how much horse on the aluminum driveshaft handle that come on the ss.

 

I think most LS1 Fbodys dyno around 300 or so but that may be a generous number for bone stock. I snapped my aluminum driveshaft with about 350 at the wheels.

 

ooo ouch. so they are not made to handle a lot?

 

I seem to hear a lot more about 10 bolts breaking than stock aluminum driveshafts but maybe that's because a rear end is a more expensive part and harder to replace. I was surprised when my DS snapped but was glad it wasn't the rear It was on street tires too (GS-D3s) but at a well prepped track, I popped the clutch and it broke right at the first weld.

edit: are you A4 or M6 because A4s are much easier on DS/rears but then you have to worry about the A4 breaking

 

The stock AL DS's that came on Ls1 cars are just weak. its common to break on them on stock cars. Its not the u joints that give either.. the actual shaft twists and tears in half like an aluminum can.

found a thread with pics of the susal way they break..

https://ls1tech.com/forums/showpost....51&postcount=1

 

How about the steel ones found on LT1 cars?

 

hilton twisted one in half with a torquer V3 and bolt ons dropping the clutch from about 3K i think. wrinkled it like a coke can.

 

haha now im glad i have a steel driveshaft i hated having r rated tires, and a 118 speed limiter, but thats a free fix if you know someone with hptuners. I'll chalk that up as a plus.

 

So does anybody know if the steel 1-piece factory driveshafts can/do withstand more power than the aluminum ones?

Is this on the Malibu, or do you have a V6 F-body or something?? 98+ LS1 cars came stock with aluminum driveshafts and 168MPH speed limiters... V6 98+ cars came with steel driveshafts and 108 to 118 MPH speed limiters along with shitty tires (the limiters corresponded with the tires the car came with). I've had my V6 maxed @ 118 on 168mph speed rated tires. If you did a V8 swap, why didn't you change out the gauge cluster?? :\ Thought the limiter was in the trans, too... R rated tires???

 

After reading a bunch of threads about how crappy the stock driveshaft is, I ordered a PST 3.5 inch driveshaft from EPP.

I didn't want to take the chance with my mods.

 

Didnt Automatic 98-02 cars with 2.73 gears come with the steel DS??? I have a 98 and originally it had 2.73s, and I have a steel DS

 

I'd agree that 2.73's came with a steel DS. Because I have 2.73's, and I have a steel DS. Also have z rated tires, and have been to at least 115 without being speed limited. I don't need to be going any faster than that, so I won't worry about where my limiter is at.

 

I have heard SS's and WS6's came with Aluminum Drive shafts. I think my buddy with his 2000Z28 had non Z rated tired governed @118 and had a s/d

 

Wow, those pictures are just damn awful.

I have a steel one in my 98 z28, it did come with 2.73 gears too.

Man, that's just crazy to see that happen on a mild car.

 

Been there done that.

 

That is not entirely accurate. Automatic 2.73 gear LS1's did in fact come with steel driveshafts instead of aluminum. Also back when these cars were new you could order a LS1 Fbody without the Z-Rated tire package. If you did that then the car came with a steel driveshaft and a speed limiter set to 118.

Very few people ordered these cars without Z rated tires But if they did they could always replace the tires and reprogram the computer to raise or remove the 118 speed limiter.

 

this is on the f-body, and no it wasnt a v6 originally, but the original owner ordered it with shitty r rated tires, which in turn left me with a 118 limiter, and steel DS.

 

Is this a common occurrence? It's news to me.

 

Breaking the aluminum driveshaft in 10 second cars or faster is some what common. Breaking them in 12 second cars or slower is rare. 11's are kind of in the middle so I replaced mine with a stock steel one just for a little extra piece of mind.

 

at fontana one weeknd i saw at least 3 fbodies break their aluminum ds at the starting line. bolt on cars too.