Stock Steel vs Aluminum Driveshafts - Third Generation F-Body Message Boards

transamice · 04-25-2009, 09:56 PM

Any opinions?
If you could choose which would you prefer for your avg 3rd gen owners who have mostly bolt-on mods and some slight mods to engine and trans.
Street crusing and sometimes track with slicks.
Can the 1LE aluminum take the beating upto 300 HP/ 350 TRQ?

Daz · 04-26-2009, 06:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by transamice

Any opinions?
If you could choose which would you prefer for your avg 3rd gen owners who have mostly bolt-on mods and some slight mods to engine and trans.
Street crusing and sometimes track with slicks.
Can the 1LE aluminum take the beating upto 300 HP/ 350 TRQ?

Aluminum

The AL driveshafts are wider in diameter for strength. Its also better in keeping its balance

transamice · 04-27-2009, 05:32 PM

Which aluminum is the strongest?
3rd or 4th gens, I was reading 3rds are 2.5" diameter and 4th gen 3" ?
It might be wrong.

Stephen · 04-27-2009, 05:36 PM

There weren't any stock aluminum 3rd gen driveshafts,

transamice · 04-27-2009, 05:40 PM

Option JG1 in 3rd gens.

JamesC · 04-27-2009, 06:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by transamice

Option JG1 in 3rd gens.

Correct. The alum shaft is the so-called 1LE shaft; however, many other cars were equipped with them as well. At one point, I sold 60+ of them--I have one in my car. BTW, the 1LE shaft (GM 10085375) has a diameter of 2 3/4" while the LS1 (GM 12564004) is 3". Both shafts will fit auto and manual trans.

JamesC

Stephen · 04-27-2009, 06:42 PM

I stand corrected.

Are there any strength differences between the 2?

91interceptorZ · 04-27-2009, 06:59 PM

just to throw my two pennies in here.......I would throw a steel line in the trash, fill it with gas, burn it, and throw it off a cliff into the ocean, where it shall rust away......now you know how I feel about factory 3rd gen shafts......I chased a vibration for years, until figuring out that the factory steel lines warp at interstate speeds or higher (search threads, and also car craft did an article on how 3rd gen lines suck).....but anyways...I'm running a 4th gen aluminum line now, no problems yet.....
actually I think I put more like a nickel in this one....lots of emotion here

.....gotta go compose myself now....LOL

JamesC · 04-27-2009, 07:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 91interceptorZ

I think I put more like a nickel in this one....lots of emotion here

.....gotta go compose myself now....LOL

Lay off the beer

.

JamesC

91interceptorZ · 04-27-2009, 07:10 PM

I think it's other way around, maybe I NEED a beer.....LOL

89RS_82Z · 04-27-2009, 07:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 91interceptorZ

just to throw my two pennies in here.......I would throw a steel line in the trash, fill it with gas, burn it, and throw it off a cliff into the ocean, where it shall rust away......now you know how I feel about factory 3rd gen shafts......I chased a vibration for years, until figuring out that the factory steel lines warp at interstate speeds or higher (search threads, and also car craft did an article on how 3rd gen lines suck).....but anyways...I'm running a 4th gen aluminum line now, no problems yet.....
actually I think I put more like a nickel in this one....lots of emotion here

.....gotta go compose myself now....LOL

i agree, i got 2 trash drive shafts, replaced one to get rid of a vibration, just to have it show up at another speed, and everything else is perfect, been down the road of searching out the problem its the DS, and steels are junk IMO....now i got to keep steel with what i did to my exhaust, so im getting it rebalanced, see how long if any it lasts

91interceptorZ · 04-27-2009, 07:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 89RS_82Z

i agree, i got 2 trash drive shafts, replaced one to get rid of a vibration, just to have it show up at another speed, and everything else is perfect, been down the road of searching out the problem its the DS, and steels are junk IMO....now i got to keep steel with what i did to my exhaust, so im getting it rebalanced, see how long if any it lasts

I tried the balancing act a couple of time...two different shafts, and the vibration always showed back up......can you move your exhaust over a bit to get it to clear, you'd be a lot better off.....I run 3.5 inch pipes and got it to clear mine, even with the bigger driveline....

89RS_82Z · 04-27-2009, 07:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 91interceptorZ

I tried the balancing act a couple of time...two different shafts, and the vibration always showed back up......can you move your exhaust over a bit to get it to clear, you'd be a lot better off.....I run 3.5 inch pipes and got it to clear mine, even with the bigger driveline....

yea im fixin to redo my exhaust.......so ill have more room, but im still getting this one balanced for the time being now

91interceptorZ · 04-27-2009, 07:40 PM

if it's just a temp line, it should work.....It helps balancing some....

6speedIROC · 04-28-2009, 12:06 PM

I think the 3rd gen ones are stronger than the 4ths even though they are smaller diameter. You see lots of guys breaking the 4th gen ones, even on auto cars.

I run a PST 3.5" aluminum unit. It's nice, strong, and not too expensive.

transamice · 04-28-2009, 01:20 PM

Whats a pst shaft and how much is not expensive?

6speedIROC · 04-28-2009, 01:24 PM

http://www.pstds.com/index.htm

I think about $400..
It was through a group purchase on camaroZ28.com

transamice · 04-28-2009, 01:44 PM

$400 Dollars is not cheap thats for sure, unless you got it for a real good deal with the group purchase.
The common price for alum driveshafts from most performance places range upto $500 max for 3" - 3.5" diameter.
I have a 1LE one kicking around just wasnt sure if to use it or not, thats why I asked if its worth the swap.
I had alot of negative feedback from people with pickups who snap their alum ds and end up replacing it with steel so...