All LS1 driveshafts are aluminum, correct?

[Warbird]

:thinkin:

[2001NBMZ28]

Nope - my car came with 2.73's and steel. The M6 and 3.23 cars were supposed to come with the alum, but sometimes people got the wrong ones.

[Sarge]

GTO's are two peice steel with rubber.........

[MikeSomething]

Mine's steel...I saw a pretty badass carbonfiber one that's lighter and stronger than aluminum but they want $899.99 for the stupid thing! :thumbdn:

[shady1504]

I got an steel one.

[keliente]

Not all. I had an '01 car, six speed, with a steel driveshaft.

Now I have an '00 car, six speed, with an alum shaft.

[TwistedSS]

98's with 3.23's dont have aluminum

[Orange SS]

Not all. I had an '01 car, six speed, with a steel driveshaft.


are you sure ? I havent seen a 6-speed car with a steel driveshaft

M6 = aluminum
A4 3.23 = aluminum or steel
A4 2.73 = steel

[Danger731]

OPTION CODE (GU5) aluminum

[keliente]

are you sure ? I havent seen a 6-speed car with a steel driveshaft

M6 = aluminum
A4 3.23 = aluminum or steel
A4 2.73 = steel

Yes I am positive it had a steel driveshaft. I was surprised also.

[feet739]

:thinkin:
My 2002 WS6 HAS ALUMINUM DRIVE SHAFT.

[Orange SS]

tranny ? gears ?

[tici]

Yes I am positive it had a steel driveshaft. I was surprised also.

Any problem with the steel driveshaft?
When I swapped the tranny (A4 to M6) I was told I HAD to install an aluminun driveshaft or it will vibrate.
I have now a 3.42 gear set and so far (and up 80 mph) no vibrations at all...

[2001NBMZ28]

I was told I should replace mine too because of the TC and 2.73 to 3.42 swap - doing just fine w/the steel.

[keliente]

Any problem with the steel driveshaft?
When I swapped the tranny (A4 to M6) I was told I HAD to install an aluminun driveshaft or it will vibrate.
I have now a 3.42 gear set and so far (and up 80 mph) no vibrations at all...

Someone lied to you then, steel shafts aren't the cause of vibrations, unbalanced shafts are. Mine was fine.

[tici]

Yup: many people post answers without a bit of knowledge.
Because one steel driveshaft did vibrate now all of them are bad...
I didn't belive that and I'm glad I kept the old, rusty piece of steel :)

By the way: I just replaced a ring + pinion set. Your explanation did help, thanks for posting it!

[keliente]

Glad to hear it tici. :)

[feet739]

6speedhurst

[ss~zoso~ss]

i think i heard somewhere that the SS's and WS6's were the only ones to get the alum. driveshaft

[keliente]

That's not true.

[oneBADDz]

OPTION CODE (GU5) aluminum
GU5 means 3.23s. So come on kids, what got aluminum and what got steel? Seems that it's random so far. . .lol. There has to be something we don't know

[onyx_rock]

My car came with 2.73s and an alum. DS. I was previously told all 2.73 geared cars had steel. I dont know if Im an exception or if there is another reason my car had alum. :dunno:

[oneBADDz]

The general belief was auto's were steel and mannies were alum until this thread. MAybe it is true unless you get 3.23s in your auto? I wanna go get under mine now I have an A4 with 3.23s that I havn't had long enough to get under except to change the oil the day I boughtit.

[myk02k]

I wouldn't bother about the driveshaft. I've read a lot about them lately. Whatever you have; steel or aluminum, it's best to leave it. SUPPOSIVELY, carbon fiber and aluminum has a tendency to twist up on a good enough launch. I was told this after reading about "heavy duty" driveshafts. The MAIN advantage of getting an aluminum or carbon fiber driveshaft is the weight reduction and ability to lose less HP from the crank to the wheels, BUT you are risking it with a flimsier driveshaft. Better off to forget about it.

[oneBADDz]

I wouldn't bother about the driveshaft. I've read a lot about them lately. Whatever you have; steel or aluminum, it's best to leave it. SUPPOSIVELY, carbon fiber and aluminum has a tendency to twist up on a good enough launch. I was told this after reading about "heavy duty" driveshafts. The MAIN advantage of getting an aluminum or carbon fiber driveshaft is the weight reduction and ability to lose less HP from the crank to the wheels, BUT you are risking it with a flimsier driveshaft. Better off to forget about it.
Yep, I've seen an aluminum driveshaft ripped in HALF before

[Sunset T/A]

02 T/A, 6-speed, 3.42 gears with Aluminum.

[Hark_Z]

Everyone with LT1's say that they go from steel to alum and the vibrations at higher speeds, 80+, are less noticeable and it works well. I am in the market now for an alum DS!!

[lee1rbc]

I put an alum shaft on my 95Z, I was very happy with the results. Much smoother and I did notice a small improvement in performance. It only adds 2rwhp across the rpm band but was needed for my LT1. My LS1 has a steel shaft but has no vibration issues and I am planning on adding about 75 more hp, so I'm going to leave it. Im an A4 and orig had 2.73s.

[maroonZ]

My 2000 Z is an A4 with 3.23s and an aluminum driveshaft.

[sbbuick]

My 2002 Z-28 MN6 stripper model came with aluminum :burnout:

[tici]

I swapped my tranny a couple of months ago (A4 to M6) and now when I shift in neutral (or push the clutch) on the highway I feel a vibration that seems to be the driveshaft. I also went from 2.73 to 3.42 rear end ratio.
It's still the old steel driveshaft.

Do I need an aluminum driveshaft to get raid of the vibration or is it enough to balance what I have now for an higher rpm?

[rotwiler]

I have a steel ds in my 02 Z28, came with 2:73's...I added 3:42's about a year ago and zero vibration problems and I tend to go over 100mph daily. I think with the steel shafts there is more of a chance they could be not as well balanced...some may get good ones and others not. If I was getting vibration then I would replace it with a aluminum one. I think with some 02 models, even the 2:73 cars came with aluminum, since they were using up whatever was around at the time...just like some 02's have LS1 blocks and others LS6.

[Capster78]

Some came with steel. I will be pruchasing that carbonfiber driveshaft eventually

[myk02k]

carbon fiber driveshaft = waste of time unless you are rich. do yourself a favor and spend the money on something that will produce more HP...cuz im sure you won't be losing that much weight in the driveshaft, and youll be risking the possibility of shredding the driveshaft apart. if ANYTHING id go with aluminum, but still theres better things to spend your money on.

[Wayah-bird]

My '01 T/A (not WS6) A4 with optional 3.23 has aluminum shaft. I'm very impressed with high speed vibration-free ride, but my '96 Formula never had a problem with the steel either.

[Capster78]

carbon fiber driveshaft = waste of time unless you are rich. do yourself a favor and spend the money on something that will produce more HP...cuz im sure you won't be losing that much weight in the driveshaft, and youll be risking the possibility of shredding the driveshaft apart. if ANYTHING id go with aluminum, but still theres better things to spend your money on.

Are you retarded?!?! So your saying that a carbon fiber driveshaft is a waste of time and to keep the stock one??? Have you ever been to the track before? I can't tell you how many snaped driveshafts Iv seen on cars running over 400hp. A carbon fiber driveshaft can handle in upwards of 1000hp so I dont know where your geting your facts from. So you stick with your aluminum driveshaft and just keep adding hp. We will see whos car is on a tow truck first.

[oneBADDz]

I have mixed feelings over the carbon fiber ds. I have seen the aluminum snapped on cars not putting out insanely high hp numbers. Get a couple of bolt ons and some traction mods and you have more than enough to kill it, so I agree that something better is needed, especially when you get LCAs TA drag radials etc. I just can't justify so much $$$$ for carbon fiber. Anyone that has seen how thin the stock aluminum ds is once it's twisted in half understand's capster's point of view though. Once you see inside of that thing you won't trust it much longer

[myk02k]

Are you retarded?!?! So your saying that a carbon fiber driveshaft is a waste of time and to keep the stock one??? Have you ever been to the track before? I can't tell you how many snaped driveshafts Iv seen on cars running over 400hp. A carbon fiber driveshaft can handle in upwards of 1000hp so I dont know where your geting your facts from. So you stick with your aluminum driveshaft and just keep adding hp. We will see whos car is on a tow truck first.

Lately, I'm too busy fixing problems, not causing them. Yes I do have an aluminum driveshaft, but I'm just not bothering about it. My axle would more than likely snap before the driveshaft twists...so far I'm on my 2nd trans and went a little more heavy-duty with a 3 year warranty (jasper trans with shift kit) and my axle is and has been leaking from the pinion and differential seals. If my driveshaft becomes a problem, it'll be replaced. No, I didn't know the HP rating for carbon fiber driveshafts, but I've seen someone with a carbon fiber hood all shred up, and it started all because of a simple scratch. That stuff is like thin paper as soon as it's cut.

This is what I don't understand about some people with budgets, they modify their car even though some may know something else is about to go. I don't have a long list of mods cuz I'm an 18 year old with a budget, but more than 1/2 my mods are from something that needed replacement.

[myk02k]

Are you retarded?!?! So your saying that a carbon fiber driveshaft is a waste of time and to keep the stock one??? Have you ever been to the track before? I can't tell you how many snaped driveshafts Iv seen on cars running over 400hp. A carbon fiber driveshaft can handle in upwards of 1000hp so I dont know where your geting your facts from. So you stick with your aluminum driveshaft and just keep adding hp. We will see whos car is on a tow truck first.

Lately, I'm too busy fixing problems, not causing them. Yes I do have an aluminum driveshaft, but I'm just not bothering about it. My axle would more than likely snap before the driveshaft twists...so far I'm on my 2nd trans and went a little more heavy-duty with a 3 year warranty (jasper trans with shift kit) and my axle is and has been leaking from the pinion and differential seals. If my driveshaft becomes a problem, it'll be replaced. No, I didn't know the HP rating for carbon fiber driveshafts, but I've seen someone with a carbon fiber hood all shred up, and it started all because of a simple scratch. That stuff is like thin paper as soon as it's cut.

This is what I don't understand about some people with budgets, they modify their car even though some may know something else is about to go. I don't have a long list of mods cuz I'm an 18 year old with a budget, but more than 1/2 my mods are from something that needed replacement, I just went the performance route on the part.

Here's the best advice most of you would agree with me on...IF IT ISNT BROKEN, DON'T FIX IT.

[Deeavi]

I'll chime in! My 98 had 2.73s and steel. When I put the LPE 3.5" aluminum drive shaft in it did help get rid of some vibration.

[Wayah-bird]

Since there is a mix of steel and aluminum on F-bodies, with pro and con comments, what do they put on current Corvettes or GTO's??

[sercastiK]

2:73 a4 cars=steel

mn6 stripper cars I've had were steel.. both mn6s were hardtop crank windows no asr etc etc

[Qwk94Z28]

my m5 ws6 has 3.23 option and a steel drive shaft:lol:

soon to be aluminum


but really most vibrations are from a out of balance driveshaft. It could even be something else and most will think its the drive shaft.

[MadSeason]

00 M6, Came with alum but swapped it with Carbon Fiber. Went from 16lbs to 9lbs, Alum has the tendancy to twist, steel is stronger but also heavier. Carbon Fiber (strongest/lightest) is only an issue if your exhaust runs close enough to it to cause warping due to the heat, mostly just an issue with GTO's