run a one piece driveshaft?

[ratpick63]

I was wondering how many people are running one piece driveshafts in their Supras. Any clearance issues with stock exhaust placement or anything else I should know before having the driveline shop build me one? What was Toyota thinking anyway? "Truck-style driveshaft" behind a "truck motor" I guess.

 

[ToyoHabu]

I believe it had to do with a noise, vibration issue. The harmonic resonant frequency of a shaft is proportional to its length. The short sections have a higher harmonic resonance frequency.

 

[bwest]

I run a JAWS aluminum one. A little resonation ~2500 rpm decel (mostly 2nd, 3rd gear) and some ringing under hard accel, but the other benifits outweigh the slight noise increase. Even though, if i could do it again, i would have spent the extra 200 for the CF

 

[ratpick63]

Cf?

 

[bwest]

CarbonFiber (or Fibre, pending your location)

 

[Clip]

yeah, a few people make carbon fiber driveshafts for the supra, ive heard great things about 'em

 

[ratpick63]

I'll be stretchin to afford the aluminum one, but carbon fibre does sound nice!

 

[SupraDreamPDR]

bwest, is your 1 piece steel or aluminum? price?

 

[bwest]

Alum, got it from HPF. JAWS is sold as balanced the other is not. At least that is what Jeff mentioned when he still worked there (bought through him).

 

[woodytsi]

i have a steel one.
woody

 

[SupraDreamPDR]

i have a steel one.
woody

thanks bwest. how much lighter than stock is the steel one?

 

[bwest]

steel weigh in ~17lbs, alum ~11lbs (see HPF, weights listed there)

 

[jdub]

Did a write-up on the Jaws aluminum shaft about a month ago:

http://www.supramania.com/forums/showthread.php?t=16199&highlight=driveshaft

 

[ratpick63]

Thanks jdub, plenty of useful info there. I contacted a local shop and they remember doing a few a couple years ago, said it'd be around $300 for aluminum. Anyone know of aluminum half shafts? Proly out of my price range if available, but why wouldn't they be?

 

[Bishop92t]

One piece aluminum on my 1992 and when I owned the 1986.5 it had a one piece aluminum as well, ran over 4 years on both. No problems with resonance, sounds, vibration, clearance, etc. Just make sure the shop balances it.

 

[Nick M]

I had an aluminum driveshaft on the old 5.0 Mustang. It ran much quiter and smoother. The old unit was slightly dented so it vibrated a bit. It came as a one piece.

Perhaps a consideration was smoothness though. A u-joint is only supposed to have so much of an angle to it. And two driveshafts will help that cause.

Not to rub salt into wounds but it only cost me $160 from SVO.

 

[tekdeus]

My car came with a 1-pce aluminum. The previous owner said it was one of the most noticeable "seat of the pants" improvements he made to the car. When engagin gears at low speed I hear a slight metallic ping, but who cares? Sidewayzsupra had a used one in the for sale section a while back. Check it out. I bought his C/F hood

 

[westonboege]

Im running a 1pc aluminum from suprasport... not sure if they make them inhouse or not... Bolted right on in about 20 mins.. Nice difference in weight between stock and 1pc... Starting from a standstill is almost effortless... just need to touch the gas...

I get a little resonance when slowly accelerating... kind of sounds like a jet or something...

 

[figgie]

<-- 1 piece Carbon fiber hehe

 

[ToyoHabu]

I think I read somewhere that aluminium drive shafts reduce the possibility of breaking other expensive bits in the drive train. The twistability of aluminium takes the peaks out of the torque spikes. CF also is a good dampning material but very rigid might cause problems in high HP, TQ applications?