Source for 1 piece aluminum driveshaft for 08 Superduty

[jeepinmatt]

Tired of the driveline vibes in my truck, and I need some new joints anyway, so I figure I might as well upgrade the shaft while I'm at it. The newer Superdutys have a 1 piece aluminum shaft, so I'd like to go down that route, but they also have a slip yoke on the T-case, whereas mine is a fixed flange. I see that CCI driveline sells one for about $800 ( Ford Super Duty Monster 5" Aluminum Drive Shaft Upgrade - CCIDriveline.com ), but I'd like to find something cheaper and more local if possible. Anywhere in the west of Charlotte region that might do this?

 

[Croatan_Kid]

I'd figure Oliver's or Carolina Driveline could hook you up.

How long is the driveshaft?

 

[Fabrik8]

Driveshaft Shop in Salisbury. Sort of local-ish, if you squint just right...

 

[jeepinmatt]

I'd figure Oliver's or Carolina Driveline could hook you up.

How long is the driveshaft?

Glad you asked, that reminded me to go measure it, haha. 72-3/8" flange to flange, 68-3/4" u joint center to center.

 

[rockcity]

I know Carolina Driveline makes some stout aluminum driveshafts. Not sure about any of the others

 

[GotWood]

Fleet Pride of Hickory?

 

[jeepinmatt]

Thanks for the recommendations guys, unfortunately I'm still on the hunt.
Carolina Driveline can't do aluminum with the slip-in-spline on the driveshaft. They did give me a fair price on a steel shaft though, and the price for a shaft with a t-case slip yoke was great, just wouldn't work for my application.
Driveshaft Shop said they don't do truck driveshafts (even though they do steel/cromo/aluminum stuff in the same size, but I guess welding clean yokes for a truck would get something dirty...)

 

[NC-V]

If you are trying to keep it under $800 Driveshaft shop wouldn't fit that bill anyways.

 

[Croatan_Kid]

Don't know that I've ever seen a fixed end aluminum driveshaft. This is probably going to have to be steel. It'll probably be 5" diameter too since it's so long.

 

[jeepinmatt]

Don't know that I've ever seen a fixed end aluminum driveshaft. This is probably going to have to be steel. It'll probably be 5" diameter too since it's so long.

Using the power of the netterwebz, I found a good many pictures of the CCI one, and it does look damn good, just gotta decide if its worth the extra $$$ or not. It is 5" diameter aluminum. I'd be interested to know if the slip is aluminum or steel. Everyone I've read about who has bought one has been happy with it.

 

[Croatan_Kid]

Personally, I'm not a huge fan of aluminum driveshafts. It's a helluva lot easier to change u joints in a steel shaft. Brass hammer and a vise vs. a u joint press and the need for 3 hands. I don't dislike them, but the price difference would probably let me sleep just fine with a steel driveshaft!

That's pretty slick. I'm curious about the splined area myself.

The last shaft I bought was 63", 1410s, fixed yokes. Not much shorter than what you need. It was 370 shipped, if I remember right. I'd guess the flanges add a little more cost though.

 

[Fabrik8]

The slip is most likely aluminum, I know companies are doing that now (Visteon, others), and the boot is the tipoff. There are processes that cold roll the splines instead of cutting them, which increases the compressive strength and hardness of the surface material. The torque transfer strength comes from the spline profile and large diameter, and that spline joint is very close to the diameter of the boot most likely (the female joint is usually thinwall). That's why you don't see the joint neck down to a really small diameter like a standard steel splined joint. Engaged surface area would be HUGE on a alum joint that big, especially if the spline profile was different because it didn't need to be machined..

I don't know if there are any surface treatments necessary, like coatings or hard anodizing. I'm assuming hard ano is necessary to get surface hardness to the point that wear won't be a big problem. Probably also some anti-friction/anti-shock/anti-lash coatings like a version of the blue coatings on many splined slipjoints.

Isn't there a Cherokee with a OEM aluminum splined driveshaft?

 

[Fabrik8]

Interesting, it looks like the splined joints come from Spicer. That fits with what the CCI page says.

Here's a Spicer-manufactured Mustang slip shaft:
Dana Spicer one piece 1350 series Aluminum Driveshafts to fit 2005 to 2014 Ford Mustang GT500 with V8 and Mustang GT with V8 engine

 

[jeepinmatt]

I'll know more about it later this week. Broke down and ordered one Friday afternoon. Maybe my truck will now roll dreams and rainbows instead of coal.

 

[Fabrik8]

I'll know more about it later this week. Broke down and ordered one Friday afternoon. Maybe my truck will now roll dreams and rainbows instead of coal.

It should roll rainbows. That shaft looks like a quality piece, so as long as it's well balanced it should be pretty badass, or as badass as a drive shaft can be.

 

[jeepinmatt]

Well, it showed up this morning. It's even more impressive in person. The main tube is 5" in diameter, and the female side of the slip is 3.5" in diameter (bigger than the OD of the main tube on most driveshafts!). The male side of the slip is at least 2.5", maybe 2.75", so plenty big. Total weight for a 6ft shaft with steel yokes and 1410 joints is 32lbs. I talked my 5ft-nothing mom into holding it for scale. Obviously it will enthrall your 1 year old friends too.

 

[Croatan_Kid]

There's no denying it....you have a nice shaft!

 

[justjeepin86]

View attachment 222349

Cloth diapers, I see. It's funny I still notice stuff like that. Oh yeah, that's a sweet driveshaft.

 

[jeepinmatt]

Cloth diapers, I see. It's funny I still notice stuff like that. Oh yeah, that's a sweet driveshaft.

Yeah, the kid's a real earthy-crunchy type. (and his parents are really cheap )

 

[shawn]

and his parents are really cheap

QFT