Custom Driveshaft Question

I'm looking at options for driveshafts for my truck. I was hoping to be able to find an OE part I scavenge from a junkyard or scoop off of craigslist but no luck so far.  So my main question is should I call a local driveshaft shop and have something custom made or buy something off the interwebz and stuff it in there? 

The truck is IRS and the trans has a slip yoke so no issues on plunging there.  The angles on both are 0°, there is a 4.875" delta between the pinion and trans yoke so the u-joints should be happy.  Pinion is a 1310 u-joint and the slip yoke is a 1330 u joint so I was planning on using a conversion joint on the trans side unless I have a custom piece made.  I will be lucky to put down 300hp and I am planning putting in a driveshaft hoop because well, I built this hooptie myself.

This is the one I have my eye on for the internet route.  That seems like a tough price to beat.

https://pitstopusa.com/i-23901079-pst-mild-steel-driveshaft-47-length-3-diameter.html

Any insight is appreciated.

I had one custom made locally. It cost more than double what you have there, but I had no intention of finding out the hard way how a driveshaft can go wrong. Haven't used it yet, but they were quick and knowledgeable and made it work just right. Slipped into the trans and bolted to the differential as if it was meant to be there.

Then again, there was no hope of anyone having a matching flange for the differential - the shop had to clean up and re-use my original, as they couldn't source a replacement. I'm happy with the route I went, but you're right that what you found would be a tough price to beat.

Shaftmasters (yes, really) did mine, quick turnaround and beautiful product.

Have you asked a local shop to quote it? Really, they’re the ones who get to decide what it will cost. 

I have modified my own. Carefully cut it down and assembled, then took it to a shop for balancing. They were skeptical but it spun well when they put it on the balancer. It’s all about making sure everything is square. 

I would try to find a junkyard shaft that is a wee bit too long and have a shop shorten/balance it.

With the price of metals these days, the big cost is the material.  You could even get an aluminum driveshaft.  Many of the 1999-up chevy pickups have aluminum shafts.  Labor will go up, but you might even have a shot at finding one with an existing 1310 yoke so you can skip the more expensive adapter joint.

Be aware that many aluminum shafts are filled with expanding foam for a tiny bit of rigidity and harmonic damping.  Many shops don't want to touch them for that reason.

If you get one that is longer and want to have it shortened, try to get one that is about 2-4" too long.  My shop told me that they don't like to weld onto the very end of the tube where it has already been welded before.  They like to cut off some so they have unaltered steel to weld to.

I would imagine shipping cost would be quite high not so much for weight but the length and also the packaging for damage protection. Take that into account for a local possibly being higher cost.

Had an OEM one made for Plymford- the cost for shortening it and spin balancing it and installing all new U joints was about twice what that custom deal you linked to cost.

That said, I'd pick the local shop again.  It got done right and fit perfectly and was done in 3 days.  

My local custom driveshaft guy charges right at two hundred bucks. And he gives everything but the U-joints a lifetime warranty. Usually has it done the same day as well. Sure it's 75 miles round-trip but well worth the time and little extra cost to have it done right the first time.

I'm going to give the local shop a call. I didn't think about the driveshaft getting damaged in transit, that could be potential crutch for an online retailer to lean on if the have subpar products.  I almost pulled the trigger on the online one just due to the price point.

Local custom driveshaft shop did one for my M3 for about half the cost of the next-cheapest remanufactured part on the interwebz and a third the cost of OEM.  

Going with the local shop, they came in just a little bit higher than the internet price with a conversion u-joint and shipping.  Plus they said 1-2 day turn around and are only 15 minutes from the office.  Should have just called them first but I get bored at work and start browsing.

You link is a pre-made PST driveshaft.

I've had two custom made aluminum driveshafts from PST and have no complaints.  With the first one I was diagnosing a vibration issue that turned out to be unrelated to the driveshaft, I sent it back to them and they rebalanced it free of charge.  I recommend them.