Do camaro's have stock aluminum driveshafts?
02-13-2012, 10:50 AM
#1
TECH Addict
Thread Starter
iTrader: (4)
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Longview,TX & Tricitys,WA
Posts: 2,201
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like
on
1 Post
Do camaro's have stock aluminum driveshafts? I've been working under the car and noticed the aluminum ds and was wondering if it came stock that way or not.
02-13-2012, 02:11 PM
#7
LS1Tech Administrator
iTrader: (3)
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: Schiller Park, IL Member: #317
Posts: 32,268
Likes: 0
Received 1,702 Likes
on
1,220 Posts
Trending Topics
02-13-2012, 06:25 PM
#12
Sorta
No
Sorta
No
There is more to it than meets the eye. A base LS1 Z28, including an M6/3.42 car, came with a steel driveshaft IF it came with base 235/55/16 tires...in that case it ALSO had a very very pathetically low top speed limiter (I forget if it was 108 or 118...but it certainly caught me off guard in my old 4th gen). IF the car was optioned with the 245/50/16 tires, that would up the top speed limiter, and replace the steel driveshaft with the aluminum one. It's quite possible that some gear ratios were not available with one set of tires or the other...but it is the tire size/speed limiter that dictated the driveshaft material on the assembly line.
Don't think that the stock aluminum driveshaft is the greatest thing since sliced bread either...it's balanced to a higher RPM than the steel one would be...which is a good thing with shorter gears...but they do NOT take a lot of abuse. I've seen way more modded cars break OEM aluminum driveshafts than I have seen break the steel ones...either way, if you're making much more power than stock, you really should consider an afermarket one...or at least a loop behind the front u-joint.
There is more to it than meets the eye. A base LS1 Z28, including an M6/3.42 car, came with a steel driveshaft IF it came with base 235/55/16 tires...in that case it ALSO had a very very pathetically low top speed limiter (I forget if it was 108 or 118...but it certainly caught me off guard in my old 4th gen). IF the car was optioned with the 245/50/16 tires, that would up the top speed limiter, and replace the steel driveshaft with the aluminum one. It's quite possible that some gear ratios were not available with one set of tires or the other...but it is the tire size/speed limiter that dictated the driveshaft material on the assembly line.
Don't think that the stock aluminum driveshaft is the greatest thing since sliced bread either...it's balanced to a higher RPM than the steel one would be...which is a good thing with shorter gears...but they do NOT take a lot of abuse. I've seen way more modded cars break OEM aluminum driveshafts than I have seen break the steel ones...either way, if you're making much more power than stock, you really should consider an afermarket one...or at least a loop behind the front u-joint.
02-13-2012, 06:41 PM
#13
TECH Addict
Thread Starter
iTrader: (4)
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Longview,TX & Tricitys,WA
Posts: 2,201
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like
on
1 Post
Yeah it seems like a steel ds would be heavier but defiantly more durable. However, i doubt it's just junk either, seems like it would still take quite a bit to break one..
02-13-2012, 06:47 PM
#14
LS1Tech Administrator
iTrader: (3)
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: Schiller Park, IL Member: #317
Posts: 32,268
Likes: 0
Received 1,702 Likes
on
1,220 Posts
IF the car was optioned with the 245/50/16 tires, that would up the top speed limiter, and replace the steel driveshaft with the aluminum one. It's quite possible that some gear ratios were not available with one set of tires or the other...but it is the tire size/speed limiter that dictated the driveshaft material on the assembly line.
Both my '98 Z28 and '02 Z28 came from the factory with QLC (245/50/16 Z-rated) tires, and the 162 (or was it 163?) MPH limiter. BUT, they were also both factory GU2, MX0 (2.73, A4) cars, and they both came with steel shafts from the assembly line.
In other words, tire size/speed limiter did NOT override the steel shaft mandate for the 2.73 geared A4 cars.
Don't think that the stock aluminum driveshaft is the greatest thing since sliced bread either...it's balanced to a higher RPM than the steel one would be...which is a good thing with shorter gears...but they do NOT take a lot of abuse. I've seen way more modded cars break OEM aluminum driveshafts than I have seen break the steel ones.
02-13-2012, 08:48 PM
#16
This is not entirely correct. I understand and agree with your statements about the top speed limiter/tire size & speed rating, and how even a V8 model could get stuck with the low top speed limiter when optioned with the non-Z rated 235/55/16 tires. However, tire size and speed limiter did NOT dictate driveshaft material on the LS1 cars.
Both my '98 Z28 and '02 Z28 came from the factory with QLC (245/50/16 Z-rated) tires, and the 162 (or was it 163?) MPH limiter. BUT, they were also both factory GU2, MX0 (2.73, A4) cars, and they both came with steel shafts from the assembly line.
In other words, tire size/speed limiter did NOT override the steel shaft mandate for the 2.73 geared A4 cars.
Agreed. The stock steel shaft is definitely stronger than the aluminum one.
Both my '98 Z28 and '02 Z28 came from the factory with QLC (245/50/16 Z-rated) tires, and the 162 (or was it 163?) MPH limiter. BUT, they were also both factory GU2, MX0 (2.73, A4) cars, and they both came with steel shafts from the assembly line.
In other words, tire size/speed limiter did NOT override the steel shaft mandate for the 2.73 geared A4 cars.
Agreed. The stock steel shaft is definitely stronger than the aluminum one.
I could be wrong...but that's what my research has shown.
02-14-2012, 02:05 AM
#17
I think you two may be confusing the 2 piece drive shaft with the steel one.
I remember reading on here once that the 2.73 cars with the lower speed limiter and 235 tires got the 2 piece drive shaft. I'll have to look it up when I get home, as I'm at work now.
I remember reading on here once that the 2.73 cars with the lower speed limiter and 235 tires got the 2 piece drive shaft. I'll have to look it up when I get home, as I'm at work now.
02-14-2012, 02:33 AM
#19
I have a stock steel (1-piece) driveshaft if anyone is looking for one, it was on my 4th gen, holds 500rwhp without problem thu a m6, I have seen **** load people break the alum one but don't hear much of breaking the steel stock ones
$80 plus shipping
$80 plus shipping