Does anyone know if someone makes them for a 1997 F-150 4x4?? I can't find it on summit. Any other good sites or suppliers you can think of?

 

I have a 2001, which I believe has an aluminum drive shaft as original equipment. I guess I could put a magnet on it to be sure.

Anyway, I think you could probably get one from Ford.

 

is a aluminum prop shaft better and why? is it stronger?
confused

Lance

 

Well, an aluminum driveshaft is alot lighter which frees up horse power. I think I need to replace my U joints, and so I figured if anyone knew if they were made, I was going to get one.

 

makes sense but is it as strong or stronger, seems from what I have seen the best drive shafts are made of steel. I could be wrong.

Lance

 

Depends what you mean by "best"! An aluminum alloy driveshaft can certainly be designed to be plenty strong and would be much lighter than an equally strong steel shaft. However, it would cost much more.

Ford had done a lot of work on their strength to weight ratio in order to get their trucks as efficient as possible. Unfortunately, they now have to cut manufacturing costs, so much of this is being reversed.

 

why doesn't that surprise me. thanks for the info

Lance

 

I just replaced my u-joints on a 99 F150 and the driveshaft was aluminum. It looked to me like it was pretty well made. I'm sure it is original equipment.

 

I would go to a salvage yard. The aluminium shaft is much larger than the steel shaft and I assume the yokes would need to be replaced if you swapped one out.

 

I think so too, but, would a '99's driveshaft fit on my 1997 truck? I going to do some more searching as to where I can find one and I'll post back to this if I find anything. Thanks for the input guys.

 

I belive that the 2wd's have the aluminum and the 4x4's have steel not sure why though.

 

it that is so it's because they are sturdier. My two cents

Lance

 

While were on driveshafts, I noticed when I re-installed mine it would slide back in the tranny splines and not have to be lined up just like it came off. I thought they had to be lined up to go together and to be properly balanced. There was a white paint spot on the tranny splines and a groove in the drive shaft splines, but they were not lined up originally. They were 180 degrees off. Mine seems fine,but I don't think it is the same as what it was originally. Any thoughts or comments would be appreciated. Thanks.

 

putting the drive shaft back on the way it came off is from the old days, when a drive shaft is ballanced it is not on the car but on the factory floor. then installed. You gotta think what happens when you change out your tranny or rear end does it throw the ballance off NO if you put it back on a different way than it came off does it throw the ballance off, no. The drive shaft is ballanced not the shaft to the truck. If you do buy a alum for the truck will they ballance it to the truck? no they will sell it to you in a box and you install it will it throw the ballance off no.


Lance