driveshaft weights

[BarryC]

Do all driveshafts have weights on them. Mine is a straight tube shaft with no weights on it. I was wondering if mine may have fell off. I cant see any signs where there use to be a weight though. I was just wondering if all driveshafts had some kind of weight on them for balance. It is the original shaft for the car, 74 duster 360.

Thanks.

 

[BarryC]

Bump

 

[CultClassik]

I would think it should have weights if it was balanced. Then again if you're not getting noises/vibrations I probably wouldn't worry about it. Hopefully someone with more knowledge on driveshafts will chime in!

 

[67Dart273]

I guess my question is, "does it vibrate?"

At least one of the Mopar Performance books (Chassis Manual?) has a procedure whereby you rotate a couple of hose clamps around the shaft to test for better balance.

Also remember, that "weights" are not the only magic thing

The darn thing has to RUN TRUE to start with. If it's off axis, bent, etc, no weights in the world will balance it.

 

[Supershafts]

That above isn't entirely true, shafts can have issues and be balanced to remove those issues.

However the factory shaft in your car having no weight on can be because it fell off, almost all mopars of the 60's thru mid 70's used inner dampening techniques.
Now you also said you have a straight shaft of which im guessing you mean its not a swedge style tube and its all one diameter from weld yoke to weld yoke which depending on diameter can be a non factory shaft.

It is very rare that a shaft doesn't need weight, or unless it was purposely built that way thru balancing to effect, which is time consuming and that costs more.
Very rarely does the shaft, weld yokes and slip not have a issue and not cause weight to be added.
In AL shafts since everything is machined and not cast they can be found with no weights needed more often than Stl shafts.

 

[res1vw21]

Personally I would take it to a good drive shaft shop and have it spun. Around here it's $80 bucks and it comes back straighten, balanced and painted. Cheap insurance if you ask me.