunity to replace the MB driveshaft with a conventional unit with U-joints on both ends. You just have to make sure the angles of the joints are both ends are equal and opposite. Typically, the MB has 0 degrees of angle. This might be a lot cheaper, any spicer driveshaft shop can make a conventional driveshaft to any length.

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'80 240D biege "Mercey Bird"
'80 240D light blue "Slug"
'80 300SD dark blue "Theodin"