Aluminum Driveshafts

[6600DURAMAX]

Was wanting to put new style aluminum driveshaft in project truck but no-one in the St. Louis area can cut them down?? Is this something really that different?

I thought it would be cool if I polished it since it will be really visible. Surely someone can cut them down, reweld it then bablance it??

Any help guys??

thanks

[TP from Cntl PA]

I wish I knew someone in the automotive engineering field to explain it to me..............I understand the reasons why aluminum makes a good driveshaft, but the one big reason why I don't understand why they are using them is that Aluminum doesn't have the infinite fatigue life steel does..........In other words over time it weakens.

I was going to ask my Metalurgy Teacher in college about this very thing, but forgot, and he left the school so I can't find out................

[70rs/ss]

http://www.driveshaftsoftulsa.com/
www.dennysdriveshaft.com/html/hd_aluminum.html
www.pstds.com
http://www.magnumforce.com/store4/ma...driveshaft.htm
www.wolfeden.org/firehawk/shaft.html


Here are a few links for advice and possibly you can ship it out and have it done right. With an aluminum shaft, you don't want Bubba globbing on a weld that may or may not hold up, so spent the time researching, and then get out the checkbook, because this is gonna cost you, but mail it out and then drive the snot out of it because you'll know it was done right.

Mike

[70rs/ss]

Originally Posted by TP from Cntl PA

I wish I knew someone in the automotive engineering field to explain it to me..............I understand the reasons why aluminum makes a good driveshaft, but the one big reason why I don't understand why they are using them is that Aluminum doesn't have the infinite fatigue life steel does..........In other words over time it weakens.

I was going to ask my Metalurgy Teacher in college about this very thing, but forgot, and he left the school so I can't find out................

I wouldn't call anything infinately surviveable, but the new aluminum shafts have very good fatigue lives, and reduces the rotating mass. For a driver I do not know if cost outways the benfit though, a new alum shaft is north of five bills, less because you have a shaft but for the sake of arguement if you are not scratching out tenths of a second for racing, then why drop $500? $500 someplace else is liable to go further than the weight reduction of an alum shaft.

[6600DURAMAX]

I agree 100% 70rs/sss, but since this is a 4x4 the rear shaft will be pretty visible and I thought it would be cool to have a polished driveshaft, sure is safer than having it chromed.

I have found driveshafts in the junkyard for under $100 and with your help one of the places will cut them down for $85 plus shipping, so I should have to much invested

[70rs/ss]

Originally Posted by 6600DURAMAX

I agree 100% 70rs/sss, but since this is a 4x4 the rear shaft will be pretty visible and I thought it would be cool to have a polished driveshaft, sure is safer than having it chromed.

I have found driveshafts in the junkyard for under $100 and with your help one of the places will cut them down for $85 plus shipping, so I should have to much invested

Right on, glad to have helped. I was more commenting on the whole steel versus aluminum post above. New for new steel is the way to go for cost versus benefit, but if you have one getting it cut down is well worth it and hey its going to look great too!

[Americanrider]

Every time I go to the wrecking yard I see a pile of them, they cut them out to sell for scrap. What long bed trucks have these? Maybe I can catch one before they are cut off?

[Rod]

I grabbed one off an 89 chev regular cab regular 8 foot box truck with a v6 and 700R4.....thats where I grabbed the 1 piece aluminum drive shaft I have..well for some project...I was going to take my 1987 two piece drive shaft into a single.

[6600DURAMAX]

I am not for sure exactly which trucks had them, I have found out that if you are planning this you need to get one that is NOT necked down, this causes issues with cuting them down. It need to be the same diameter the entire length.

Sure seems cheaper than having new shafts made, hope it all work. Now all I need is my motor and trans so I can mock up lengths.........