Driveshafts - Aluminum or steel???

Which driveshaft should I be looking for aluminum or steel? Also, how does aluminum compare in price to steel?

I like steel but never had any issues with aluminum. We just felt that at our power level that either carbon fiber or chromoly was needed and I couldn't afford carbon.

CF

This is what I'm running in my truck.

http://www.dennysdriveshaft.com/p993_1350_series_3_inch_nitrous_ready_driveshaft.html


NO worries,... 

What's the application?

windsor wrote:CF

X2. And contrary to popular belief they are NOT oodles more than a custom steel piece.

yellowhorse7 wrote:

windsor wrote:CF

X2. And contrary to popular belief they are NOT oodles more than a custom steel piece.  

You are correct now.  They were when we bought ours years ago though.

whatbumper wrote:I like steel but never had any issues with aluminum.  We just felt that at our power level that either carbon fiber or chromoly was needed and I couldn't afford carbon.

X2,but Carbon Fiber is a waste of a rich mans money imo. I was at Norwalk one time and a NEW Top Sportsman Mustang was at the Line.He destroyed a CF shaft on launch,took the track crew more than hour to pick fiber from the surface.He borrowed a mild steel shaft from a fellow racer and finished up the weekend.

For the average Pro Street deal that's actually going to see real street use a quality mild steel d/s will probably be more than enough in a lot of cases. A 'moly d/s might be overkill in this situation, but you get some peace of mind with the added insurance of 'moly.

IMO aluminum & carbon would be way overkill in this application. Especially when factoring in having to be more careful with both the aluminum and carbon d/s's to avoid denting/nicking/scratching them.

Thanks for the input. I have a somewhat local source for steel driveshafts that I have used for years in the puller I built. The guy told me I'd never break one of his shafts and he was right, I never did. Broke axle parts, transfer case parts and even u-joints on the intermediate shaft once, but never destroyed his shafts. lol.
I will give him a call.

Copperhead wrote:This is what I'm running in my truck.

http://www.dennysdriveshaft.com/p993_1350_series_3_inch_nitrous_ready_driveshaft.html


NO worries,... 

Mustang as well. Bigger better U joints, quality stuff.

Dave is right about the CF shaft. You have to treat them like they were glass. I friend of mine put one is his 1991 GMC Syclone twin turbo truck. He had an issue with the wishbone coming loose while on the trailer. He had left the bolts loose so the chassis guy could adjust it. The truck shifted over until the DS stopped it. They put everything back together and on the first chassis dyno hit, it shredded the shaft. He sent it back and told them it was his fault, but they fixed it for free anyway. The new one has done fine for many years now.