OE Ford Aluminum Driveshaft?: Grassroots Motorsports forum: Grassroots Motorsports Magazine

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Nov. 27, 2011 10:09 p.m. JohnyHachi6 Reader
I'm going to be looking (in the junkyard, of course!) for a Ford driveshaft with a 31 spline yoke that I can hook up to a T45 transmission. It appears that the Ford C6 transmissions (as well as a few other less common transmissions) use the same yoke, so I'll probably grab a driveshaft off something that had a C6. Question is, did any of those vehicles have an aluminum driveshaft? I know I've seen big Al. driveshafts while looking around in the yards before, but I don't remember what they were on.

Here are the cars that came with a C6 (apparently).
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1978–1991 Ford Bronco
1967–1996 Ford F-Series
1964–1970 Ford Fairlane
1966-1974 Ford Galaxie
1966–1980 Ford LTD
1977–1979 Ford LTD II
1966–1979 Ford Ranchero
1966–1979 Ford Thunderbird
1968–1976 Ford Torino
1966–1979 Lincolns
1966–1969 Mercury Comet
1967–1978 Mercury Cougar
1966–1972 Mercury Meteor
1968–1976 Mercury Montego
1968–1974 Mercury Monterey
```
Length is irrelevant - it will be shortened anyway.

Thanks
Nov. 27, 2011 10:18 p.m. Streetwiseguy Dork

I'm going to suggest anything old enough to have had a C6 will still have a steel shaft. The most common aluminum shaft you will find in the junkyard will be GM trucks, I think. They have used them since the mid 90's, anyway. I seem to recall Aerostar, maybe aluminum, maybe wrapped in carbon fiber or fiberglass...faint memory, though. F150 maybe, but with a C6 it would be heavy duty, or low budget, I think, so no aluminum.
Nov. 27, 2011 10:23 p.m. JohnyHachi6 Reader

That's a good point. I wonder if I could find an Al driveshaft that has the same U-joints as the C6 yoke so I could attach the Al shaft to the steel C6 yoke.
Nov. 28, 2011 5:51 a.m. novaderrik Dork

later model trucks are where to find the aluminum shafts. like early 90's and newer. do some research into which trucks use which u-joints, and i bet you'd be surprised at how "universal" those universal joints are.. so a shaft from a GM or Dodge might hook right up to an older Ford truck yoke.
Nov. 28, 2011 7:04 a.m. Toyman01 SuperDork

The E150 has an aluminum drive shaft. No clue if the splines are right.
Nov. 28, 2011 8:01 a.m. familytruckster Reader

T45? Same as spline as a T5? That would be the same as an AOD.

Aerostars, Crown Vics, some ford trucks all came with factory aluminum shafts in some models.

There are conversion U-joints also. We use them to run the aluminum interceptor shafts on the civilian cars.
Nov. 28, 2011 8:07 a.m. N Sperlo SuperDork

When you get into the early E4OD transmissions, I've noticed some will share parts with the C6. It is likely a rebuild issue, but you may want to not overlook them as many parts will match up. My transmission is a Frankenstein.
Nov. 28, 2011 8:19 a.m. jimbbski Reader

I know that some Crown Vic's came with AL shafts. In fact Ford sold an aluminum drive shaft kit back in the 90's that was similar to the AL shaft Ford sold through their Motorsport parts for the Fox Mustangs. The shaf kit was an unfinished Crown Vic AL shaft. You just cut it to length and welded the end on. Today if I was looking for one I would look under a Crown Vic.

The truck AL shafts are of a larger diameter and that can be an issue when installing it on a car.
Nov. 28, 2011 8:33 a.m. patgizz SuperDork

p71 from at least 98+

i have one. $26 at pull a part
Nov. 28, 2011 8:47 a.m. tuna55 SuperDork

Many U joints are sold with mismatching bearing diameters, thus, you can convert one size of yoke into another size of driveshaft. A good parts store or the U joint manufacturer should be able to help - also Summit's website. This will enable you to use a newer alum driveshaft with the older iron yoke.
Nov. 28, 2011 11:40 a.m. JohnyHachi6 Reader

Awesome. Thanks for the tips.
Nov. 28, 2011 5:57 p.m. Will Dork

Lincoln Mark 8s also have AL driveshafts, but I believe only the 93 is one piece.