I have a friend that has an extra aluminum driveshaft. I currently have the steel one in there right now. I plan on racing the car with drag radials and figuring high to mid 12s right now. So would I be taking a step back in strength by going to an aluminum shaft or should I swap it in. I plan on heavier duty stuff once I do the TH350 swap, but if its an upgrade i'll go for it. Just wondering if its worth it.

 

Steel by a long shot.

 

i agree, the alum ones will crinkle under even factory power levels and a M6.

 

I would think, that the steel would be stronger. Just yesterday I had my stock steel DS replaced with 3.5 aluminum PST one. Even though it is a good amount larger than the stock piece, the PST was 7 pounds lighter. I would think the stock aluminum piece would be even lighter, and I was actually able to notice the difference while driving it too. That's 7 pounds of rotational weight... fwiw

 

The orginal statement is on topic and correct. AFA the other, well, congrats on your new purchase.

 

steel is stronger, but heavier

aluminum is weaker, but lighter.. both have their downfalls and good points.

personally i would use an aluminum one for drag racing.. that way if something happens you have more of a chance to twist the driveshaft instead of snapping your trans or differential

i saw a guy at the drag strip with an auto camaro, and he had no idea what he was doing.. put it in neutral, revved it up to 5 grand then threw it in drive at the green light, and he busted the driveshaft and busted the back of the transmission off.. iwould assume if he used an aluminum one that the driveshaft would twist and take more punishment than the transmission

 

id go for it. alot of people snap tail shaft housings with stock steel DS's. it happened to me with 373's. they can become a jump rope down track at higher speeds.

 

Steal by far. If you scan through here you will see numerous threads about guys aluminum DS breaking. I run a Aluminum Inland Empire DS myself but have my stock steal one on the back burner just in case. I'm also running a driveshaft safety loop just in case it does go pop and potentially hurt something.

 

Run the steel. Stock aluminum ones are crap, they break alll the time. Perhaps the people who say run the stock aluminum one at the track, dont realise that the driveshaft is still spinning usually when it snaps for some time, whipping the crap out of everything in its way.... fuel lines, brake lines, torque arm, and bashing the crap out of the tuneel, oh yeah its worth it... I would rather not have ANYTHING break.... Something will as you race, so you always replace what you break with the best you can.

Fwiw I have destroyed 3 12 bolts, 1 ten bolt, 2 driveshafts, 1 trans, broke my torque arm 6 times, and im sure more stuff I cant remember.....

I now have a 9" ford, 4130 Chromemoly driveshaft, upgraded t56.. bulletproof bellhousing....

The driveshaft has lasted about 200 6500rpm launches on slicks, Its a spohn 4130...

 

well, i have broken both... stock aluminum one and replaced it with a steel one, they both snapped

aluminum popped at the track at launch... right off the line. steel one popped on the dyno after a cam install.

 

Be sure and use a d/s loop for all. The larger aluminum shaft must use a special loop; I can't see it fitting mine.