Shopping for a drive shaft : UPDATE

Can anyone suggest a place that builds quality drive shafts for an affordable price, like under $400. Called Dennys, strange a local shop here. All want 400+ for a chomemoly shaft in 3.5" with 1350's and no yoke. Would mild steel be strong enough with my combo. 650ftlb/3380#

Yes mild steel would be ok,mine is[imo]The cm is for weight loss I believe.

CCI in new Baltimore on 26 mile 586-716-1160

If you buy from Dynotech have a local shop check the balance. I'd chased a vibration ever since mini tubing and installing the Dana and new drive shaft in my Dart. Finally this spring I took the drive shaft to a local shop and had the balance checked, it was way off. I drove the Dart to work last night, the first time out with the new balance job, smooth as silk.

Check out Doctor Diff. He should be able to get you a nice driveshaft from Strange drop shipped to your door. That is what I used for my Duster project.

I recently had a shaft built by Precision Shaft Tech. Price, part and service and turnaround was really good. http://www.pstds.com/

I think steel would be fine, but are you going to be looking for .03 second down the road and wish you spent double on an aluminum, CF, or cromoly? I put steel in both of my cars and although I'm still a skeptic, sometimes I wish I spent extra for something lighter. I got one from dennys and one from a local shop. From what I remember dennys had a crazy wait and last time I checked I couldn't believe how much the prices went up. I want to say the local guy was like 450 but he sent me home with slip yoke and drive flange to measure with, he had it ready the next day. 450 was with slip yoke and drive flange for the 8.8 rear.

Try cj tattons or tattons driveshafts. He sells on eBay but might have website, you can call him. I've used him for jeeps before and had no issues. I couldn't find cheaper. Pretty fast too. He's mostly jeep and 4x4 but I want to say the jeep stuff is super finicky with driveline vibes.

Ok i will check these out. I currently have a dynotech and looking for something different this time. Thanks

CCI wants 300-330 with my yoke. Precision shaft wants 329 with my yoke. A local place here (joint clutch and gear) wants 275-300 with my yoke. Dennys wants 534 with a new yoke.

These are 3.5 mild steel good for 1000hp. I think strange wanted 435 for cm without yoke.

Strange does a 3" CM shaft with HD weld yokes for $250, 3" CM with CM yokes for 335 and the 3.5 " for 435. They need a yoke to balance it. You send one or buy one from them. Takes a couple days right now.

Yes, they need the yoke to balance i know. I would have to send them my yoke. Gonna call strange back and get a price on 3.5 mild steel as well.

Does dr diff have a number?

Ann Arbor Driveshaft

Ann Arbor Driveshaft

Talked to dr diff about a driveshaft. Suggested the strange 3" cm with 1350 joints and a spicer yoke for $365.

That strange price sounds interesting.
Has there been any comparison to mild steel done? Wall thickness, weight?

Have you called DTS

Dennys wont tell thickness. I believe the strange cm is .083. I would guess the 3" cm is lighter than the mild steel 3.5".

No, i did not call them yet. Will pick with the calls again tomorrow. The 3" cm by strange looks good to me right now.

You can check The Driveshaft Shop. He built my old shaft in NY for my Cuda. Still works great. I found out that he is over here in NC, now. Will probably be having him build me an aluminum one this time. I have heard more than once, that guys changing over from M/S to aluminum have seen a difference.

That's funny, I have never had anybody say they saw anything on a slip going to aluminum. Always hear people saw zip. For years.
And I have heard of guys hurting aluminum driveshafts. One such guy is the guy who bought my old car.
Just like rollerized trannies. Spent all the money on one years ago, saw nothing.

Give these guys a call - real nice product and reasonable price!!!


http://www.victorynss.com/index.php/component/content/article?id=12

Maybe not in a street car. Guys from 2 different 4.70 groups near me both have told me they have picked up going to aluminum. I didn't ask them, they told me outright. If you hurt an aluminum driveshaft, maybe you shouldn't have bought it at Walmart.

ill check them out tomorrow.

I think the driveshaft shop was on the mopar forums when he was in ny, and he was always pushing aluminum driveshafts. He used to guarantee a gain at the track. I remember the mopar mag did a test on the coronet at etown and showed a gain doing a direct swap to an aluminum shaft. But it's hard to believe anything in the magazines. Maybe the steel one was filled with concrete.

Im really interested in the 3" cm shaft. Dont know why aluminum shafts are so expensive. Bay City said 600 for an aluminum shaft. Ill get back on the calls when i get to work today.

We had a Denny's in the Duster since day one. Beat the snot out of it for a few years. Installed a Dana and needed it shortened. Took it to Ann Arbor Driveshaft and they shortened and balanced it and we beat on it for another 10 seasons. It's still in great shape!

Called Dts and ann arbor. DTS was in a hurry to get off the phone and his price was right in the middle of what i have now.Ann Arbor wasnt sure what i needed for strenght, but wanted to do mild steel wasnt sure if i needed 3 or 3.5". I would have to get my current shaft down there if going a 3". Strange just told me cm is heavier than steel shaft. Opposite of what i was thinking. Still liking that cm 3" from strange for 250+yoke.

Pay attentions to material/length/diameter/RPM regarding critical speed. There's a chart on Mark Williams website. Anyone building shafts should know that info and not be guessing.

My current S/P Cuda has a Mark Williams C.M. 3.0 x 42.5 center to center long driveshaft in it, the car had 5.86 gears in the Dana 60 and ran 7.80s ET at 187.+ MPH with a Blown B1 motor on methanol alcohol running 16x33x15 tires on a 15 inch wide rims, I'm not sure what the driveshaft RPM where back then I changed the rear gears to a set of 4.56 and the car now runs 9.0 ET at 147.+ MPH with a set of 14x32xW on the same rims
My message is your way better off buying a better driveshaft than you need now than find out later you need a better one when you hop the car up some more later
Safety gear selection should be like selecting a brain surgeon, don't go with the cheapest one you can find

Yes. I understand and agree. Most places are saying cm is way over kill. Dr.Diff suggested the strange 3" cm shaft with the spicer slip yoke for my combo. That seems like plenty shaft for $330. Whats your opinions on the spicer slip yoke strength?

I just bought a 1350 forged yoke from Jegs for my 904 swap. Think they get them from inland empire driveline.
Spicer should be fine if it isn't cast
I have a 727 DTS driveshaft in my car now I am going to sell. Not sure what slip yoke it has. Local outfit is building the new one for my 904.most local racers over here use them.
Martin spring and driveline.
Have another engine in the works that will make more steam

I'm going to be in the same situation as soon as the engine & trans are back in the car. I got a new Strange S-60 from Dr. Diff, but he told me to measure things first before I order a new driveshaft, rather than replacing it w/ an OEM-length shaft for an E-body Dana 60 (if that's even possible).

3" vs 3.5"? Not sure how much clearance my bolt-on driveshaft loop has w/ a larger-than-OEM 3.5"...

Mild steel vs chro-moly vs ???

3800#-ish w/ driver, 650+ HP & 600-ish torque, 727 foot-braked, targeting low 10s in the 1/4.

Yep. Me too. Wants me to measure and order from his site. Strange list the slip yoke as heavy duty. Not sure if its cast. Same one i have on my dynotech shaft.

My car has a Mikes Ultraglide in it from before I bought it so I don't really know if the Mark William tranny yoke is a steel Spicer or which brand and exactly the type of material
It has taken a lot of abuse form me though, 1.27 60 Ft times so far at 2750 lbs.
I had forgotten how hard a hard leaving car can be on your back if you don't push yourself back into the seat before letting it eat

LOL! Sounds like fun. I found a couple write ups on the cast yokes. Looks like 800hp in a mid size car is what they can handle. Im thinking 3300-3500#. Not sure what the spicer slip yokes are, cast, nodular or chromemoly?

That is the exact shaft I just got for my Savoy and it is perfect in every way. Welds look good,slip yoke is strong,joints are solid,and it is perfectly balanced. I used to have a vibration now it's completely gone with the new Strange drive shaft.
That Spicer slip yoke is plenty beefy enough for most anything

Gus

Ok. Im sure thats the one im gonna get. $330 is a good price as well.

I got one from the Doc for my Bee. Was a nice piece. I'm about to order another.

Good to hear. I'm looking at the same shaft at summit. No tax or shipping. I'm certain my mind is now set on the 3" cm strange shaft with the spicer slip yoke.

Just buy the Strange 3" w/1350 joints

It will handle whatever you throw at it.

Buy it once and be done.

STRANGE

I believe so. Strange wants me to step up to the 3.5" cm shaft with cm slip yoke

Did Strange give any tech support on the metals?cm vs ms?,3" vs 3.5" tube?

Not much. They only sell cm shafts. Other info i gathered in my search was 3.5 DOM good to 1000hp.

Look into used NASCAR drivelines. We have bought many from various vendors and they have them in 1/2” increments in 3” and 3.5” diameters. The majority of them are from dynotech and have 1350 spicer joints and a turbo 400 style yolk we sell. Last one cost a whopping $90! Inland Empire is a good source for yolks and/or drivel we as well, they support us west coast racers.

yes, i looked at those too briefly on ebay, but could not find the length i needed. Justed placed my ordered with Dr.Diff for the 3" cm shaft with spicer yoke.

You may a good choice

Mopar Dave..... thank you for doing all the leg work for Us ..

No problem. Part of the hobby. Glad to help.

Recieved the Strange driveshaft friday. Arrived sooner than i was expecting. All looks good and they gave me the Strange forged slip yoke instead of the spicer HD unit all for $330+shipping. Very happy