Provided is a method of manufacturing a hollow power transmission shaft,
which makes it possible to ensure stable quality even when there is a
difference in wall thickness or hardening ratio along an axial direction
thereof. A hollow shaft material (1') is provided with, on an outer
peripheral surface (1g) side thereof, for example, a movable induction
heating coil (5) wrapped therearound. While a high-frequency current with
a predetermined frequency is caused to flow through the induction heating
coil (5), the induction heating coil (5) is axially moved to perform
induction hardening of the hollow shaft material (1') from the outer
peripheral surface (1g) side. At this moment, the frequency of the
high-frequency current caused to flow through the induction heating coil
(5) is set relatively low as to the small-diameter portions (1b), which
have a relatively small thickness, and the frequency of the
high-frequency current caused to flow through the induction heating coil
(5) is set relatively high as to the large-diameter portion (1a), which
has a relatively small thickness.