best driveshaft
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Team Owner
Joined: Nov 2004
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From: Sorrento Italy
best driveshaft
hi, what's the best driveshaft available, and who makes it?
it must be lightweight and be able to survive to a 575hp 550tq engine, 4 speeds manual, 3.73 gear, driven on street tires though, thanks.
it must be lightweight and be able to survive to a 575hp 550tq engine, 4 speeds manual, 3.73 gear, driven on street tires though, thanks.
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 3,711
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From: San Antonio TX
On street tires? Factory shaft with good joints will handle that. You'll have problems only if you "hook" which won't happen on street rubber. Otherwise, a carbon fiber or a thick-wall aluminum or steel shaft. I think the Driveshaft Shop does the non-traditional shafts.
Race Director
Joined: Nov 2000
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From: Waterloo ontario Canada
I twisted 2 different stock driveshafts so I had them make me a new 3 inch steel one. It is only about 24 inches long plus ends so it doesn't weigh that much. It also cost about $240 CDN complete with everything new.
Diameter means alot in tubing.
Diameter means alot in tubing.
Race Director
Joined: Nov 2000
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From: Waterloo ontario Canada
Originally Posted by Jason Staley
I'm using a 3" aluminum from Inland Empire Driveline Services 
. Barely fits though.
. Barely fits though.I posted on modifying the drivers side motor mount so it allowed the transmission to be centered in the tunnel.
I wonder about your drive train alignment???
My 3 inch shaft is centered in the tunnel and I could fit a 3 1/2.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 1999
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From: Mid West
Cruise-In III Veteran
Yeah, the engine is off to the passenger side ... fan use to scrape the fan shroud until I installed poly motor mounts. Drive shaft alignment seems to be OK though, no vibration coming from it with only a small angle thru the U-joints. Just have to check the tranny mount bolts every spring to make sure the shaft doesn't rub stuff under there.
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Race Director
Joined: Dec 1999
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Originally Posted by norvalwilhelm
Jason your transmission output is really off to one side.
I posted on modifying the drivers side motor mount so it allowed the transmission to be centered in the tunnel.
I wonder about your drive train alignment???
My 3 inch shaft is centered in the tunnel and I could fit a 3 1/2.
I posted on modifying the drivers side motor mount so it allowed the transmission to be centered in the tunnel.
I wonder about your drive train alignment???
My 3 inch shaft is centered in the tunnel and I could fit a 3 1/2.
The transmission isn't centered in the tunnel, it's offset. this way there's a sideways angle from trans to diff, it's supposed to be that way. Our cars have a centered pinion on the diff because of the IRS and the requirement for symmetric left 7 right sides there but putting the trans driveshaft centered so the engine sits in the frame at an angle is just weird, it's not supposed to be that way.
Race Director
Joined: Nov 2000
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From: Waterloo ontario Canada
Originally Posted by Twin_Turbo
The transmission isn't centered in the tunnel, it's offset. this way there's a sideways angle from trans to diff, it's supposed to be that way. Our cars have a centered pinion on the diff because of the IRS and the requirement for symmetric left 7 right sides there but putting the trans driveshaft centered so the engine sits in the frame at an angle is just weird, it's not supposed to be that way.
I actually strung my car. YOu run a string down the center of the car using the crank dampener on the front and the center of the rear housig on the back for start and finish. You then drop plump lines from the various places and see how they line up.
Bet most of your drivetrain isn't in a straight line. In jogs back and forth.
I am well aware of the offset, I have a big blower sticking through the hood that points that out all the time.
I also hang around a race shop and they taught me about stringing a car and aligning the drivetrain.
Wouldn' t it be nice if the crank, the transmissionl, the driveshaft and the pinion all lined up???
Won't happen unless you do something about it.
I took the time.
Race Director
Joined: Nov 2000
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From: Waterloo ontario Canada
Originally Posted by Twin_Turbo
It's designed not to line up. I made certain that my entire driveline sticks out straight backwards, the only thing that is angled is the driveshaft itself.
The driveshaft is angle in only one direction, That is down. I didn't want mine angle sideways and up and down.
From a birds eye view with the body removed you want the entire driveline to look like it is in a line.
You will find the tailstock points off towards the back passengers tire and the pinion point to the passengers front tire.
Extend a rod out the back of the tailstock and another out the centerline of the pinion and they look like crossed swords.
This doesn't add to a smooth running drivetrain.
GM moved the tunnel towards the passengers side to compensate for the motors offset. Ideally the drivetrain runs down the center of this tunnel.
I had to work at correctly my alignment but it is true front to back looking down from the top. Involved pulling the rearend and slotting and eventually redoing the holes in the rear crossmember .
What this accomplishes is a smooth running drivetrain. No slight shimmy of the shift handle and no vibration anywhere.
I could also get by with a 3 1/2 inch driveshaft if I wanted.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
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From: Redondo Beach, California
Originally Posted by panic
hi, what's the best driveshaft available, and who makes it?
it must be lightweight and be able to survive to a 575hp 550tq engine, 4 speeds manual, 3.73 gear, driven on street tires though, thanks.
it must be lightweight and be able to survive to a 575hp 550tq engine, 4 speeds manual, 3.73 gear, driven on street tires though, thanks.
Actually for the appication described, I would suspect a steel driveshaft with a little extra diameter would be just fine. There's no use looking for an aluminum or composite fiber driveshaft if you're using a 15 pound iron flywheel, a 5 pound steel damper (?), and a steel crank that weigh how many pounds? How much does a SB crank weigh? 40 pounds? I would guess a BB crank is around 60 to 70 pounds. If you want to reduce rotating mass, there's no use buying an expensive low weigh driveshaft with all these other heavy rotating components in your drive train.
Anyhow, all that being said, low weight is a good thing. So if you're going to install an aluminum driveshaft good on you. Have you looked into an aluminum flywheel? If you want to reduce rotating mass and overall car weight, perhaps I this may be the low hanging fruit to pick.
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 20,703
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From: Sorrento Italy
will a C4 aluminium shaft bolt streight into the C3 driveline? measures are the same? who sells these? thanks..
i have a new 11'' McLeod steel flyw, this is what the engine builder advice me to get for the engine application, will an alu flyw be good enough? what brand/seller? i'm very interested in keep dropping the car weight, i guess i'm already at around 3.000 lbs...thanks
i have a new 11'' McLeod steel flyw, this is what the engine builder advice me to get for the engine application, will an alu flyw be good enough? what brand/seller? i'm very interested in keep dropping the car weight, i guess i'm already at around 3.000 lbs...thanks
Last edited by panic; Dec 25, 2005 at 05:08 AM.
