Driveshaft: Aluminum or Steel

[jonosranger]

So guys ive been thinkin bout upgrading driveshafts. Not sur on with one to go with. I race my car alot and was worried about durabillity and longevity of the aluminum one. Have a friend that has FMS one and the u joint holes are startin to get oval shaped. I have a aluminum one out of a police package crown vic. that i was gonna have shortened. Idk Maybe some one can chime in

[evrae205]

if your not making a shit ton of power or launching on slicks 10 times a week you probably won't have a problem with aluminum.

[TheJeanyus]

I really don't think you're going to hurt an aluminum driveshaft.

[jonosranger]

I do race on slicks and i leave either on the rev limiter or close too it. the shaft i have now is twisted and its stock

[QWKSNKE]

I never had any problems with my FMS aluminum driveshaft in the cobra. It saw a lot track abuse (slicks, 300-540rwhp, leaving at high rpm)

[evrae205]

I do race on slicks and i leave either on the rev limiter or close too it. the shaft i have now is twisted and its stock

if your bending stock driveshafts..... I dont know if i would trust an aluminum. But thats just me.

[jonosranger]

Yea i was jus wonderin about it never really heard anything bad bout them

[evrae205]

i've got a few friends that have twisted apart al driveshafts with their ls1 cars recently.

I say shorten the one you got off the crown vic (shouldn't be very much $) and try it.

just hope you have some safety loops.

[jonosranger]

I have a safety loop but havent put it in yet.

[EHardy1971]

Here's the one I did recently

http://www.streetstangs.net/showthread.php?t=14324

[rtusnake]

Never had any problems out of mine, it has 1350 joints though

[Wickd GT]

Here is the drive shaft I had custom made for my car to fit the glide. It has 1350 u joints up front and 1330 at the back. Great customer service and outstanding quality and balanced. The shop is the Axle exchange.

http://www.axle-exchange.com

The person to talk to, his name is Neal. Great guy, I paid 400.00 for this drive shaft 3.5" diameter and it is made in the USA, he built it. Here is a picture of it:

Edgar

[jonosranger]

Here's the one I did recently

http://www.streetstangs.net/showthread.php?t=14324
Nice thats what i was thinking of doin i got a couple of those shafts layin around

Here is the drive shaft I had custom made for my car to fit the glide. It has 1350 u joints up front and 1330 at the back. Great customer service and outstanding quality and balanced. The shop is the Axle exchange.

http://www.axle-exchange.com

The person to talk to, his name is Neal. Great guy, I paid 400.00 for this drive shaft 3.5" diameter and it is made in the USA, he built it. Here is a picture of it:

Edgar
Thats a real nice piece u got there. Though its a little more than i willin to spend at this time.

[1Quik85GT]

if you break a driveshaft in a mustang, you have other issues!!!

if you are looking for ET alum shaft is a waste of money vs a steel. I did a back to back comparison years ago.

[jonosranger]

I was just checking out the difference experiences that everybody has had. I need to put another one in my car cause the one in there it bent twisted or something. It vibrates really bad.

[1Quik85GT]

ok, yea, it will help fix the vibration situtation, unless the vibrations comes from somewhere else in the driveline... good luck bro

[jonosranger]

Thanks guys Anybody kno of a good shop to get one shortened? there not one around here that does aluminum

[1Quik85GT]

Thanks guys Anybody kno of a good shop to get one shortened? there not one around here that does aluminum

a place in bham, i'm sure the BHAM guys can tell you for sure....

[coupe]

I think you'll be money ahead by just buying the FMS aluminum driveshaft. It's finished, balanced, and bolts right in. They are a thicker cross section than steel, which brings me to this question: Why are you twisting stockers? You might be articulating the rearend on launch, lifting the pinion up high enough to bind the shaft...Do you have a pinion snubber? Might wanna stiffen the back shocks a little too and get an anti-roll device.

You could save a few bucks on a modified Crown Vic part, but is it worth the hassle of maybe two trips to Birmingham??

[jonosranger]

I think you'll be money ahead by just buying the FMS aluminum driveshaft. It's finished, balanced, and bolts right in. They are a thicker cross section than steel, which brings me to this question: Why are you twisting stockers? You might be articulating the rearend on launch, lifting the pinion up high enough to bind the shaft...Do you have a pinion snubber? Might wanna stiffen the back shocks a little too and get an anti-roll device.

You could save a few bucks on a modified Crown Vic part, but is it worth the hassle of maybe two trips to Birmingham??

No pinion snubber, back shocks are wore out. I need to replace the shocks and put a pinion snubber on it.

[EHardy1971]

You could save a few bucks on a modified Crown Vic part, but is it worth the hassle of maybe two trips to Birmingham??

The CV shaft is a 3 1/2" like the FRPP,and Explorer shaft. After mine was said and done,I came out about $200 cheaper.Just throwing that out there.

[03slobra]

I have a bunch of high rpm launches on stock and alum. driveshafts steel is cheaper,i never had any prob.out of either,oh they both had stock u joints.I had 1.4-1.5 60ft times.

[jonosranger]

^ Thanks for the info

[BAD INT]

steel will take more abuse,the alums are nice and pretty for the fag type guys but steel is real

[Wickd GT]

steel will take more abuse,the alums are nice and pretty for the fag type guys but steel is real


Well, I have used aluminum driveshaft in my car shooting out of the gate 250 of the good old juice and never broke one. If they are built right they will last. Steel one I like but vibration is a concern. So, I did not know I was a fag type of guy! :nx:

[TheJeanyus]

Well, I have used aluminum driveshaft in my car shooting out of the gate 250 of the good old juice and never broke one. If they are built right they will last. Steel one I like but vibration is a concern. So, I did not know I was a fag type of guy! :nx:
Even your car is flamin'! :jester:

[coupe]

:lol:

If they are built right they will last.
Exactly...goes for any material.

[BAD INT]

Well, I have used aluminum driveshaft in my car shooting out of the gate 250 of the good old juice and never broke one. If they are built right they will last. Steel one I like but vibration is a concern. So, I did not know I was a fag type of guy! :nx:
all materials will transfer vibrations if you have solid rear suspension connections,quality and accuracy of the balance are detrimental to both but steel is better unless you got a carbon fiber if you need one of those let me know.If you watch a piece of steel tubing vs alum in tests the steel will flex and snap back and most likely the alum will twist and warp or twist in half.

Most people think that aluminum shafts are the be all end all and they are really mis educated

I will take my moly over alum any day,Egdar did they say how much weight you saved over moly if any or did it out weigh it?yours is a custom one isnt it??

I know stock shafts go bad but I know people who have been running tens for ten years on a stock shaft and two of them still on stock joints and some in the nines.

cheap test for all of you folks use a paint marker and a yard stick and draw a line on your driveshaft that will tell you if its twisting.

[EHardy1971]

Egdar did they say how much weight you saved over moly if any or did it out weigh it

Well,I'm not speaking for Edgar,but my steel one weighed 21 lbs,and the aluminum one weighed 12,so it was 9 lbs lighter.

[Wickd GT]

all materials will transfer vibrations if you have solid rear suspension connections,quality and accuracy of the balance are detrimental to both but steel is better unless you got a carbon fiber if you need one of those let me know.If you watch a piece of steel tubing vs alum in tests the steel will flex and snap back and most likely the alum will twist and warp or twist in half.

Most people think that aluminum shafts are the be all end all and they are really mis educated

I will take my moly over alum any day,Egdar did they say how much weight you saved over moly if any or did it out weigh it?yours is a custom one isnt it??

I know stock shafts go bad but I know people who have been running tens for ten years on a stock shaft and two of them still on stock joints and some in the nines.

cheap test for all of you folks use a paint marker and a yard stick and draw a line on your driveshaft that will tell you if its twisting.

Well, I just won a quick 8 shoot out this past weekend and the drive shaft work flawlessly. I hit it pretty hard at the launch. My steel drive shaft weighted a huge 23lbs compare to 12lbs. My car runs in the mid 9 seconds and soon hopefully in the low 40s. Oh by the way, how fast is your car and what drive shaft you have on it?

[BAD INT]

Well, I just won a quick 8 shoot out this past weekend and the drive shaft work flawlessly. I hit it pretty hard at the launch. My steel drive shaft weighted a huge 23lbs compare to 12lbs. My car runs in the mid 9 seconds and soon hopefully in the low 40s. Oh by the way, how fast is your car and what drive shaft you have on it?

I don't currently have a car together I sold it.I ran about where your at et wise or where you want to be over ten years ago.I still have a couple custom moly shafts and have had the alums, twisted one alum and got another to replace and it wasnt good so I sold it put good joints in a stocker.I have been lucky enough to drive peoples cars since not having one together and go faster with theirs than I have with mine.Last one was a 92 camaro with a 565bbc and 3 systems if you got the money they will travel they like to grudge race.