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Steel VS Aluminum Driveshaft

55K views 34 replies 20 participants last post by  Strokd66 
#1 ·
Is there anything to be gained possiably in the 60ft or overall at the track when going from a steel to aluminum driveshaft?
 
#2 ·
Aluminum driveshaft does have advantages over a steel one, but just changing to an aluminum 'shaft won't make a "noticable difference" in your 60 ft. times - in my opinion.
 
#3 ·
I know one instance where it made a huge difference in seat of the pants,
this was in a fox body mustang.
I have asked the guys at Drive train specialists here in OKC. and they told me that i should stick with my steel shaft, reason being ,, they get a lot of aluminum in there with the ears twisted off...and just as he said that a guy walks in with an aluminum shaft with the ears twisted off.
I set my transmission yolk on the counter and told him to build me my same old steel shaft...
I hammer my stuff pretty hard and there is always a lot of "off road" stuff with loading and unloading of the shaft..maybe the aluminum ends they have just aint up to the task...it is a mystery
 
#7 ·
I know one instance where it made a huge difference in seat of the pants,
this was in a fox body mustang.
thats because most of em dont have enough power to turn a steel shaftl:)
 
#5 ·
Unless you need one for Metallurgic issues, I would not get one. Steel is fine. My car, needed one based on the critical speed of the shaft. For the length and rpm it would see, a steel shaft would bow and create a jump rope under the car.
 
#8 ·
I actually run a Alum, any one run one that didnt like it who has posted so far? or just what you heard? I did my research and called tech lines. Inland Empire Driveline was one of the first to be certified by NHRA/IMCA for their alum shafts. They currently have them in 2k+ hp cars with out a single problem. Benefits, Less drag on engine to turn, faster revs, more power to wheels, easier to balance, overall lighter. Im pushing close to 600hp/tq in a nearly 3800lb truck and so far not one problem. I have turned 6k+, long nasty burn outs from a dead stop and rolling and the general beating. From day one i beat on this. I didnt properly tq a u-joint and it fell apart on one of my abusive rides and only thing that happened when the shaft smacked the driveshaft hoop was a few small dents. Called them up, told them what i did and they fixed it at a discount. I love this site but a lot of guys talk about what they hear with no personal experience, even i have. Call someone who does it right and has experience, Inland Empire Driveline is backed by their tried and trued alum shafts. A lot of companies are recently getting into the alum shaft business, IEDLS has been in it for a while. and their u-joint ears are thick as hell.
 
#9 ·
FWIW I have a Dennys 4" Alum ....Nitrous Series I think its called ......been in car since 2006 ..........not raced every weekend but defintley gets a workout with stik car with slicks and 5k launces ......no issues no vibrations etc
 
#10 ·
I figured someone was making a good aluminum..that is why i posted :..maybe the aluminum ends they have just aint up to the task...it is a mystery ..
Now i know where to go if i get the desire to try the aluminum,,, i have seen some nice looking carbon shafts..but really never researched them. I do think i remember reading they have even better harmonic reducing capability than aluminum...that is as far as my research went

And the ford Fox body had the 347 and gt40 heads and x303 or b303 cam and the aluminum shaft made more difference than the cam change..in seat of the pants...but Big_orange you are right just a 12 second light ford car,,,not impresive for all the money and addons
 
#11 ·
my only experience with swapping in an aluminum shaft was in a friend's 95 Z/28. another friend worked at a GM dealer and they had an aluminum shaft out of a 6 speed car that he got for free. just putting that in the car made a noticeable difference in how the car felt off the line. if it worked that well in a car with a 3 foot long driveshaft, i think it would do even more in a car with a 5 foot long driveshaft.
 
#12 ·
Not trying to call out those that have said otherwise, but a driveshaft change alone is not going to give you a change in power. "Seat of the pants" is worth nothing in my book. Too many variables. It takes a dyno or a time slip IMHO. You feel a seat of the pants change if you WANT to feel one (to justify the expenditure??). In fact, a drive shaft change is not going to give a time slip measurable difference either. The difference in weight is minimal, and the weight is so close to the center line of rotation that it's not going to make any difference.

Now there may have been some other issues going on that happened to get worked out when swapping the drive shaft, but I'd hate for a bunch of folks to read that post and go spend their hard earned money on an aluminum drive shaft thinking it's going to make the car faster.
 
#13 ·
To further support Greg on this--- I changed the car last year from CM steel to carbon fiber and saw ZERO change on the time slips...

I changed shafts because I had to change the length and decided on carbon fiber in case it breaks and how well they disintegrate and possibly save some parts under the car.
 
#14 ·
I never said aluminum was bad, just didn't see the need to get one. I have been running mine for 8 years. No issues going mid 1.20's in 60 ft at almost 3200 lbs. If Mark Williams would have LET me buy a chromoly shaft for my car, that is what would have been in there. My friend has a chromoly MW driveshaft in his 3500 lbs 1000hp 70 El Camino. When I got mine, the high speed spin equipment had just come out, and MW said if they had it when my friend ordered his, a chromoly shaft would have NEVER been sold for his car.
 
#16 ·
Did Jeff say the "F" word?
 
#17 ·
Yes the F word came out..sorry something must be done to them fomoco's to get every last ounce of power from them...The buttometer of mine is pretty touchy...I can actually tell if i went .1 second quicker through the 1/4 ..you know when everything lines up..possibly the hundreds and hundreds of passes down the 1/4...
I would not just buy one unless there is solid proof that your car will need one.. in fact i am not sold on aluminum at all...Never ran the stang down the track,,just street with buddies and it did put some extra distance between a couple of them...could have been the stocker P.O.S. was out of ballance
Had a chevy shaft that was out of ballance did not know with 308 gears.
but when i put in my 456's i could hit 7500rpm in first and second then she would flat stall at 6000 rpm in 3rd..(th350)..would not rev any higher..

I scratched my head for a few days.broke another u joint then had a bigger diameter shaft built.
It reved to 7500 in 3rd..then i had them check the stock shaft..as i put new joints in it,,spare you know.. yep out of ballance.....put it in after the ballance and she went 7500 in all 3
it never did change anything comming out of the hole though
 
#18 ·
Choosing a driveshaft is relatively simple:
- 3.0" mild steel is best choice for most high performance street driven vehicles.
- upgrade to 3.5" or 4.0" mild steel for increases in critical speed.
- upgrade to 3.5" or 4.0" 6061 aluminum for further increased in critical speed.
- Carbon fiber for the ultimate in critical speed.

Any driveshaft upgrade should include at least 4340 forged transmission and pinion yokes with 1350 series u-joints.
Critial speed is a function of driveshaft max RPM and shaft length. (Mark Williams catalog is an excellent reference for determining driveshaft material limitations, based on RPM and length.)
 
#21 ·
I changed from a previously balanced stock steel driveshaft on my hotrod, to the "manufacturers racing performance parts" aluminum one. I did not notice any et gain, but it was a whole lot smoother/less vibration. The car is silky smooth at 70 on the highway with 4.10 or 4.56 gears (no o/d) and at 100+ at the track. Yes, this is for my slow, 200 hp, 302 powered 12 second toy that needs all the help it can get. If it gets a second quicker, I may relook the d/s issue. But for now, its perfect, and for less than all out racing, I would recommend it. The critical speed calculation does need to be reviewed.

My Chevelle has a brand new steel shaft, made with my original ends, also balanced, with no issues. It also seems well balanced at highway speeds. The custom rebuild took a half day, and only cost $165 locally.
 
#22 ·
Jeff the real issue is critical speed. Get one that meets your max RPM needs plus whatever you want to grow into...from there it's just how much do you want to spend....

and my steel driveshaft has never had any vibration issues...
 
#23 ·
Yeah Dave, you lived that one first hand. Your car didn't fair quite as well as you did, luckily. Like we've been talking, 2 shops told me my 3 1/2" steel shaft at 55 1/2" and 6,300 rpm is on the ragged edge of being a jump rope.
Is it bad to buy parts instead of food?
 
#24 ·
Yeah Dave, you lived that one first hand. Your car didn't fair quite as well as you did, luckily. Like we've been talking, 2 shops told me my 3 1/2" steel shaft at 55 1/2" and 6,300 rpm is on the ragged edge of being a jump rope.
Is it bad to buy parts instead of food?
not if you have your priorities right....;)
 
#26 ·
Ironic this thread came about. Crawled under the car last night to install a UMI safety loop. Rear joint was noteably very stiff. Pulled the shaft and dropped it off to get looked at this morning. This is a stock shaft that was in very good shape with nothing more that new 1310 joints , 6-7 years ago, maybe 5,000-6,000 miles in that time period. Had a noted vibration at 70-75 in the mirror on the highway. Complete blur in all the mirrors going through the traps 115-117 where the car ran. Critical speed for a 3"'shaft in a '69 is 5900 rpm, which surprisingly , with a 28" tire and 4.10 gears is easily exceeded at about 120 mph (tossed my notes, but this is close). Dropping to a 3.42 gear , driveshaft rpm drops to 5000 +/- at 120-123. Big difference. Assuming 66-67 cars use a longer drive shaft due to the longer wheelbase. Chart I found lists 500 rpm change for every 4" driveshaft length. In Davey's case, you can clearly see, just based on the numbers how a stock type shaft could quickly become a time bomb as you add in mph, gearing and shaft length.
 
#29 ·
I have a 9" so it even longer and the car is going faster than I ever expected. I wasn't planning on another new driveshaft. Looks like a 4" aluminum is the only thing left. Carbon fiber is out.
 
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