usmcpony

I talked to RPM about a built rear end and a stout drive shaft. They recommended a drive shaft without couplers. He said it's allot stronger without them. I know there's more vibration but how much?

The_Nigel

I have a DSS 3.5" full solid in my A6 car and anytime the converter locks below 1200rpms it has a very loud vibration. So I just tuned it so the converter is never locked around that RPM in any gear.

usmcpony

Any other issues?

NeedaC6

My concern was the same as yours. I have the 3.5 inch direct DSS aluminum shaft and I've noticed no vibration. My Mantic 9000 triple clutch was installed at the same time.

realcanuk

I am surprised they recommended that. Jeremy told me that I probably wouldn't like the solid shaft, for a regularly driven street car, and automatic. He said it would be rougher on shifts and recommended the DSS with ZR1 couplers, which is what I went with. I guess if more of a track junkie, then you might want to give up a little comfort and smoothness for the added strength. I wasn't willing to do that.

neverstop

Same thing for me exactly but I have the 3" aluminum dss shaft. Seems like the vibration issue is a mixed bag with some having issues and others nothing. Mine is a 99% street car so I went with couplers but if I was putting slicks on the car etc I'd have gone solid

usmcpony

Interesting. My car is 90% street car with a couple trips to the track a year. Should make 1000-1200rwhp. I want it to be as strong as possible while still being streetable. I'm not trying to make this a track car.

Yasei

The most important thing installing a couplerless driveshaft is measuring the propeller shaft runout (both front and back end). I recommend around 0.05-0.07mm max. If more, get both the driveshaft and propeller shafts machined straight and remeasure. Also the propeller shaft centering needs to be perfect. Otherwise you WILL have vibrations. If you don't want to go through this trouble just forget the couplerless driveshafts, you'll most likely end up hating it.

Do NOT trust DSS parts straight out of the box! Been there, done that.









P.S. I have a DSS 3.5" HD for sale, the version that uses couplers. The safe choice.

Unreal

So after ~1000 miles on my couplerless shaft. yes is vibrates. Yes it shakes the car. Yes it can be annoying.

Friend just swapped to one, and has same issue, at idle. Mine does it around 1400rpm.

So be warned, and if that will annoy you don't do a couplerless shaft, or follow the above persons advice.

Yasei

Mine vibrated at 1600rpm. Took it out and we machined all parts to the best specs we could, rebuilt the torque tube and remeasured that everything was good. No vibrations anymore and I'm happy. My vibrations were due to skewed aluminium ends in the carbon fibre driveshaft... One more thing was to turn a new front end centering adapter, the one DSS provided didn't fit the front prop shaft.

I would not drive the car long with any excessive vibrations. Something will break eventually...

SquirrelyNutz

I broke my stock ZR1 couplers at 1000-1200whp. Now have 3.5in solid shaft and it is not bad. Only makes some noise/vibration when it starts loping hard or is lugged down real hard. Not as bad as I expected.

Unreal

DSS didn't even provide a centering adapter.

Vibe is very very minor at ~1300rpm. Not pulling it apart to deal with, but next time it has to come apart I'll mess with it.

Yasei

My first one didn't have an adapter either and the OEM plastic adapter had to be turned to fit the driveshaft. The second driveshaft came with an aluminium adapter which didn't fit the prop shaft... Well done!

JetBlack_Z06

With the vibrations, will that damage the motor or transmission over time? I have vibrations at 2k rpm. I have 2 aluminum couplers installed.