New Driveshaft

[GuysMonteSS]

I'm planning a rebuild of my 0.060 over 454 next year,its going to be a 513 stroker with AFR heads,custom solid roller cam,etc..
My buddy Mark suggested it might be time to upgrade from the stock driveshaft.
I talked to Alyn Armstrong @A&J Armstrong's,the most respected machine/performance shop in Eastern Canada.He thought it might be time to have a new shaft to handle the hoped for increase in power.
The old one is 2.76 inches in diameter,and 0.045 inch thick.Alyn made me a new one from 3 inch 4340 steel tubing,0.083 inch thick.He welded in a Mark Williams # 39004 NASCAR quality 32 spline 4340 steel yoke;
http://www.markwilliams.com/detail.aspx?ID=295
Its been balanced and has a new U Joint,heres a couple of pictures;



This should be able to handle everything I can throw at it for many years to come.
Guy

 

[lilbowtie]

I'm kinda surprised they didn't they didn't upgrade you to a 3 1/2" shaft. You might want to do a little research on driveshaft critical rpm - PTS (precision shaft technologies) has a nice to chart to look at. I'm sure that motor will be spinning 6400+ and your drive shaft should be 52". I learned the hard way.

 

[GuysMonteSS]

Thanks for the info.
I guess you mean this chart;
http://pstds.com/critical-speed-chart/
My shaft was shortened when the big block was installed many years ago.Its only 4 feet long.
According to that chart it should be good to 7600 RPM.
But its kinda odd that they show the mild steel and the chromoly having the same RPM limit.
Wouldn't you think that the chromoly would be rated higher than mild steel ???
Guy

 

[pontiacgp]

That's a nice looking drive shaft, if I can make a suggestion is to mark the shaft and slip yoke so if the slip yoke is taken off there won't be chance to install the slip yoke out of phase

 

[GuysMonteSS]

That's a nice looking drive shaft, if I can make a suggestion is to mark the shaft and slip yoke so if the slip yoke is taken off there won't be chance to install the slip yoke out of phase

That sounds like a great idea,thanks !!
I am going to paint it tomorrow,so I will mark it at the same time.
Guy

 

[lilbowtie]

Ya- that's the chart, do you have a long shaft transmission? I'm glad that isn't in the equation. You wouldn't want this to happen.

 

[GuysMonteSS]

Wow,that was an expensive bit of damage all right
I don't know if my Doug Nash 4+1 5 speed is what you would call a longshaft transmission or not,it was in the Monte when I bought it.
Guy

 

[lilbowtie]

I just assumed you had an automatic. Ya, it also got the flywheel, headers, x pipe exhaust, broke a tooth in the rear, and played hell with the tunnel.

 

[GuysMonteSS]

I talked to Alyn Armstrong today about my new driveshaft,and how much HP & RPM it could handle.
His brother John races a big block 'Vette,I'm not sure exactly what year,but its a late sixties or early seventies.I think he is in Super Stock class.It makes 850 HP and turns over 8000 RPM.A friend of theirs races an early seventies Nova with a 565 big block making 945 HP with an occasional + 300 from NOS,and he uses the same shaft.Those ones may be a bit shorter than mine,but I wont be making those power levels either.
Guy