Will my Driveshaft survive on slicks?
 

Im currently running my stock aluminum ds with my 12 bolt rear and 4.11 gears with 26x10.50 hoosier slicks. Will it survive a 6k clutch dump(s)?

I know it has in the past with 342 gears and slicks but with the 411s it will be spinning a bit faster.

What do you all think?

No.

This is what it will look like. Just ask cbrrmike. lol

Time to call Denny's in NY and get a good one!

holy god... lol

yeah those alum ones dont like sticky tires and high HP... get a nice one from PST!

Nope.

Give Denny's or PST a call.

heh slicks? i did that on a 10'' et street

i would say no because of the weight of your car Ron.

Put in a cheap steel drive shaft and save your money for the next weak link that breaks.

he would break a cheap steel one just as easily as a stock aluminum

Actually, that is not true at all. The factory steel shaft is considerably stronger than the aluminum. Ask any drag racer. GM installed aluminum for high speed vibration issues, not because it was stonger than the stock steel shaft.

fabulous, i have personally seen broken ones, broken by bolt on cars, so i am speaking from experience, are you? not to mention the fact that the factory u-joints and yolk arent the greatest things in the world.

its just not a great recommendation to tell any serious drag racer to switch to another stock piece

Ask any racer, any REAL racer...

lol I do have a chromoly ds sitting here. only problem is, its like 6-7lbs heavier.

well them bring it with you and when the aluminum one breaks you're ready to go!

You know you're on borrowed time with that oe aluminum one.

Regardless of what you say, you can't change the fact that the stock steel shaft is stronger than the stock aluminum shaft. So therefore, my advice to switch to the steel shaft is the next logical upgrade, especially if he hasn't even broken the aluminum shaft.

Yes, there are stronger after market shafts available.

The problem here is you are disregarding the basic fact that the steel shaft is stronger than the aluminum shaft, as proven by years of drag racing.

So no matter what your spin on the topic is, the facts remain unchanged: the factory steel shaft is stronger than the factory aluminum shaft.

If you want to go better, then go right ahead, I have no issue with how you spend your time or money.

At his performance level it's an exercise in futility. Neither will do the job well in this case.

the fact of the matter is, with an upgraded transmission, and an upgraded rear, and sticky tires, and launching at 6 GRAND, a stock steel shaft is just as much a waste of time as a stock aluminum shaft

Those are good points, BUT:

1) the OE aluminum shaft is working, and will fail under those conditions after time.

2) a good aluminum after market is $300 plus bucks.

3) all the parts in the drive train will fail eventually under those conditions.

So......

Its a mater of economics vs speed.

I'm sure he has race grade axles that he scored a line down and pulls and checks periodically for twist. After 5 or 7 degrees of twist, the axles are toast. They get replaced before they break, and the same grade axle is installed.

So why not do the same with the driveshaft? Score a line down the shaft, and race. Check it like is done with axles.

How many 6K launches does he have on the existing shaft? 50? 100? It will hold up until metal fatigue breakes it. A steel or aluminum OE shaft is cheap, and if it breaks after 100 launches, replace it with a nother after 75 launches before it breaks. Same as is done with any other stressed part in a race car.

These are hard times, money is not free, cheap parts will get the job done, just need to be replaced more often.

Or, do like you say, and buy an expensive drive shaft.

I doubt anyone here is making their living off drag racing, so this is all just sport and hobby to the members of the board. Money counts.

Just putting it out there.

1. he didnt mention that he is looking for a cheap option.

2. if it breaks he is stuck at the track and has to pay for a tow, which would have paid for the new drive shaft.

1) He didn't mention he is looking for an expensive option.

2) If he brings a spare $20 shaft, he can drive home without paying for a tow.

Stop arguing and post valid alternatives or drop it.

you could be talking to your self right there....

the fact of the matter is the other people that have posted in this thread know Ron, and we know his car, so when a bunch of people post almost the same thing, and one posts the opposite, the group is wrong?

have you ever been to atco? do you take loads of spare parts with you and just lay them in the parking lot and hope no one takes them? figure for a drive shaft you would need:

jack
jack stands
lug wrench
13mm socket and ratchet
the extra drive shaft

lots of stuff to leave laying around parking lots

aren't they 11mm bolts?

either way this thread is a joke i'm pretty sure and ron is going to rip the aluminum one in half bare handed then chuck it from atco to infinity AND beyond.

i'd throw in the chromoly one. strength > weight savings in this case IMO

Carbon fiber yo.