Method for producing a tubular, hollow drive shaft, particularly a Cardan shaft, from a pre-tube, particularly a longitudinally welded, normally annealed steel tube which is extended, wherein the wall strength or thickness of said tube is reduced at least partially by means of single or multiple ironing or other cold-forming, and/or the inner and/or outer diameter of said tube is changed, wherein at least one pre-tube end or shaft end is made into an integrally formed, integrated flange by means of cold-forming.