I was looking into a better driveshaft for my car and found that i have very few options.

- Carbon Fiber
- Aluminum
- Stock

The reason i was looking for a new drive shaft is mostly to finish planning out my car. Sure the Stock ds is fine, but when i get my new motor in and want to get out a few more hp and such, just think a stronger lighter ds will help.

I know alot of people go with the aluminum ds, it's lighter and doesnt cost an arm and leg. The light weight reduces parasitic hp loss from drivetrain weight and such. So it's a great step up from the stock one. The LS1 ds is reported to be a very high quality part and very strong, cheap to find on ebay... but it wont fit on my th 350 car ( stock th 200 ds length ).

Now comes idea of the "ultimate". Carbon fiber is some cool stuff, strong and light it's the best of both worlds. Used on super cars for body panells and alot of " dress up " stuff has carbon fiber in one way or other ( valve covers, interior kits, gauges..ect ). Now a Carbon fiber ds is super light weight, and has good torsinal strength. Making it a great idea to use, but the idea that if somthing where to hit it the wrong way would just tear it to shreds really holds everyone back. The design is aslo good for safty, since if / when it was to rip apart it wouldnt look like a 250 pound shell just went off, instead of breaking stuff, it just unravels itself and causes little or no harm. But i want a street car, and the idea of a rock or somthing flying up and hitting my 800 dollar ds and just shreding it kinda makes me not want to jump on the boat.

So if seems as if the true only option is Aluminium right? But i have heard that most aluminium ds can not take the riggors drag racing. This would probably not apply to all, but if you do drag race alot and such, i have heard a few stories or breaking aluminium ds at events. This may mostly be due to poor quality or such, but none the less a ds needs to be strong. So im thinking of a new alturnative...

Chrome Moly.

I dont know very much about all of the different metal's and such. But Chrome moly is lightweight and strong. Used alot in tube chasis and suspension products. I was looking at Spohn's products and seen pretty much everything they make is aviable in this option. So i wonder if it woudl be feesable to do so? Using a strong and light weight metal to make a ds is a great idea. Infact depending on how it is made it could be possible to make it smaller ( in diameter ) then a stock ds which would also save weight altogether. Now if anyone is familure with using this stuff chime in and let me know what you think. Would Chrome Moly be a good material to use? Im sure it would be a premium cost to make but if getting the ultimate performance out of your car, every last hp being extracted will help. And the drive train is a large area to get back alot of the " lost hp " from an engine.

 

I am more worried about it breaking than anything else. So I replaced my stock driveshaft with a custom steel one made by a racing shop. Cost a little less than an Aluminum one, but it is worth the peace of mind.

 

Nothing new about using a chrome moly driveshaft, I've had one in my car scince 2002 when I split my alum driveshaft in 2. I had mine done by www.driveshaftshop.com who are local to me, and who also did my alum shaft.

HTH,
Steve

 

One other thing, my chrome moly shaft was similar in cost or a little cheaper than aluminum,I dont remember exactly because they gave me a big break on the shaft scince the alum one broke.

Steve

 

That's cool to hear.

I havent seen any comerical or mass produced chrome moly ds, more or less the reason for posting the idea. Im sure that it's done alot, but on the custom level more so.

TTA850 how do you like it? did you have a chance to weigh it at all? I really would like to know the weight of it compared to a Carbon Fiber and a aluminium ds, just to quench my thoughts. And im one of those people who generaly look for every little way to get 1-2 more hp out of an engine. Where as going to a Carbon Fiber ds has been said to get a 5% increase in power over the whole RPM band on some cars ( read in a import mag on a supra dyno ).

Thanks for the post guys