thunderstruck507

iTrader: (18)

Ok so I have a free aluminum truck driveshaft I'm thinking about having cut down for my car...but is it a good idea? It's large in diameter, but I do know it would be much much lighter than my current driveshaft which is heavy duty and steel.

I've already broken a tailhousing on the tranny on the dyno from spinning the heavy bastard up high under heavy load so I'm looking into a cheap way to ditch it for something lighter

I need it to be 52-53" long

Shawn MacAnanny

iTrader: (12)

Aluminum driveshafts are not really that strong. I would reccomend a Dennys driveshaft. www.dennysdriveshaft.com. I have their nitrous ready driveshaft (requires 1350 ujoints) and they warranty it for life against tube bends and weld breaks plus they offer free labor on any future modifications to the driveshaft.

Mine cost me $560 from them with the 1350 transmission slip yoke, and a 1350 adapter for my 8.5" rear end. It came painted black and i had it within a week and half of ordering it.

boondiggys

iTrader: (165)

call the shop you plan on bringing it to, ask them if they shorten aluminum shafts...it will save you a trip there, cuz they might tell you they only weld on steel.

thunderstruck507

iTrader: (18)

Well, I'm only making 350 tq, I doubt I'd be hard enough on one to ever break it...I'm just concerned with the weight/hp loss and can't afford to spend much money on anything right now.

A dyno tune, ls6 intake, new dash (******* thieves trying to steal my radio), and a repaint would all be far ahead of dropping that kind of coin on a driveshaft. I was just debating whether it is a bad idea to try to use what I have or just leave it alone and hope I don't break another tailhousing.

Shawn MacAnanny

iTrader: (12)

I would think shortening and balancing an aluminum driveshaft would be atleast $100, more if you have to swap both the slip yoke and rear end joint.

You should be safe with an automatic and those power levels. So you broke your steel driveshaft?

thunderstruck507

iTrader: (18)

nah, it broke the tailhousing on the transmission...the new driveshaft was balanced but reading on here the only cause anyone has come up with for why it happened is that the driveshaft is too heavy and might not be able to maintain balance at high rpm under heavy load such as the dyno

it has me afraid to get put the car back on the dyno for tuning...

Shawn MacAnanny

iTrader: (12)

Hmm strange is your pinion angle correct?

GMCtrk

iTrader: (23)

The truck aluminum driveshafts snap like a twig under power. Would probably be better if you had it balanced for high speed (from the factory they are pretty unsafe over 110). The ironic thing is that the 2 piece steel driveshafts that came with the 4.3 and 4.8L are much stronger than the aluminum that came behind the 5.3 and 6.0

ls1nova71

iTrader: (4)

x2 That was my first thought, might want to double check it.

Pop N Wood

iTrader: (1)

I would think the shaft being too long would be more likely to break a tailhousing than pinion angle