Not your average driveshaft question

1pieceatatime.

1pieceatatime.

Comp Diesel Sponsor
Joined
Aug 4, 2011
Messages
832
Ok, this is probably going to sound stupid to some of your guys. I twisted off the rear driveshaft in my 01 pulling today. Trucks got 200k on it, this is my third season sled pulling, ive held it on the rug through some nasty hopping, it was probably due to break. I know breakage i usually a good time to upgrade, especially when it comes to driveshafts in a pulling truck. I also know the duramax guys aren't having a whole lot of trouble with the stock single piece steel driveshafts. I work in a driveline shop, and ive actually built upgraded shafts for a handful of guys for these trucks, so i know what combination i need to hold up to alot more power than ill be making anytime soon. Im strongly considering just putting a stock driveshaft back in this thing, simply because ill just build a spare and hopefully the driveshaft will continue to be a fuse, which for me is cheaper than just about anything else i can break.

Anyone got an opinion on using the driveshaft as a fuse to limit other breakage?
 
Only concern would be when it does break, the RPM's going through the roof and causing damage there.
 
I see your thoughts however it doesn't always hold true. For example my truck hopped a little bit at a pull and broke. However it broke the mainshaft in the transmisson, front axle shaft and the transfercase was junk but the drive shafts are still the original ones.
 
zstroken said:
You don't want a fuse.
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My thoughts exactly! Back in the day with the gassers...a "fuse" wasn't a bad thing as some parts from the factory were over kill and others in the same chassis were just plain weak with is why a cheap U-Joint may not have been a bad idea. Simply not the case anymore especially with the diesels!
 
As was mentioned. It's usually the collateral damage from the shockload of the shaft breaking or the physical damage from the busted shaft swinging around that costs you a fortune.

Sent from my HTC Desire HD A9191 using Tapatalk 2
 
Shawdrainage said:
Only concern would be when it does break, the RPM's going through the roof and causing damage there.
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Thats not a likely issue with a common rail, shes going to stop fueling at 4600rpm.

zstroken said:
You don't want a fuse.
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I know, and when it first broke i said time for 1480 and heavy wall tube. Then i got to thinking, im out of play money and my schedule for the rest of the year is Fubar, if i had broken something more serious, ide probably be done pulling for the year. Lets put it this way, i know the "right" thing to do is upgrade now, but im feeling like the stocker lasted that long, lets give it another shot.

RyanB said:
My thoughts exactly! Back in the day with the gassers...a "fuse" wasn't a bad thing as some parts from the factory were over kill and others in the same chassis were just plain weak with is why a cheap U-Joint may not have been a bad idea. Simply not the case anymore especially with the diesels!
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See, your thoughts on the theory strays at cheap U-joint. Any time a driveshaft fails there will be less collateral damage if the tube twists off. The swing radius will be less and that folded up end of the tube will be alot easier on stuff than the weld yoke smashing ****.
 
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It is just the shockload to the rest of the system. All of the power goes to the front, etc. Find one from a junkyard for cheap, but I wouldn't put any money in the stocker if it broke. Plus seen several of the Dmax driveshafts go.
 
put a beefy one i and call it. like as stated, the shock load of those breaking is far worse than not having a weak link
 
zstroken said:
It is just the shockload to the rest of the system. All of the power goes to the front, etc. Find one from a junkyard for cheap, but I wouldn't put any money in the stocker if it broke. Plus seen several of the Dmax driveshafts go.
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I work in a driveline shop, ill get paid to retube it and balance it for free..... That was like half of my point in just replacing the tube.

pushlar84 said:
put a beefy one i and call it. like as stated, the shock load of those breaking is far worse than not having a weak link
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The driveshaft is intended to be a fuse from the factory. The driveshaft is what absorbs said shock load. Now if i was worried about over revving a high dollar motor i wouldn't even contemplate being lazy and cheap.
 
Anybody with any common sense would put a stronger drive shaft in a competition truck. I don't know were you keep coming up with the drive shaft is suppose to be a "fuse" but that's the dumbest thing I've ever heard. The only "fuse" so to speak is the consumable u-joints. The problem with going the cheap way is you probably got lucky. A lot of time when you break anything in the rear of the truck it slams the front down and breaks the front end. It seems you have made up your mind you want to run a stocker so put one in it.
 
DISTURBED said:
Anybody with any common sense would put a stronger drive shaft in a competition truck. I don't know were you keep coming up with the drive shaft is suppose to be a "fuse" but that's the dumbest thing I've ever heard. The only "fuse" so to speak is the consumable u-joints. The problem with going the cheap way is you probably got lucky. A lot of time when you break anything in the rear of the truck it slams the front down and breaks the front end. It seems you have made up your mind you want to run a stocker so put one in it.
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You are 110% wrong, the tube of the driveline is supposed to be the weak point in the system as spec'd OEM.

Having built drive shafts for plenty of gas street mods, Gas open trucks, diesels, mud racers and a couple 3.0 trucks, i understand what is needed, but im not anywhere near that power level.

On another note, the 1480 slip yokes for these trucks have been in short supply, ive only got 2 on the shelf they have been good for a 2-3 month lead time from Dana.
 
Good luck when that fuse lights, if you think just because it defuels at 4600 that it wont go past that you are misinformed.

Do not make anymore threads if you do not want peoples opinions, maybe talk to Supershafts he seems to be a smart driveshaft builder.
 
1pieceatatime. said:
You are 110% wrong, the tube of the driveline is supposed to be the weak point in the system as spec'd OEM.

Having built drive shafts for plenty of gas street mods, Gas open trucks, diesels, mud racers and a couple 3.0 trucks, i understand what is needed, but im not anywhere near that power level.

On another note, the 1480 slip yokes for these trucks have been in short supply, ive only got 2 on the shelf they have been good for a 2-3 month lead time from Dana.
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Really? So by what you say the OEM's spec a drive shaft to fail before any other component? Ive been pulling a long time and i bet ive only seen a handfull of stock drive shafts acctually break. 1000 times more u-joints and thats across all classes. By what your saying every weekend there should be 3-4 drive shafts twisted off instead of the 3-4 u-joints that get broke. Do what you want but common sense say upgrade it but its your azz when the parts hit the ground.
 
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TMONEYDIESEL said:
Good luck when that fuse lights, if you think just because it defuels at 4600 that it wont go past that you are misinformed.

Do not make anymore threads if you do not want peoples opinions, maybe talk to Supershafts he seems to be a smart driveshaft builder.
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The fueling tables end at 4400, when pulling on a track with enough bite to break anything, i barely see 4000 RPM. I think you guys are giving my truck alot more credit than it deserves. Ide be more worried about the front end than than the engine over revving and hurting anything. I would LOVE for marty to chime in with his opinion on the matter.

DISTURBED said:
Really? So by what you say the OEM's spec a drive shaft to fail before any other component? Ive been pulling a long time and i bet ive only seen a handfull of stock drive shafts acctually break. 1000 times more u-joints and thats across all classes. By what your saying every weekend there should be 3-4 drive shafts twisted off instead of the 3-4 u-joints that get broke. Do what you want but common sense say upgrade it but its your azz when the parts hit the ground.
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90% of U-joint failures in 1350 series and up are a worn or cheap part issue. Or improper installation. Another common mistake and cause for failure is re using stretched straps for attachment.
 
When I started deciding that I wanted to use my truck for pulling I planned to take all my known weak links out and try and give myself an added insurance that I'm not going out there to see where my fuse is. Like you I'm not really high hp like some of the big boys on here but I went 1480's in the rear, replaced my 70 with an 80, 37 spline rear and 35 spline front, lockers front And rear, Np271, and billet shafts from my input to out put. As long as I don't do something stupid my setup should be bullet proof as long as I maintain it properly and inspect everything periodically. Especially being in a competition I don't want a fuse because I'll always know I have a weak link! Just food for thought!
 
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