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Driveshafts: Steel vs. Aluminum vs. Carbon Fiber
#1897930
08/23/15 09:55 PM
08/23/15 09:55 PM
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 4,243
Charlotte, North Carolina
sgcuda
OP
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OP
master
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 4,243
Charlotte, North Carolina
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I have an upgraded HD steel driveshaft in my 'Cuda now, built back in the '80's. All made before the advent of aluminum or carbon fiber. I am guessing that the lesser weight of these would make the car et faster. Anyone have any idea how much better a car will perform with either of these 2 materials? Do they hold up as well as steel? Are they safer/stronger than steel? Are they worth the expense?
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Re: Driveshafts: Steel vs. Aluminum vs. Carbon Fiber
[Re: sgcuda]
#1897992
08/23/15 10:58 PM
08/23/15 10:58 PM
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Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 4,209
New York
polyspheric
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master
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 4,209
New York
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Reduces the ET by .000 RCH
Boffin Emeritus
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Re: Driveshafts: Steel vs. Aluminum vs. Carbon Fiber
[Re: polyspheric]
#1897995
08/23/15 11:02 PM
08/23/15 11:02 PM
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Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 22,696
Bitopia
jcc
If you can't dazzle em with diamonds..
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If you can't dazzle em with diamonds..
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 22,696
Bitopia
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Does that prediction also account for a lighter weight wallet with the non steel DS?
Reality check, that half the population is smarter then 50% of the people and it's a constantly contested fact.
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Re: Driveshafts: Steel vs. Aluminum vs. Carbon Fiber
[Re: sgcuda]
#1898021
08/23/15 11:35 PM
08/23/15 11:35 PM
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Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 22,696
Bitopia
jcc
If you can't dazzle em with diamonds..
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If you can't dazzle em with diamonds..
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 22,696
Bitopia
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You are asking a question discussed many times before. Usually no one has any real proof to support a performance increase. You are correct, it has to be an improvement, but evidently not enough to notice. Just the weight savings, should be a plus.One thing is the high dollar items can be thought to be better built/higher quality, and built the next size larger dia, which is a huge improvement in increasing the shafts "critical speed" ( jump ropes). I have a few Alum Glued MW shafts, and if money was not a big concern, I would go CF, which when it fails, has a lot less destructive energy to deal with and becomes flexible strands/fibers, FWIW.  PS, "is it worth it dollar wise?" Only one person can answer that.
Last edited by jcc; 08/23/15 11:36 PM.
Reality check, that half the population is smarter then 50% of the people and it's a constantly contested fact.
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Re: Driveshafts: Steel vs. Aluminum vs. Carbon Fiber
[Re: jcc]
#1898140
08/24/15 02:51 AM
08/24/15 02:51 AM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 27,471
So Cal
autoxcuda
Too Many Posts
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Too Many Posts
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Posts: 27,471
So Cal
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You are asking a question discussed many times before. Usually no one has any real proof to support a performance increase. You are correct, it has to be an improvement, but evidently not enough to notice. Just the weight savings, should be a plus.One thing is the high dollar items can be thought to be better built/higher quality, and built the next size larger dia, which is a huge improvement in increasing the shafts "critical speed" ( jump ropes). I have a few Alum Glued MW shafts, and if money was not a big concern, I would go CF, which when it fails, has a lot less destructive energy to deal with and becomes flexible strands/fibers, FWIW. PS, "is it worth it dollar wise?" Only one person can answer that. Years ago when nascar started wheel dyno'ing the cars after the races and they noticed it. I know people on a craftsman truck team back then that tested small diameter driveshafts vs heavier and larger diameter driveshafts. They claimed the smaller diameter would whip, which consumes energy, which consumes horsepower. Makes sense.
Last edited by autoxcuda; 08/24/15 02:57 AM.
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Re: Driveshafts: Steel vs. Aluminum vs. Carbon Fiber
[Re: sgcuda]
#1898268
08/24/15 12:36 PM
08/24/15 12:36 PM
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Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 4,209
New York
polyspheric
master
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master
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 4,209
New York
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It's not reciprocating weight.
Boffin Emeritus
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Re: Driveshafts: Steel vs. Aluminum vs. Carbon Fiber
[Re: sgcuda]
#1898323
08/24/15 02:19 PM
08/24/15 02:19 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 19,375
Las Vegas
Al_Alguire
I Live Here
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I Live Here
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Posts: 19,375
Las Vegas
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Carbon shafts are marginal lighter than aluminum for sure. But as Monte pointed out the shatter and splinter when they break, unlike aluminum and steel. All the materials have a different critical speed. Diameter, material type and length will determine what material is necessary to avoid reaching a given materials critical driveshaft speed and keeping it from "whipping" the driveshaft on track.
"I am not ashamed to confess I am ignorant of what I do not know."
"It's never wrong to do the right thing"
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Re: Driveshafts: Steel vs. Aluminum vs. Carbon Fiber
[Re: sgcuda]
#1898596
08/24/15 08:59 PM
08/24/15 08:59 PM
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 4,243
Charlotte, North Carolina
sgcuda
OP
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OP
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 4,243
Charlotte, North Carolina
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So carbon fiber is out, but what advantages are there going to aluminum over steel, if any? Even the weight difference should account for something. Hey Poly, you seem to be in agreement with outlawssaa that there is no advantage. In the automotive world, I see you as Steven Hawking's cooler brother. My driveshaft is very close to stock length, so there should be a considerable amount of weight loss using aluminum over steel. Why would this not be a benefit ie: why won't the car be any quicker?
[image][/image]
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Re: Driveshafts: Steel vs. Aluminum vs. Carbon Fiber
[Re: sgcuda]
#1898607
08/24/15 09:15 PM
08/24/15 09:15 PM
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Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 52,972
Romeo MI
MR_P_BODY
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Master
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Romeo MI
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So carbon fiber is out, but what advantages are there going to aluminum over steel, if any? Even the weight difference should account for something. Hey Poly, you seem to be in agreement with outlawssaa that there is no advantage. In the automotive world, I see you as Steven Hawking's cooler brother. My driveshaft is very close to stock length, so there should be a considerable amount of weight loss using aluminum over steel. Why would this not be a benefit ie: why won't the car be any quicker? Alum is a 2 to 1 ratio(basic figure) so you double the wall thickness and loose 1/4 of the weight... yes weight is a major factor in racing and I always push the light weight... but the price and how close it is to center line doesnt make much if any ET but does take weight out of the wallet EDIT Every DS I have had made has been DOM... and thats not cheap 
Last edited by MR_P_BODY; 08/24/15 09:18 PM.
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Re: Driveshafts: Steel vs. Aluminum vs. Carbon Fiber
[Re: sgcuda]
#1898623
08/24/15 09:29 PM
08/24/15 09:29 PM
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Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 28,312
Cincinnati, Ohio
Challenger 1
Too Many Posts
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Too Many Posts
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Posts: 28,312
Cincinnati, Ohio
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So carbon fiber is out, but what advantages are there going to aluminum over steel, if any? Even the weight difference should account for something. Hey Poly, you seem to be in agreement with outlawssaa that there is no advantage. In the automotive world, I see you as Steven Hawking's cooler brother. My driveshaft is very close to stock length, so there should be a considerable amount of weight loss using aluminum over steel. Why would this not be a benefit ie: why won't the car be any quicker? I had a drive shaft built for my 71 BB street car by a local drive line place that does everything including big trucks. It was back in 2005 but I remember that the aluminum shaft was not much more than steel one and I went with aluminum. Been great for 10 years now. Got a healthy 440 6pak with a dana. Got rid of a 8 3/4 and that's why I needed a new drive shaft. Go aluminum IMO, it's lighter and lighter is always good.
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Re: Driveshafts: Steel vs. Aluminum vs. Carbon Fiber
[Re: Monte_Smith]
#1898632
08/24/15 09:37 PM
08/24/15 09:37 PM
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Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 10,384
Upstate NY
Bigcube
I Live Here
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I Live Here
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Posts: 10,384
Upstate NY
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The carbon shaft won't damage the car when it breaks. Steel and even aluminum will both beat your car all to hell underneath This is the reason I have a carbon fiber drive shaft. My tunnel is aluminum with 2 safety loops. I would not want one banging around in there that close to my seat. Well that and the fact my buddy had one that would no longer fit his car but worked for mine and I got a smoking deal.
Jim
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Re: Driveshafts: Steel vs. Aluminum vs. Carbon Fiber
[Re: Monte_Smith]
#1898638
08/24/15 09:42 PM
08/24/15 09:42 PM
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Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 28,312
Cincinnati, Ohio
Challenger 1
Too Many Posts
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Too Many Posts
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Cincinnati, Ohio
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Weight is weight............If I can buy a part that is just as good or better, plus it weighs less.........that's what I use. Ounces make pounds and 1 pound savings here and there, eventually make 10 pound savings and so on. Nice Carbon shafts can be bought in the $800 range from certain places and a good alum shaft from Denny's etc will set you back $500. So it depends on whether the extra $300 is worth it to you from a little weight and additional safety aspect I had a 290" TAD dragster rebodied at Murff McKinneys place with Magnesium panels one time. They took a bucket and saved all the small pieces he cut off my car mounting the new body and it weighed a lot. Then he showed me many places on my car where we could save weight and those were incorporated into the next car. Grams add up to ounces and ounces add up to pounds. Been there. I had 49# hanging on the nose of my current car just to make minimum weight which is great.
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