Aluminum driveshaft on a hotrod?

Has anyone used an aluminum driveshaft?
There is a "special" u-joint made to fight galvanization action between the shaft and steel yokes. Is that really necessary?
Any other reasons not to use one?

Before the hating begins - it is not for my car!

 

I ran one for a while in my 32 coupe but it didnt get welded right and needed to be re done so i just bought a new steel one.. They work just fine. Try to find one out of a camaro and then get it cut down and your good to go.
Dave

 

I have done 3 cars with them with no problems. Just remember that they usually end up larger diameter than steel to get the strength and that can be an issue in a lowered car.

 

As long as its not an X-frame car, I'd definately run an aluminum d-line.

Lighter, more performance, most are stronger. Look killer when polished!

Yeah you'll need to run the "special" u-joint. Otherwise you'll end up with some nasty speed rust due to electrolysis.

 

Steel is the only way Aluminum is over priced junk.

 

What a stupid statement. Every Pro Stock car I've seen in the last few years runs Aluminum. Many Bonneville cars. High Performance late models like Mustangs and Corvettes, on and on, they are lighter which means less horsepower used up trying to accelerate the shaft. Corvettes even use Aluminum for the axle half shafts, which are like mini drive shafts. How again are they Junk

 

Could you be a little more specific? Why is steel the only way, and why (specifically) have you found aluminum to be overpriced junk? To me, in a light rod, it seems like a great way to save both sprung weight and reciprocating weight. But I (and all those drag and road racers using them) could be wrong.

-Brad

 

your friend has the option of a chromoloy driveshaft also.. lighter than regular steel shafts and alot stronger. and cheaper than aluminum..

 

It is my opinion and I have been racing for many years and have had them fail. The CM shafts have never let me down even on my 4 sec dragster and many prostreet cars. I think the cost of them compared to the alum. is not worth it. I have seen very little gains on the track and I believe we are talking about a street car so that is way I made that comment.

 

What kind of special u-joint does one need?
I plan on using the aluminum driveshaft from an '87 Firebird on my fuel coupe.
r

 

Aluminum driveshafts have been in full size Chevy pickups for awhile. They require no special u-joints - just what you pick up at the parts store - and I think the last u-joint I purchased was under $10.

Chances are you could save yourself some money by purchasing a used shaft out of a Chevy Pickup and have it shortened and rebalanced to your standards.

I'm not 100% sure what all years had them, but my 90 model 1/2 ton regular cab long bed had one in it.

 

I have been using a Quartermaster aluminum driveshaft in my '32 roadster for almost 50,000 miles with no trouble or complaints. I picked two of them up at our local roundy round racer's swap meet for $50.00 each. I needed to shorten the one I used in the roadster so I sent it back to Quartermaster and they checked and shortened it, and rebalanced it for less than $100.00. For about $150.00 total, it cost me about the same as having a steel one built. I polished it and it looks great. I have another one on the shelf for my next project. The Quartermaster is interesting in that the tube and yoke are an interference fit (heat the yoke and freeze the tube, then install) with four rivets for extra security. Here is their website: http://www.racingclutches.com/product.phtml?p=77&cat_key=69

 

The cost from my driveshaft shop isn't much different. Is it worth it? Well that's up to the individual to decide. But Junk? Don't think so.
4 sec. dragster? I don't think he was talking about a Top Fuel car.
And if the guy really wants to get trick there are Carbon Composite shafts that were used in Dan Gurney's Toyota Sports cars that made 1200+ horsepower from a 4 banger with HUGE slicks. Really Light weight!

 

Ok, Junk may have been a little strong but I still like the CM and yes it is up to the individual. Top dragster quick 16, 1/8 mile not many tracks run 1/4 in south east only the big boys.

 

1/8 mile only? That's a bummer. Really like running out the back door on a 1/4 mile pass!

 

Tell me about it back in the day it was only 1/4 mile now everything is about the 1/8. Hell by the time you realize you left the line you are playing the big end.

 

Spicer used to phosphate coat their u-joints specific to aluminum shafts. They have since stopped. If you're that concerned about galvanic reacton, specify to have your builder lube the outside of the caps with anti-seize during assembly. You must use a non-greasable u-joint, because most aluminum weld yokes don't have enough clearance to put in a grease fitting or lube afterwards.
If your builder used ADL products, the tubing diameter will be 3, 3 1/2, or 4" tubing and matching up to 1310, 1330, or 1350 series u-joints.
Yes, you can save weight with an aluminum shaft, and lose weight in your wallet at the same time. Steel shafts are more economical and make it more easy to attach to other than standard u-joint sizes.
Leave the Chevy pickup shafts alone because most of them had graphite fiber bonded to the tubing. Hard to remove, and can contaminate the weld.
I prefer steel shafts for my drag car customers, especially the guys with the nitrous fogging muscle cars with trans-brakes and big blocks.
On the really serious cars, we use DOM carbon steel tubing. We don't use any chrome-moly, I believe it's not correct for torsional usage in a driveshaft.

 

I bought an aluminum shaft for $10 at the swap here, with every intention of using it. Nobody in Tucson could shorten it, so I kept the yoke and went to a metal shaft.
It was a GM shaft from a truck, in good shape.
Apparently they're made in 2 layers, so shortening them is minimal at best.

 

Yeah, thats what I meant

 

I run the siemless dom steel shaft's and really like them.

 

You don't want to try to modify factory Ford aluminum shafts either, paper thin tubing with paper thin weld yokes.
What kind of application does the guy need a driveshaft for? PM if you want.

 

The special coated joint kinda threw me there .. never seen em.. regular joint work fine.. Joints ??? now were talking.. im no metallurgist but id bet id prolly die before the dissimilar metal reaction ruined the shaft..
Dave

 

The u-joint caps would "weld" themselves to the aluminum yokes. That's not the correct term, but about describes it. It's just like those motorcycle case screws my Dad cussed over.
I've seen more problems with u-joint caps sticking in billet yokes, like in Coleman dirt car shafts, than in forged aluminum yokes. The billet yokes also have a tendency for the caps holes to spread and loosen.

 

Many high dollar shops build Chromoly (the proper spelling) drive shafts - Mark Williams Enterprises, DTS, And Strange to name a few. Way over kill for a street car though!

 

Slightly off topic. Here's my aluminum driveshaft. It's been made into a poorboy's water trap. That's a drain valve on the bottom, inlet on the top and a pressure regulator lets the air out.

 

I have a factory aluminum 1990 Corvette driveshaft under my 32 roadster. Stock, original Corvette ... never altered. Fit perfect. Even the rear U-joint fit the 9 inch Ford yoke ... without being changed. I bought it for 25 dollars @ Corvette Carlisle 15 - 16 years ago. It was so good ( looked brand new ) ... I just installed it ...

 

When talking aluminum driveshafts, there are 2 distinct families. OEM shafts, and custom aftermarket shafts. They couldn't be any more different.

Stock aluminum shafts you find in the junkyard are great for low horsepower applications. Make 400hp with hook and you'll bend it like a pretzel, happens everyday in the late model muscle world. I personally would not shorten one for a performance car. Period. Factory tolerances suck, it'll probably have to be straigtened to meet the shop's spec, and tubing is thin and brittle.

Scratch built aluminum shafts are a great piece if you can afford em. I typically run custom steel shafts just cause of the expense (extra hundy for aluminum), the shortened racer shaft idea is a great one.

 

Corvettes don't make HP with "hook"?

Deuce, aren't you running a ZZ430 in that roadster?

 

I was thinking the same thing - a closet Tony Schumacher eh? 4 sec. dragster ? I have a 4 sec bicycle - I can do 4 feet in 4 sec from standstill. Kind of a throwaway crap statement by Black Magic - 'like 50% off' - 50% off what?

Carbon fiber driveshafts can have issues with harmonics. The C6R racing Corvettes had a series of failures where the carbon fiber driveshafts shattered. They could not figure it out for a while until they analyzed what the cars were doing when it happened. Turns out it was only when the safety car was out and the Corvette engines had shut down four cylinders to conserve fuel. The lower frequency harmonics were setting up a harmonic that destroyed the driveshaft - like the proverbial shattering wineglass.

Race car parts are often completely unsuitable for street driven cars and you would be well advised to do thorough research before using race specific components.

 

I have a stock Aerostar aluminum drive shaft in the 55 Ford, its been there for several years with stock Ranger U joints. They seem fine to me.