Are all stock driveshafts of the same quality?

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2112

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Are the drive shafts, and U joints that they used for the /6 the same material and thickness as say the ones with a V8 8 3/4 rear end? They are just a bit shorter or longer?

Thanks!
 
GENERALLY the weak point is the U joints, not the shafts. But there is a TREMENDOUS difference in quality between U joints. When the "import parts" nonsense really got underway in the '80s, we used to see a lot of these "chain store" joints come in broke/ damaged/ wore out. Back then we sold stuff like Precision and Spicer, some Borg-Warner, and Rockwell, before any of e'm got "Chineseo'd"

Also, if you are REALLY pushing the limits, you want a cross with NO grease zerk, because it reduces strength.

On the other hand, my old '70 sixpack RR only had 2 U joints replaced in it's life of 140,000 miles.
 
There are differences in the shafts from /6 to v-8 to performance v-8. There are several choices of diameter, and tube thickness.

One of my local competitors that is another shop that just makes shafts with no knowledge of what and why, just recently almost killed a customer. . .

There was a girl in a outlaw class from Texas that had a shaft and it broke, almost killing her, now the rule is made to use 2 loops in the cars, that ain't gonna save them, knowledge of what a shaft needs will.

Playing with factory shafts and many of the old shafts have a inner vibration damper system and then mixing that with performance is chance of fukin yourself up good, to save at the most $500. . .

When the stock shaft comes apart thru the traps, or at speed, the damage will be so far beyond $500, you'll wish you spent 2x that.

Now if this is a DD and you want to mix and match different shafts from different cars and uses, thats another story, and it can be done, but playing with performance stuff and changing gears and putting shafts thru rpms and power they weren't designed for can be a very costly experiment.



The china issue today is far worse then ever before. . . Many names listed above can not be trusted, except for Spicer and Rockwell.
Everything else is made in china, some of the biggest performance names are using china copies.
If i listed names you wouldn't believe me till i pulled a $2 china joint from it's box and then the performance and the other name brand stuff. . . .

.
 
So one person says just to get U Joints, and the other says to get a new shaft. Any other opinions? The car is going from a /6 to about 400 hp and a 8 3/4.

Thanks!
 
2112 said:
So one person says just to get U Joints, and the other says to get a new shaft. Any other opinions? The car is going from a /6 to about 400 hp and a 8 3/4.

Thanks!
Click to expand...
:shock: and your wondering if you should reuse the old \6 shaft w/ little tiny baby u-joints?

no...

and please don't start a "should i keep my 8" front drum brake set up?" thread...

good luck with the car :)
 
Should I then just go all out and get a new one for $400.00? Is there a cheaper route that would do?

Thanks!
 
2112 said:
Should I then just go all out and get a new one for $400.00? Is there a cheaper route that would do?

Thanks!
Click to expand...
in the grand scheme of this build, with everything you want to do, have you actually figured out how much $$ this will really cost?
and out of that how much is the $400 i guess you've priced for a drive shaft?

6% ? 10% ?
money well spent in my opinion
 
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