Custom Driveshaft

[Morphius]

If you're into salvage yard detective work, there are some OEM shafts that are near what you want.

I picked up a complete driveshaft for $20 with a flange that would replace the rearmost flange for one of my projects. It was off a Ford car. I don't know which car, as the paint they marked it with had been weathered off. (6 racks with over 2000+ driveshafts hanging on them. Sorted by OEM. Paint marked by vehicle.) It has the same bolt pattern and centering feature to mate to the rear diff's companion flange. However, as you can see in the pic, it accepts a larger u-joint.

 

[AntixTSi]

A note on the carrier bushings;I noticed that mine were kind of weak so I pressure injected them with silicone and it made a huge difference. It was kind of a pain to do but it seems to work. I did it about 5,000 miles ago and so far so good. Another sort of "free mod" to look into.
-Mark

 

[scotthidley]

A note on the carrier bushings;I noticed that mine were kind of weak so I pressure injected them with silicone and it made a huge difference. It was kind of a pain to do but it seems to work. I did it about 5,000 miles ago and so far so good. Another sort of "free mod" to look into.
-Mark

I've done that to, it's on the vfaq, people just need to look there

 

[bjones18]

I was thinking about doing this to my car in the future, but that is still a ways away. Less drivetrain loss, and it absorbs more shock on launching etc so that the rear-end and t-case don't have to. I emailed ACPT and they told me $1900 for a one piece shaft, and around $1200 for a two piece (carbon fiber). Needless to say, this is a little outta my price range.....

Are you implying torque loss from u-joints? It ain't much...these joints are running at very small angles. If u-joints are breaking, by that very fact they are absorbing more shock on launch...easing the load on the rear end. If you make your own, be sure to use parallel phasing between the u-joints to keep the velocity variation low.

You may want to stiffen your engine mounts and rear end mounts to help u-joints live through extreme torque applications; this will minimize change in joint angles under torque application.

 

[fate86]

what is a yoke kit? what does it do?

 

[GRNDSM]

what is a yoke kit? what does it do?

Are you talking about “Trasfer Case Recall Yoke Kit”?

If you are referring to something that is not in a prost immediately preceding your post, please quote the original poster.

 

[bjones18]

what is a yoke kit? what does it do?

at the front of the AWD driveshaft ( & rear of the transfer case - more properly called a power take off, PTO ) there is a U-joint. Each side of the u-joint is connected to the shaft by a yoke. The 2g recall notice for replacing the yoke is actually to properly seal the PTO. The yoke is welded to a female spline inserted into the end of the PTO. This is sometimes referred to as a "slip-yoke" since it can slide in-out to account for powertrain movement under torque. This slip yoke must seal the PTO fluid inside the housing. The yoke kit which was recalled had a brass plug in a steel housing. Different thermal expansions between brass and steel did not provide an proper seal. This is a safety concern (hence recall) if the PTO runs out of fluid and locks up the PTO.

 

[Tort9320g]

Has anyone gone from the stock driveshaft to the 1 piece DSS aluminum ? If so...any performance gains noted or is drivetrain longevity the main advantage ?

Thanks

 

[VRC Racing]

I have the driveshaftshop AL driveshaft.

http://www.ddsm.org/vrcracing//images/2003_build/DCP_0663.JPG
http://www.ddsm.org/vrcracing//images/2003_build/DCP_0661.JPG
http://www.ddsm.org/vrcracing//images/2003_build/DCP_0662.JPG

It saves a little rotational weight and has served me well, best pass 9.7 @ 139. I broke the
lobo joint on a launch so I decided to upgrade.

-Russ

 

[Tort9320g]

VRC...Thanks for the reply. Beautiful undercariage. I'm green with envy.

 

[greycar]

I still have had no problem with the stock driveshaft, even with a best 1.503 sixty foot, how about a damn T-case output shaft, figure out a replacement for that turd. I'll give you sweet lovin if you do.

 

[VRC Racing]

I still have had no problem with the stock driveshaft, even with a best 1.503 sixty foot, how about a damn T-case output shaft, figure out a replacement for that turd. I'll give you sweet lovin if you do.

To go off topic a bit.

If you are having problems with breaking transfer cases you may want to look at your suspension. Going with a different spring rate to change the weight transfer has helped.
Also something simple as adding some air to the rear tires so that you spin a little more before you hook can help.

I broke the driveshaft and rear diff cover trying to turn the earth on a lanuch. My best was a 1.43 60 ft. I have since changed my setup and my 60 ft times are down in the mid 1.5's. But my ET's have improved.

-Russ

 

[greycar]

That could be the problem, I am running the rear kind of loose, for better weight transfer during launch, I run 19psi in all tires, but when I had my suspension a little tighter the car wanted to hop a bit, so I did what most do during hop which is to lower air pressure, to about 15psi and I broke t-cases, and the other way with the suspension loose I broke rear axles. This year with some new axles and different driveline setup hopefully I can find a happy medium, but then again I will also have alot more boost and more no2 so I guess we'll find out.

And at least when you broke your rear end like Marco you probably let off the gas before you saw the rear fly out the back.
Thank God the 1g rear end mount differently.

 

[VRC Racing]

And at least when you broke your rear end like Marco you probably let off the gas before you saw the rear fly out the back. QUOTE]

Yea, I got out of it right away. Here is a pic of the launch. You can see a trail of diff fluid behind the car.

http://www.vrcracing.com/images/Old pics/P1010027.jpg

-Russ

 

[sunflashx]

I have the driveshaftshop AL driveshaft.

It saves a little rotational weight and has served me well, best pass 9.7 @ 139. I broke the
lobo joint on a launch so I decided to upgrade.

-Russ

It looks like only part of the shaft is AL, is that correct, or am I seeing things?

 

[VRC Racing]

It looks like only part of the shaft is AL, is that correct, or am I seeing things?

Yes, that is correct. Only the front two sections of the stock driveshaft are replaced. You keep the rear third section of the stock piece.

-Russ

 

[Car Cannibal]

I think we need another shop to make one of these as $1900 for the one piece carbon and $750 for the aluminum are really high.

This shop sells a 4" for only $475. We do not need a 4" and this shaft is probably just as long if not longer than the one we would need.

www.dennysdriveshaft.com/html/lt_aluminum.html

They could probably do a one piece 3" for around $500 if a DSM shop would get involved.

 

[Steve93Talon]

The extra cost comes from the fact that they manufacture a new yoke so that you don't have to send yours in and they also supply a machined adaptor to bolt the rear end to the stock CV joint.

 

[MitzMadness]

Anyone know how much a Stock Driveshaft weighs? How much do carbon fiber and aluminum driveshafts weigh and besides being stronger and having less rotational mass, would these make your car rev faster?

 

[bjones18]

Anyone know how much a Stock Driveshaft weighs? How much do carbon fiber and aluminum driveshafts weigh and besides being stronger and having less rotational mass, would these make your car rev faster?

There is at least two versions, my '97 has a larger diameter that the ~'92.

The rotating mass is not much since the radius of gyration is small.

 

[gsx951]

Has anyone built one? I'm considering constructing something a little bit beefier using a lot more solid u-joints. It appears that I can make a two piece, but keeping the cv joint, since its there for some driveshaft travel. Or use a slip shaft to replace it.

Anyone already been down this road?

If you have a tape measure, lathe and a mig welder, it is pretty simple.

 

[LilGdsm]

alright, I've sheared another u joint in half the other day. Yarded the driveshaft out and drove it home. I picked up another 4 bolt as a spare for mine and I'll try the driveshaft from that. It appears to still have oem u joints.

The car goes back in the shop for the cage and trans rebuild, so basically I won't have any results till spring.

 

[wishihadatalon]

Quoted from http://www.driveshaftshop.com/item9507.ctlg

wouldn't a cv u-joint work for this problem. i know we rebuilt them all the time in my trans/driveline class. My teacher told us that you use them for applications like a lifted truck when you alter driveline angles and dont change the pinion angle

 

[LilGdsm]

wouldn't a cv u-joint work for this problem. i know we rebuilt them all the time in my trans/driveline class. My teacher told us that you use them for applications like a lifted truck when you alter driveline angles and dont change the pinion angle

as far as I understand it, yes

 

[myblack98gst]

Maybe I am missing something here, but what is the problem with making it a 1 piece shaft?

the T-case is a slip yoke.. this is enough adjustment to not need and other carriers.

the rear end is solid mounted so pinion angle is preset and will not move more then a degree or 2 under extreme conditions (unless something is loose).

the problem I see with the stock 3 piece is this. take a ratchet with a extension then put 2 swivel attachments on it then try to use it. it will try to collapse on itself. so in the case of our D-shaft if there is any pinion angle at all the driveshaft will attempt to bend and wobble in the carrier (wearing it out)

and pinion in a 1 piece is no big deal look and just about ANY RWD vehicle with a solid rear end they are open to ALOT of suspension travel and all that travel equates to pinion change which means the u-joints are no longer straight.


I am doing this mod because I know I have atleast 1 u-joint bad both carriers are already filled but the mount bushings are screwed. and thats just alot of unstable rotational mass to deal with.

I have made 2 driveshafts in the past for trucks with no problems so i will try this.