Half Shafts...Alum,Carbon fiber or Steel???
09-24-2005, 09:36 PM
#1
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Half Shafts...Alum,Carbon fiber or Steel???
I'm thinking of upgrading my drive shaft and both half shafts this winter.My car is pretty much used for drag only,but it looks mostly stock. I race in the F.A.S.T class that YEAR ONE Sponsors.I'm basically trying to save some rotating weight.The car has a 650hp big block with a 350 trans,4.11 rear gear.It has run a best of 10.76@130mph on G70-15 Firestone Wide Oval tires.1.66 60ft time.I seldom break any rear end parts,the tires go up in smoke before anything snapps off!My question is.. Are the lighter shafts really worth the $1500-2000 I'll likely spend??Thank You in advance for any help you can give me.
Wayne Nelson
Wayne Nelson
09-24-2005, 10:01 PM
#2
East bound and down...
I would say that you should possibly look into the aluminum shafts. I think the jury is still out on the carbon fiber shafts, because they are just bonded to the flanges. I personally would hate to spend all of that money for a set of CF shafts only to have the "glue" fail in a year or two.
Just curious, is your 69' silver in color? I saw an article in this months Car Craft that was talking about a silver 69' running 10's in the F.A.S.T. class series.
Kudos to you for mustering a 10.76 on some bias ply tires, that is truly amazing!
Just curious, is your 69' silver in color? I saw an article in this months Car Craft that was talking about a silver 69' running 10's in the F.A.S.T. class series.
Kudos to you for mustering a 10.76 on some bias ply tires, that is truly amazing!
09-24-2005, 10:52 PM
#3
Drifting
I agree on the aluminum shafts. They are the best compromise between cost, weight savings and reliability.
I saw the Car Craft right up. Only they could spend the entire article talking about the record holder (Mr L88) and then show the car he beat in the final round of that race. Mr L88 has a red 69 that obviously runs very well.
BigBlockk
Later.....
I saw the Car Craft right up. Only they could spend the entire article talking about the record holder (Mr L88) and then show the car he beat in the final round of that race. Mr L88 has a red 69 that obviously runs very well.
BigBlockk
Later.....
09-24-2005, 11:59 PM
#4
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What company should I contact about some aluminum shafts? How much weight am I going to save compared to steel?I hear Car Craft did a write up on me,My car is Lemans Blue,1969.If the car pictured is Silver,it's likley Jimmy Johnston from Canada.His car is a Pure Stocker,very fast,runs 11.70's certified stock.They must of mixed us up.
Wayne
Wayne
09-25-2005, 12:19 AM
#5
Team Owner
Waste of money to change half shafts. Do you have the weld drag light wheels and front skinnies.
Do you have a 8 inch TC.
Do you have a 6 1/4 damper.
Do you have a smaller damper pulley.
Do you run without an alternator and fully charged deep cycle battery?
Do you have the rear tires set at "Zero toe"
Do you have aluminum hub rotors?
Did you gut out the parking brake shoes and assembly.
Do you have smart stuts to keep the tires flat on the ground.
So many ways to get rid of rotating mass.
You have impressive times. I have most of the above and all of these will make a car faster along with gutting out weight
Do you have a 8 inch TC.
Do you have a 6 1/4 damper.
Do you have a smaller damper pulley.
Do you run without an alternator and fully charged deep cycle battery?
Do you have the rear tires set at "Zero toe"
Do you have aluminum hub rotors?
Did you gut out the parking brake shoes and assembly.
Do you have smart stuts to keep the tires flat on the ground.
So many ways to get rid of rotating mass.
You have impressive times. I have most of the above and all of these will make a car faster along with gutting out weight
09-25-2005, 01:18 AM
#6
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Answers.
Originally Posted by gkull
Waste of money to change half shafts. Do you have the weld drag light wheels and front skinnies. I have to run factory GM ralley wheels,trim rings,center caps.
Do you have a 8 inch TC. Hi stall = tire smoke.
Do you have a 6 1/4 damper. Must be stock size and sfi.
Do you have a smaller damper pulley. Must be stock size.
Do you run without an alternator and fully charged deep cycle battery?Must have fully functioning alternator.
Do you have the rear tires set at "Zero toe" Yes.
Do you have aluminum hub rotors? Yes
Did you gut out the parking brake shoes and assembly. Yes.
Do you have smart stuts to keep the tires flat on the ground. Yes.
So many ways to get rid of rotating mass. Lighter drive shafts wont help??
You have impressive times. I have most of the above and all of these will make a car faster along with gutting out weight
Do you have a 8 inch TC. Hi stall = tire smoke.
Do you have a 6 1/4 damper. Must be stock size and sfi.
Do you have a smaller damper pulley. Must be stock size.
Do you run without an alternator and fully charged deep cycle battery?Must have fully functioning alternator.
Do you have the rear tires set at "Zero toe" Yes.
Do you have aluminum hub rotors? Yes
Did you gut out the parking brake shoes and assembly. Yes.
Do you have smart stuts to keep the tires flat on the ground. Yes.
So many ways to get rid of rotating mass. Lighter drive shafts wont help??
You have impressive times. I have most of the above and all of these will make a car faster along with gutting out weight
09-25-2005, 04:44 AM
#7
Instructor
Originally Posted by MR L88
Are the lighter shafts really worth the $1500-2000 I'll likely spend??Thank You in advance for any help you can give me.
Wayne Nelson
Wayne Nelson
-Fed
Last edited by Federot; 09-25-2005 at 04:48 AM.
09-25-2005, 08:31 AM
#8
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A short time ago, I spoke to a few companies who manufacture driveline components and they advised me not to buy aluminum half shafts for a vette. They suggested chrome moly because it is much stronger. They said that the half shafts in a vette come under a lot of strain, and specifically the u joint knuckles in an aluminum half shaft would be vulnerable to breaking. They also suggested that I stay with a chrome moly driveshaft, even though it comes under less strain than the half shafts. They said that in order to make the driveshaft strong enough in aluminum, it would be too large in diameter to fit in the car.
09-25-2005, 10:04 AM
#9
Drifting
Originally Posted by MR L88
What company should I contact about some aluminum shafts? How much weight am I going to save compared to steel?I hear Car Craft did a write up on me,My car is Lemans Blue,1969.If the car pictured is Silver,it's likley Jimmy Johnston from Canada.His car is a Pure Stocker,very fast,runs 11.70's certified stock.They must of mixed us up.
Wayne
Wayne
Oh well.
BigBlockk
Later.....
Last edited by BigBlockk; 09-26-2005 at 12:00 AM.
09-25-2005, 11:36 PM
#10
Le Mans Master
Unlike the C4 and later Vettes, the C2/3 suspension uses the halfshaft as a suspension member. I would also advise against using Aluminum or Carbon Fiber driveshafts in any old Vette with stock suspension components.
09-26-2005, 12:36 AM
#11
Team Owner
If i had to run a stock size damper I would check into an aluminum hub fluid damper. I've got a FD on one motor and a 6 3/8th ATI on another. I considered an aluminum. I'm also running the lightest internally balanced crank shafts.
You can get tiny diameter TC's without high stall. The stall speed is a real balancing act.
I'm surprized that your getting a TH350 to last. I never got one built strong enough. I also used Type F tranny fluid which has more friction additives in th350's and PG's.
I use 10X28 GoodYear slicks. I only use 9.2 - 9.5 psi and it uses the most width.
You can get tiny diameter TC's without high stall. The stall speed is a real balancing act.
I'm surprized that your getting a TH350 to last. I never got one built strong enough. I also used Type F tranny fluid which has more friction additives in th350's and PG's.
I use 10X28 GoodYear slicks. I only use 9.2 - 9.5 psi and it uses the most width.
09-26-2005, 11:32 AM
#12
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gkull
I have the dampner I want,it is aluminum.
I'm going to try my 3500 stall convertor in the spring,I'm hooking up a 3 stage timing retard to pull out 20 degrees at launch and 4 degrees in hi gear.might work,we'll see.The 350 trans if fully rollerized and is supposed to be good too 900HP!!Might try some lightweight parts in the trans also.
I have the dampner I want,it is aluminum.
I'm going to try my 3500 stall convertor in the spring,I'm hooking up a 3 stage timing retard to pull out 20 degrees at launch and 4 degrees in hi gear.might work,we'll see.The 350 trans if fully rollerized and is supposed to be good too 900HP!!Might try some lightweight parts in the trans also.
09-26-2005, 11:57 AM
#13
Team Owner
I was watching some 10 inch class slick drag racing. Lot's of these upper class cars are low 8's with just 10 inches of rubber. I don't know how they do it or what stall, but i do know that everyone of them is on the rear tires at take off and getting max traction. So with enough weight transfer you can go up in stall and not be pulling power out with timing retards. I have a 3800 stall light weight TC
09-26-2005, 12:08 PM
#14
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My tires are not slicks by any means,they are 6.7 inches wide,with a full tread pattern.They do have limits,3500 will be too much for MOST tracks,on a properly treated track it will be questionable if they will hook or not.That's the reason for the timing retard.
09-26-2005, 03:40 PM
#15
Premium Supporting Vendor
Originally Posted by LS-Five
I would say that you should possibly look into the aluminum shafts. I think the jury is still out on the carbon fiber shafts, because they are just bonded to the flanges. I personally would hate to spend all of that money for a set of CF shafts only to have the "glue" fail in a year or two.
Just curious, is your 69' silver in color? I saw an article in this months Car Craft that was talking about a silver 69' running 10's in the F.A.S.T. class series.
Kudos to you for mustering a 10.76 on some bias ply tires, that is truly amazing!
Just curious, is your 69' silver in color? I saw an article in this months Car Craft that was talking about a silver 69' running 10's in the F.A.S.T. class series.
Kudos to you for mustering a 10.76 on some bias ply tires, that is truly amazing!
