Aluminum Driveshaft Tech

IED has our driveshaft specifications...        read full caption IED has our driveshaft specifications nailed down. We need a shaft that’s 37 inches center to center. Tom Aragon of IED is going to custom-make an aluminum driveshaft for us designed for a ’67 Mustang with GV Overdrive. We’ll then show you how to install and set up the shaft.

Driveshafts begin as lengths...        read full caption Driveshafts begin as lengths of tube stock like this. These aluminum tubes are for driveshafts bound for Mustangs Plus.

The driveshaft tube stock...        read full caption The driveshaft tube stock is turned in a lathe to have its ends cleaned up prior to assembly.

Assembly begins with the driveshaft...        read full caption Assembly begins with the driveshaft ends and universal joints. The Spicer rear universal joint is pressed into the shaft end as shown.

Retainer clips are installed...        read full caption Retainer clips are installed next.

Because our GV Overdrive sports...        read full caption Because our GV Overdrive sports a huge Spicer 1350 yoke, we need a universal joint that yields compatibility between the 3-inch shaft and the extra-large yoke.

This Spicer joint is 1350...        read full caption This Spicer joint is 1350 at the yoke and 1310 at the shaft. Both ends of the shaft are the same size (Spicer 1310) for simplicity.

The shaft tube is set up in...        read full caption The shaft tube is set up in a jig, then the ends are pressed into the shaft as shown. A hammer is used to correct irregularities during the press-in process.

When the ends are pressed...        read full caption When the ends are pressed in, Tom checks the shaft for trueness with a runout indicator.

The shaft is slowly turned...        read full caption The shaft is slowly turned and the needle watched for excessive runout at both ends and in the middle. Aluminum shafts struggle with excessive runout at the middle that cannot be corrected.

From .001 to .012 inch is...        read full caption From .001 to .012 inch is allowable. Our shaft clocks in around .005-inch maximum runout (distortion). We’re very pleased with the result.

The shaft ends are cleaned...        read full caption The shaft ends are cleaned up with a wire wheel for a clean weld.

The shaft is checked for correct...        read full caption The shaft is checked for correct dimensions before welding. Our shaft is 37 inches, center to center.

The same jig used to press...        read full caption The same jig used to press in the shaft ends is also used for welding purposes. With blazing green-hot light and power, Tom welds the shaft ends with a perfect bead.

After checking the runout...        read full caption After checking the runout twice at three points, it’s time for dynamic balancing. Tom straps a balance weight on each end as shown, then spins the shaft on the balancer. Sometimes, the weight has to be moved around the shaft until all vibration has stopped. Once we have achieved perfect balance, the weight is welded to the tube.

Ever wonder why aluminum driveshafts...        read full caption Ever wonder why aluminum driveshafts look so groovy? Tom wraps emery paper around this spinning shaft, which makes the shaft look like spun aluminum. There’s a lot of pride going on here in a job well done.

Driveshafts do a big job in our Fords, Mercs, and Lincolns. They take a powertrain’s rotary motion and carry it to the differential and drive axles. This is not an easy task. Not only must a driveshaft transmit rotary power without failure, it must articulate with the up-and-down movement of the rear axle as we cruise over highs and lows in the road. Highs and lows range from smooth transitions to really rough ones.

We visited Inland Empire Driveline (IED) for a closer look at driveshafts, universals joints, and yokes. What we learned from IED applies to every one of our readers out there, so listen up. Even if you’re building a restomod with stock driveline components, you need IED to get you on the right track with Spicer universal joints and yokes. This ensures the kind of driveline integrity you need and want for drivers and show cars alike. And when it comes to the driveline, there are no unimportant parts.

If your Ford has a two-piece steel-over-rubber driveshaft, which was popular during the ’60s, with automatic applications to absorb vibration, we suggest having a new shaft made. These vibration-absorbing shafts have deteriorated over time to where they’re prone to the very thing they were designed to prevent: vibration. IED can make for you a new precision-balanced, one-piece shaft for vibration-free operation.

We’re having an aluminum driveshaft made for a ’67 Mustang with C4 Cruise-O-Matic and a Gear Vendors (GV) Overdrive unit. This calls for specialized driveshaft fabrication by the experts at IED. Because the Gear Vendors Overdrive unit is 14 inches long, this makes our C4 14 inches longer than it was in stock form. We’ve measured our application and have concluded our shaft needs to be 37 inches from center to center (universal joints). Pinion angle at the differential will have to change to accommodate the shorter driveshaft. We’re going to show you how to do this later in the article.