Steel vs Aluminum driveshaft

FED 387 · 11-25-2010, 03:27 PM

Mr Edgeworth some???? If a 4 inch diameter mild steel tube weighs about 4 times more than a 4 in diameter aluminum tube wouldn't there be some advantage in not having to accelerate that much mass either in HP required or ET resulting from the reduced weight??? Take for example that a .065 steel tube weighs about 3 pounds per foot vs a similiar sized alum tube weighing about .7 pounds per foot there just has to be something here and not just reduced vehicle weight dont ya think????
I can understand harmonics to an extent and the need for OEM vehicles to meet CAFE mileage requirements so the vehicles weigh less but the OEM guys used Steel Deriveshafts for millions of vehicles over the years and really never had any vibration problems so I cant believe that the OEMs replaced the Dshafts for that reason had more to do I bet with vehicle weight that any thing else.
Perhaps you can mathmatically calculate the difference in performance between the 2 or is it too small to actually make any difference---Forget about cost of a shft it is inconsequential just raw performance numbers if ya can please---Thanx Comp 387

11-25-2010, 03:27 PM	#16
FED 387 VIP Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 3,420 Likes: 528 Liked 332 Times in 180 Posts	Re: Steel vs Aluminum driveshaft Mr Edgeworth some???? If a 4 inch diameter mild steel tube weighs about 4 times more than a 4 in diameter aluminum tube wouldn't there be some advantage in not having to accelerate that much mass either in HP required or ET resulting from the reduced weight??? Take for example that a .065 steel tube weighs about 3 pounds per foot vs a similiar sized alum tube weighing about .7 pounds per foot there just has to be something here and not just reduced vehicle weight dont ya think???? I can understand harmonics to an extent and the need for OEM vehicles to meet CAFE mileage requirements so the vehicles weigh less but the OEM guys used Steel Deriveshafts for millions of vehicles over the years and really never had any vibration problems so I cant believe that the OEMs replaced the Dshafts for that reason had more to do I bet with vehicle weight that any thing else. Perhaps you can mathmatically calculate the difference in performance between the 2 or is it too small to actually make any difference---Forget about cost of a shft it is inconsequential just raw performance numbers if ya can please---Thanx Comp 387