ivan_key

Was under my 98 trans am today changing the trans mount and seen I have a steel driveshaft like my old lt1 cars had, but my last 98 trans am m6 had the alum one, so was this changed or stock in some cars

Starz T/A 17

iTrader: (6)

All LS1 cars had aluminum driveshafts from the factory. My old LT1 had a LS1 aluminum one so if you can do that it would be possible to put a LT1 driveshaft on a LS1. Do you have a picture or part number? If I remember correctly the aluminum ones were larger in diameter and the steel ones were more narrow.
If it does have a steel one my guess would be that at some point in the cars life the owner had more then one F body so before he sold it he swapped the DS and put the aluminum one on the LT1

jsteele90

iTrader: (13)

wrong. automatic 2.73 cars came with steel driveshafts

Kurt D

iTrader: (2)

Yep, only 3.23 autos and manuals got the aluminium drive shaft. If your TA has 2.73 gears it got a steel shaft. If it is a 3.23 then someone replaced the stock aluminium for some reason.

Starz T/A 17

iTrader: (6)

Good to know, I know all my M6 cars had an aluminum drive shaft and my A4 had one but it was a 3.23 car, and I could of swore that I read somewhere that all LS1's had them. But did a little more research and your right, thats the great thing about this site, learn something new everytime I log on

lovescamaros28

3:23's were rear end gears for the automatics. 3:42's came in the manuals which did get the aluminum driveshaft.

ivan_key

I have a 2.73 rear gear car so that would explain why I have the steel driveshaft, but why would the use the steel one in the 2.73 cars? When I put 3.73 in should I also put a alumn. Drive shaft in to?

1994Z28Lt1

iTrader: (1)

well from my experience the steel shafts weren't balanced nearly as well, with a 2.73 rear, the rpm the drive shaft needs to turn to maintain say 80 mph is a lot less than a rear end that has 3.23's or 3.42's. So i guess it would be less of a chance for a customer to feel any drive train vibration, and it was probably cheaper than the aluminum shaft.

Cheap Guy

iTrader: (3)

Changing from the metal to aluminum shaft in my old LT1 was one of the best cheap mods I did. It was much smoother (less vibration). But I wonder like the OP why a steel shaft was used in some cars and not others. My car was pretty much stock but I've read threads where the aluminum shaft didn't hold up well with a lot of power.

ivan_key

My little steel shaft is only about an 1/8th inch from my exhaust so I may run into a problem putting the aluminum shaft in, all I know is these 2.73 cars suck and everything needs upgraded

01ssreda4

iTrader: (96)

Correct.

Slow down, pay attention. He is not saying 3.23 autos AND 3.23 manuals. He is saying precisely what he typed. 3.23 autos and manuals. I.E. Not any other geared auto but 3.23s and all manuals. Which is in fact correct.

RPM WS6

iTrader: (3)

Gears and a driveshaft is "everything"?

Actually, be careful what you wish for. I've had two 3.23 cars with the aluminum shafts, and both had the "tinking" issue (a distinct tink sound is sometimes heard when shifting into gear, or sometimes during shifts while driving). There have also been people that have seen the aluminum shafts rip apart at the track. I've had zero problems with the steel shafts though, and personally prefer them.

01ssreda4

iTrader: (96)

The tinking was u joints, not the actual shafts. They are non-tinking items, they can't tink themselves

RPM WS6

iTrader: (3)

The tink was specific to the aluminum shafts, the steel shaft cars never had this problem.

Back in the late '90s/early '00s, GM tried several fixes for those of us that had this issue, new U-joints did not fix it (my '99 car started doing this with only ~2500 miles on it). The shaft would have to be replaced, and some were found to have visable fractures in the welds that were believed to be the cause. Some people just put in a steel shaft and the problem would be cured.

01ssreda4

iTrader: (96)

Honestly, you're right. The stock aluminum DSs are pieces of ****. I had a buddys let loose while doing 100mph in Mexico. It looked like Bigfoot stomped his exhaust, floor-pan, torque arm, and everything else within reach. It was ridiculous. Glad I just bought an after-market one

RPM WS6

iTrader: (3)

Wow, that has to be a pretty scary experience at 100mph

I've seen pics of the the damage from this happening, usually from a hard launch or 1-2 shift at the track. It's not pretty.

Kurt D

iTrader: (2)

My `99 SS had the tinking sound when putting it in gear. I figured it was the u-joints or slack and never bothered to explore it further.

Now my `02 SS, which is a 6 speed, has that sound while going over bumps and such. I figured it was slack in the axles; if I pull on the rear wheels with the *** end up there's a little in and out movement, less than a mm. Maybe it's the drive shaft... it's the same tink-tink sound...

Sorry for the highjack.

01ssreda4

iTrader: (96)

Thats normal.

ivan_key

I wasn't meaning gears and driveshafts what's everything lol, since I have a 98 there seems to be a lot more to upgrade then say a 01, like I'd like to get h/c and will have to get new valve covers, I heard the 98 pcms are not as good. I have a ls1 intake not the better ls6, steel drive shaft, crappy 2.73 gears, none really that big of a deal, all needs upgraded with high end parts anyways

IRONFIST

Probably because with 2.73's the drive-shaft would have to be stronger.

The higher the ratio the easier it is to spin up the back wheels ( and everything else mechanically attached ).