Latest mod to the car: Aluminum driveshaft (W/ pic)

[notfred]

Here's a picture. Can you tell which is the new one?

The new one weighs about half as much as the old one, and is balanced better. It's the next step in my drivetrain replacement. So far the transmission, shifter, driveshaft, and rear end gears have been replaced. Next is the differential. I have the new differential here, but haven't taken the time to install it.

Anyway, I installed the driveshaft today after work.

 

[vi edit]

And you wonder why yer po.

 

[Insane3D]

Nice. Is that the Ford Motorsport one? I installed one of those in my '92 GT. I couldn't believe how light it was...

 

[MacBaine]

I got one of those on my police interceptor. Says "POLICE" on it...kinda neato.

 

[Evadman]

Sweet. Looks cool. Light + cool = good for notfred

 

[notfred]

Yeah, it's the FMS driveshaft. And I was surprised by how light it was too. They look a lot heavier than they are.

Anyway, I bought it before I had "monetary issues". It had just been sitting around.

 

[rgwalt]

How does the strength compare to a steel driveshaft as far as torque is concerned? You aren't going to twist that thing in half are you?

Ryan

 

[notfred]

Originally posted by: rgwalt
How does the strength compare to a steel driveshaft as far as torque is concerned? You aren't going to twist that thing in half are you?

Ryan

I don't have any numbers, but I bet it's about the same. the aluminum shaft is a larger diameter than the steel one.

 

[Linux23]

how come manufacturers don't use aluminum shafts for production cars?

 

[Insane3D]

Originally posted by: rgwalt
How does the strength compare to a steel driveshaft as far as torque is concerned? You aren't going to twist that thing in half are you?

Ryan

From my understanding, it is actually stronger than the original steel one, mostly due to the larger diameter. Also, since it's much lighter, it takes less horsepower to get it spinning than the steel one needs, so more of the HP gets to the rear wheels where it's supposed to be.


notfred - What car do you have?

 

[notfred]

My car
There's more pics accessible from the dropdown box in the corner.

Also, if you need some webspace for images, hit "home" and sign yourself up <- shameless plug

 

[Noriaki]

From http://www.partshopper.com/catalog/itemdisplay/468.html:

It also weighs half as much as your OEM steel shaft, and is twice as strong!

It's not exactly official numbers, but the Al Shafts are not weak. They are plenty strong.


Nice "shaft" notfred

 

[Insane3D]

Originally posted by: Linux23
how come manufacturers don't use aluminum shafts for production cars?

Some do. IIRC, the Dodg'e Viper's have one. Before I replaced mine with a Aluminum one, I was at a local driveshaft shop to get mine balanced. They had a Viper DS there that was also being balanced...it was very short, but also very thick. The diameter was even thicker than the FMS one.

 

[JJd]

goto: notfred's photo's click on "other". Top left you'll see another lightweight pretty thing.

 

[PsychoAndy]

Originally posted by: Linux23
how come manufacturers don't use aluminum shafts for production cars?

IIRC, alluminum is more expenisive than steel

 

[Colt45]

Originally posted by: PsychoAndy

Originally posted by: Linux23
how come manufacturers don't use aluminum shafts for production cars?

IIRC, alluminum is more expenisive than steel

It's more expensive by mass (because aluminum is lower density)

BUT.. is it still more expensive by volume?

i forget.. havent bought any raw metal recently. hahaha

 

[Insane3D]

Nice...what year LX? Nice pics as well! I haven't taken mine up to the track in years as all the suspension mods I've done have made it much heavier, and I enjoy the twisties more anyway. The track up here in NH sucks ass too..

 

[notfred]

It's a '90. 94k miles on it. My neighbor dented the door the other day though, I need to get that fixed.

 

[thedarkwolf]

How much of a difference do these make? Is it enought that you can feel it?

 

[notfred]

Originally posted by: thedarkwolf
How much of a difference do these make? Is it enought that you can feel it?

Probably not as far as speed is concerned, but the car feels smoother with it on there, cause it's balanced better than the stock one was.

I'd guess it'd make less than a 0.05 second difference in the 1/4 mile. maybe 0.1 at the very most.

 

[yakko]

Why didn't you get a carbon fiber one?

 

[Mill]

Originally posted by: yakko
Why didn't you get a carbon fiber one?

$$$ Carbon Fiber drive shafts are very expensive.