Finally got my Aluminum Driveshaft , it's on but I have a question !

There should be some yellow paint on the part of the rear diff that the drive shaft bolts to. Look at this thread a couple of pics down:
http://forums.stangnet.com/showthread.php?t=353320

Here's the original driveshaft with yellow marks visible:



And here's the new driveshaft with yellow marks visible:

If you don't have any vibrations when you drive, you probably got it right and don't have anything to worry about.

The only reason they were on backorder is because Ford relized they were getting screwed. So they cleared the market.

OEM GM Aluminum DS - New $290 Used $150-$200

Ford Aluminum DS - New 4 months ago $160-$170
New now $180 +

great thread..make it a sticky !!! lol

I had a aluminum DS on my 99.

I want to know how YOU broke loose the U Joint - > Flange bolts. Those suckers are torqued on around 90lbs. I had to use stupid 12mm wrench and use the jack to press the wrench up as a cheaters way of breaking the bolts loose.

It'd be really convenient to have a 12pt socket I could use on my impact wrench because the whole wrench / jack combo is not fun!

codyGT said:

The only reason they were on backorder is because Ford relized they were getting screwed. So they cleared the market.

OEM GM Aluminum DS - New $290 Used $150-$200

Ford Aluminum DS - New 4 months ago $160-$170
New now $180 +

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I SERIOUSLY DOUBT that was the reason why the were on back order. Like mpcv2000 said, more than likely there was a problem at the factory and they were put on hold. It could also have been that they wern't available from the manufacture. Ford(Visteon) doesn't produce these like regular production parts. They are done as needed by Special order from the parts distributor(FRPP). When their stock gets low, they order more. If I remember correctly, when I was balancing them, we ran them April-Sept/Oct. and Very Rarely in between. Obviously in the Fall & Winter, there isn't that much of a demand for them.

NasaGT said:

Nice write up,the only thing missing was that when you install the driveshaft, you should make sure you line up the yellow dots on the driveshaft at the rear end

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VERY GOOD ADVICE! I'll try to explain the reason for the "yellow dots" so people will know the importance of them. When the axle is put together, it is spun to check for vibration. When it passes final inspection, a yellow dot is placed on the axle flange to mark the area on the ring gear where there is the least amount of acceptable "run out" . On to the D/S, weight is welded on the ends to compensate for imbalance. Once it meets the engineers specifications, a robot places a yellow dot on each end to mark where the highest allowable amount of imbalance is. I don't remember exactly, but I believe the limit of allowable imbalance is 12 grams at each end. When installed at the assembly plant, the dots are lined up so the amount of imbalance in the D/S and the R/O limit in the axle "Evens out" to cause as little vibration as possible. On some Mustangs, not all, there is a yellow dot on the transmission also. If you have one, obviously line it up with the one on the D/S slip yoke end as well.

Now here's a curve ball for you. After the D/S are balanced the are put on a line and they go to a pack out area, and they are put in racks to either go to the assembly plants or to parts distributors(FRPP and others). Sometimes the might get knocked around being put in the racks, or during the S/H process. If so, the yellow dots might be useless. The best was to handle this if you get vibration while driving is to rotate the D/S 180 and put the dot on the opposite side of the dot on the axle. If that doesn't help, the are 8 ways to install it on the axle. Try all the holes. If still you have no luck, I suggest you take it back to or send it back to where you bought it and ask for a new one.

The Aluminum D/S's from FRPP are much better than the standard OEM production ones. They are assembled with DANA u-joints and hardened(heat treated) slip yokes. Their thick wall design is the same as the ones used in the Crown Victoria Police Cruisers, Cobra's, and I believe the Marauder and Lightning. Besides having less rotating mass, they are MUCH stronger and will definately hold up better when put under force compared to the stocks ones. I think one is a definate MUST HAVE if you plan on seriously modding your car or just to make sure you don't have any weak links in your drivetrain.

Sorry for the long post, but I think this will help clear up this issue of the "yellow dots". Hope I helped.

Thanks for the informative post, GT JAY.