57 Drive shaft question

[hiball3985]

The 1999-2005 Crown-vic cop cars have an aluminum driveshaft that's a bolt in, plus there balanced to 130 mph.
They also come with 1330 u-joints which is an upgrade from the smaller 1310's.

Sprint cup cars use DOM aluminum tubing for there driveshaft material and there good for up to 1000hp.
In a hi-performance build theres no way I would use the stock driveshaft.

I can only guess the cop cars use a heaver wall construction. But from the ones I saw at the shop I wouldn't use them in a 60 Falcon  I have a stock 292 so the steel drive shaft works fine..

[wildhog]

I took my alum. Crown vic. drive shaft to get new joints and the guy said where did you get a drive shaft that has POLICE lettered on it? I told him DONUT shop!

[rmk57]

I forgot to add that the cop car driveshafts would only work in short wheelbase 57's.

[Ecode70D]

I forgot to add that the cop car driveshafts would only work in short wheelbase 57's.

   RMK57  That's good to know.  I have the short wheelbase car..  I'm pretty sure that there is one in a junk yard near me.  I'll try to measure it and see before I have one made up..   Mine has to be a little longer than normal  (59 1/2 inches CC)  because  I installed  a 1966 three speed  full synchromesh instead of the stock T85 which is longer.  Jay

[rmk57]

Cop car drive shaft is 55 1/2" CC . Same as stock 57 Ford with a Fordomatic.
Don't know if theres a difference between stick shift and auto lengths.
If you feel the aluminum is not strong enough you could use the civilian
crown vic, they come with a steel driveshaft.

[suede57ford]

The tapered drive shaft is for clearance with the rear trans tunnel under the back seat.   In a situation where you lower the rear end about 2", lets say for a better  look or to bring the rear end back down with taller rear tires.  If upgrade to a 3" tube drive shaft, your driveshaft may hit the floor under the seat, even with traction bars.  If you have multiple passengers, luggage, or the springs wind up some upon acceleration, the drive shaft will touch.  You may not always feel it, but go under the car and notice the shiney metal on the drive shaft and floor.

You do need to upgrade to a non-tapered driveshaft, as the original break really easy.

We have been cutting the rear floor drive shaft hump under the seat where the floor rises up and raising that area up about an 1" on most '57 builds anymore.   It is no that hard to do, and elimatinates the possible contact.   I raised the tunnel in my black sedan in less then two hours for a quick fix.   I admit I have never went back and finished it nice underneath, but it eliminated the problem.

We didn't take the time to raise the tunnel on James '57 ragtop with 2" lowering blocks on the rear to help bring it down with the 29" tall tire.  The drive shaft hits the floor big time when accelerating with the 428/5spd.  We will raise he tunnel up on it in the future.

to raise the tunnel trim out the tunnel withthe rear seat out from the floor rise under the seat, to about 10" toward the front.  Add a a 1" stip of metal to each side and reweld in place, but higher.  You dont necessary need to weld, but could panel bond and rivet if you don't wan to weld inside the car.   It doesn't seem to affect the back seat.

Aluminum driveshafts seem to work very well for me.   I have 4'11's with a 5speed and the lighter shaft really reduces the drivetrain vibrations.   I upgraded to 1350 u joints since I race it with a stick and slicks.

Many u-joint failures are due to excessively tight u-bolts on the rear yoke, or driveshaft angles being off.

[Ecode70D]

Dgasman
    Thanks for that cool illustration of the tapered shaft.  I'm saving it in my folder.

Dgasman
     I checked this morning and that drive shaft was gone.  In retrospect, it wouldn't have worked for me because I need one that is 59 1/2" CC

   

[Ecode70D]

Pat
    Thanks for all that information of the drive shafts and the tunnel clearance issues.
     
     Some previous owner reversed the shackles on my car.  The rear springs were sagging downward in the opposite direction when I got the car.   I took the springs apart, reshaped them and added another leaf now they have a proper upward arch to them.  The rear shackles are now in the proper position.

       I checked under the car and there is no sign of rubbing on the drive shaft and the tunnel.  That's something I'm thankful for. I wouldn't be able to raise my tunnel anyways because the rear package tray is laying in it.   If I did raise the tray, I would have to cut down both of my cardboard  back side panels.  On my car those were designed  to rest in two channels on top of the package tray. As you know  in the two door cars the the back side panels go down to the floor.
       
        When I did the rear springs, I left the new U bolts extra long just in case I have to add another rear leaf in the future.  Jay   

[rmk57]

I'd be interested to know what you did about a driveshaft loop. If its bolted to the floor or to the frame?

[Ecode70D]

I'd be interested to know what you did about a driveshaft loop. If its bolted to the floor or to the frame?

Randy
Right now I don't have a drive shaft loop.   Most likely if I do put one in, I would make it so that it bolts to the frame.  It's not a bad idea  to have one.   I did blow a drive shaft one night in my 58 with 406  when I was doing a hole shot.  Good thing it was in the rear or I would have been vaulted.  Jay   

[JPotter57]

My Lincoln Town Car aluminum driveshaft survived 2 years of 5000 rpm launches with a 427 Windsor and 5 speed, and another year of the same with an automatic and 5000 converter.  If they were junk, I must have gotten a good one.

[hiball3985]

My Lincoln Town Car aluminum driveshaft survived 2 years of 5000 rpm launches with a 427 Windsor and 5 speed, and another year of the same with an automatic and 5000 converter.  If they were junk, I must have gotten a good one.

I'll admit I don't know anything about aluminum drive shafts, maybe differences in years and applications. The ones I saw were out of everyday cars, the one that was torn in half in the middle the guy said he was having a high cold idle issue and held the brake and dropped it in gear. Most of them wore torn were the yoke is attached. I know a lot of people have used them so I don't know why some break and some don't..

[Ecode70D]

I'll admit I don't know anything about aluminum drive shafts, maybe differences in years and applications. The ones I saw were out of everyday cars, the one that was torn in half in the middle the guy said he was having a high cold idle issue and held the brake and dropped it in gear. Most of them wore torn were the yoke is attached. I know a lot of people have used them so I don't know why some break and some don't..

  Jim I have to admit that I don't know much about them also, but I'm learning on this site. 
Since I have a nice steel one in stock already, that's the one that I'll be dropping of this week to have it shortened to the length that I need.

[Ford Blue blood]

Ford used an aluminum drive shaft in the 03 - 04 Terminators, can't be all that "wimpy".

[Frankenstein57]

My friends dirt modified has an aluminum shaft, it's quite narrow, 2 1/2" to 3" I'd guess. Those guys pound the hell out of em