Pics of my shortened Aerostar driveshaft

ForceFed70 · Feb 21, 2007

Pics of my shortened Aerostar aluminum driveshaft

The driveshaft came back from being shortened today. Looks like it will work great for the T5 swap.

Since it's made out of aluminum it's very light. According to my bathroom scale it weighs in at only 6lbs!

The shaft was $25 from the local wrecker and cost an extra $25 to get shortened compared to what the stock shaft would have cost to be shortened. So I'm into it an extra $50 over what it would have cost me to have my stock shaft shortened. Total cost will be around $150.

The guy at the transmission shop thinks it will be plenty strong. He said I'll snap off the T5's input shaft before the driveshaft will break.

ForceFed70 · Feb 21, 2007

Here's a shot of the whole driveshaft. It looks like a monster next to the stock shaft as it's 3.5" diameter instead of the stock 2.5".

gbarber · Feb 21, 2007

I used an aluminum driveshaft out of an Explorer, I think. (It was on the ground next to an Explorer at the junkyard). I originally bought an Aerostar driveshaft, but it had crimped on ends, and the driveline shop would only shorten welded ends. I can't tell from your photo, but was it originally welded or did it have a crimped on band?

ForceFed70 · Feb 21, 2007

gbarber said:
I used an aluminum driveshaft out of an Explorer, I think. (It was on the ground next to an Explorer at the junkyard). I originally bought an Aerostar driveshaft, but it had crimped on ends, and the driveline shop would only shorten welded ends. I can't tell from your photo, but was it originally welded or did it have a crimped on band?

Mine was factory welded. The other end still has the factory weld.

Here's a pic that shows the weld. This is a pic of the aerostar driveshaft next to a stock 5.0L mustang driveshaft(which is larger in diameter than the stock 70' shaft). This pic is from before the shaft was shortened and when it still had the aerostar input shaft attached.

gbarber · Feb 21, 2007

Nice. I wasted $25 on the first one. That looks exactly like what I am using now. You can't beat the price.

gbarber · Feb 21, 2007

Also, I looked at a bunch of Aerostars and Explorers at the junkyard, trying to find a decent driveshaft. Around here, they destroy almost all of them picking the vehicles up with forklifts. What a waste.

dbfarr · Feb 22, 2007

They want 225$ around here for a new driveshaft. My stocker has a harmonic, I'm pretty passionate about not having any work done to it. Stupid two piece driveshaft!!

Anyway, this looks like the way to go. Assuming they don't chew up all the shafts with fork lifts.

ForceFed70 · Feb 22, 2007

Just make sure you have the room. Aluminum shafts are much larger in diameter than your stock shaft will be. There is plenty of room in the transmission tunnel, it's the exhaust pipes you'll have to worry about. I might need to "tweek" my exhaust a little.

12sec67 · Feb 23, 2007

same driveshaft i run.

3.5" aluminum is pretty darn strong

Pbum5 · Feb 24, 2007

What year Explorer driveshafts will work in classics?

gbarber said:
I used an aluminum driveshaft out of an Explorer, I think. (It was on the ground next to an Explorer at the junkyard). I originally bought an Aerostar driveshaft, but it had crimped on ends, and the driveline shop would only shorten welded ends. I can't tell from your photo, but was it originally welded or did it have a crimped on band?

lauras70mach1 · Feb 26, 2007

What u-joints do you use? the Aerostar units?

hsr · Feb 26, 2007

lauras70mach1 said:
What u-joints do you use? the Aerostar units?

Spicer U joints installed in my '91 Aerostar driveshaft fitted to 8" rearend.

Front 5-153X M169DQ
Rear 5-153X M228DQ

Shane54 · Feb 26, 2007

So was the '91 Aerostar driveshaft a stright swap?

BullittStangV8 · Feb 26, 2007

I dont want to hijack the thread, so I can start another one if this is a valid new topic:

Can a newer mustang (99-04) driveshaft be modified to work with a classic (65?) The reason I ask is that I have a new aluminum driveshaft on my 01 that I'm selling. No need for the next owner to have it Shortening it would be ok even if need be?

hsr · Feb 26, 2007

Shane54 said:
So was the '91 Aerostar driveshaft a stright swap?

No. Had to be shortened just like BottleFed displayed above. I did mine 5 years ago.

ForceFed70 · Feb 27, 2007

BullittStangV8 said:
Can a newer mustang (99-04) driveshaft be modified to work with a classic (65?) The reason I ask is that I have a new aluminum driveshaft on my 01 that I'm selling. No need for the next owner to have it Shortening it would be ok even if need be?

I believe that the driveshafts from the newer mustangs are too short. The fox body driveshaft that I have is about 5" too short.

BullittStangV8 · Feb 27, 2007

darn. O well. I'll just have to sell it then.

engarom · Mar 5, 2007

NICE!!! so what was your final length from the center of the Ujoints?

BornInAFord · Mar 6, 2007

Fox body Mustang driveshafts are around 45", IIRC. 65-66 V8 Mustangs are either 50 or 51" depending on auto or stick.

Would a mid-90's Lincoln Mark 8 driveshaft (at 58") work with shortening?
Daniel

ForceFed70 · Mar 6, 2007

I found that 49.5" was the ideal length in my 70 with T5 swap.

I can't see why the 58" long Mark 8 DS wouldn't work if narrowed.

Pics of my shortened Aerostar driveshaft

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