Does anyone know if there are any companies out there that make aluminum drive shafts for our cars? I think this would make a huge differance for our cars, but don't know much about it.

-Chris

 

define "huge" difference?


tossing it in the trunk might make your car handle better..no?

 

Wow...

 

You gotta be kidding me....

 

Ummm... Why is this soo funny. Have you guys never heard of aluminum driveshafts for front wheel cars?

-Chris

 

you talking about front drive axles?

 

No, I have only heard of CV axles for FWD cars, not driveshafts. As far as I know, driveshafts are for RWD.

 

I agree it would be good to have them ,but for are cars dont hold your breath.

You guys laugh but they would free up more power than a underdrive power. It would cut 50-60% of the weight of the drive wheels. Could be worth @ 7whp

 

Aluminum would have to be much thicker to handle torque loads. CV joints rotate at lower speeds at higher torque loads than a RWD car's driveshaft b/c of the rear differential gear reduction. The CV portion also has to be made of steel to handle the bearing surfaces and combining the two metals makes it more difficult and expensive.

Then there's the issue of area. A much thicker aluminum driveshaft could interfere w/ steering and other suspension components.

It's already possible to break factory steel driveshafts so going to a weaker/lighter material isn't really a great idea. There's just far better ways to add power than spending hundreds on a pair of driveshafts that are more fragile.

 

usually i hear of people gettin upgraded driveaxles that are stronger, i dunno if going lighter is gonna make the axle any weaker then it already is. I personally have snapped a few axles on my 1-2 shift. I would be interested in stronger ones, i kno there are a few companies that can make them for like $400+

 

I found these guys, http://www.driveshaftshop.com/NissanPage.ivnu Maybe we can get a group deal started with them and they can make them for us.

-Chris

 

Those are CV axles, not driveshafts.

 

how much do they sell for? group deal? i think your gonna have trouble finding even 5 buyers.

 

Wow! Are we still not over this one? I accidently called it a driveshaft, my bad. Now can we actually talk about the topic?

-Chris

I think we may be able to get enough interest. I mean there are lots of people out there that are willing to spend their money on something that makes sense. Especially with you turbo guys, a lighter, stronger cv axle. I would think that this mod would be a very good one.

-Chris

 

Those look expensvie but upgrading the axles on a front wheel drive car is one of the best modifications you can do for a car. There are really no maximas strickly for drag racing on this forum, but if someone is really interested this is a great mod.

 

i dont know if mine are lighter but they certainly should be stronger than the stock ones (handle more hp - not that i have that much ..ha ) , since thats what raxles told me ..lol great place by the way.

www.raxles.com

 

That's why I want to get enough intrest to get a group deal going but I need to know that people will actually be willing to put up the money for this, other wise I'll just have to fork over the money for my own set and no one will get hooked up with a good price.

-Chris

 

Raxles are only 10% stronger, probally good up to 330 HP.

 

Ok, I just talked to the guy from driveshaftshop.com and he told me that these will handle at least 500hp. He says he has a few guys using them right now. The cost for these bad boys is $800 but he says that they can take off 15% (which will make it $680) if I can get 5-10 guy to purchase at the same time.

-Chris

 

Ok, I just talked to the guy from driveshaftshop.com and he told me that these will handle at least 500hp. He says he has a few guys using them right now. The cost for these bad boys is $800 but he says that they can take off 15% (which will make it $680) if I can get 5-10 guys to purchase at the same time. These are not lighter but MUCH stronger.

-Chris

 

good luck gettin 10 people...or even 5....hahaha

 

Yes, we can talk about the subject. I was just making sure that you knew the difference Grasshopper. I never saw where you acknowledeged the nomenclature differences. I reckon that we're clear about it now. Carry on.

 

Ouch man, these would only be benificial if someone had a strictly drag racing max.

 

You guys should listen to him. He's completely right. Also remember that the the axles have very little rotational inertia because they're only 1-3" in width. Wheels suck out more power because the inertia is further away from the hub.


Dave

 

I never thought about aluminum but instead carbon fiber; at least for RWD driveshafts. I know a couple 300ZX and Supra's who shaved 10-15lbs off their RWD rotating mass.
http://www.acpt.com/driveshaft/driveshafts.html

Then along comes the 350Z with it's Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastic (CFRP) shaft standard.

Could that driveshaft work in the G35 and similar RWD models?

 

why does it have to be like that???
he's simply trying to see if 5 or 10 people out of 30,000 members would be interested...it is possible..no need to flame...

good luck man.

Sam

 

hows that a flame? i want a stronger set of axles. Show me 5 people that would get in on a group deal and prove me wrong, ill apologize and everything. Juss being real. but if it happens ill buy a set. dont take it so personal.....

 

What's really funny is that GM has been using CF-reinforced driveshafts in their pickups since the early 1990s.


Dave

 

Aluminum...weak. Carbon fiber...blah blah blah. How about titanium?

 

.....

 

And you thought the others were expensive... Titanium = $$$

 

That website doesn't say anything about aluminum for Maxima drive axles. It mentions 1117, which is a free machining grade of steel, and chrome-moly centers.

Aluminum is a bad choice for drive axles, for reasons mentioned by others, as well as a low fatigue life. They would not be able to withstand much punishment unless a lot of material was used, which sort of defeats the purpose of going with aluminum in the first place.

 

[QuoteStephen Max]That website doesn't say anything about aluminum for Maxima drive axles. It mentions 1117, which is a free machining grade of steel, and chrome-moly centers.

Aluminum is a bad choice for drive axles, for reasons mentioned by others, as well as a low fatigue life. They would not be able to withstand much punishment unless a lot of material was used, which sort of defeats the purpose of going with aluminum in the first place.[/Quote]


Yeah I realized that after rereading it. I talked to the shop and they said it's the same weight but much stronger. So this is mainly for guys with lots of power. The guy told me that these could with stand at least 500hp! So if you have a ton of power and don't wanna snap your shaft these would be a great idea. I know I'm getting them with or without a group deal.

-Chris

 

How or why they rate these type of things by horsepower is beyond me...

 

Marketing?

 

Because they are saying that these axles will only hold so much power, trying to cover there butt.

 

But the focus should be on the amount of TORQUE that it can handle. Just like clutches, rating axles by horsepower makes no sense. A 400 HP VQ is going to subject the axles to significantly more torque loads than a 400 HP B18 Acura engine.

 

good point

 

No no, we need

UNOBTAINIUM!!

 

just use the stands from the candy machines in that wagon as axles mzmtg.LOL