Stock Chevy SSR aluminum drive-shaft is a direct drop in or our cars - Details within

First off this is by no means my original idea - Matt Brady (Matthimself456) should get credit for the idea and research.

Basically I was looking for an aluminum drives-shaft that would not break the bank. Many have gone with a Denni's, Inland or other manufacturer of custom shafts. These usually start at $475, not something I would spend on a new DS. OK I am cheap and if it ain't broke don't fix it!! Gerry cut down a full size pick-up shaft and made that work. So that got me thinking, what has a similar or same length of shaft. I started looking in junk yards for a cheapy I could have re-worked, but most aluminum shafts get bent when they pick the trucks up with forks. I also worried about putting to much money into a project that never works just right.

Matt found out that the Manual transmission SSR has a 4.5" aluminum drive-shaft that is 1/2" longer than ours, close enough for government work or union work for that matter (this is for you John ). So I started searching. I ended up on the SSR Enthusiast site. I put a post up, again Matt got one doing the same. I got several responses. As it would happen most of these guys had a problem with their drive-shafts. It seems when you put an auto in gear or under torque with some of the 6-speed cars the shaft propagates a "Ting" noise in the system. Many of them have replaced these shafts with 3.5" shafts custom made by a guy names Dennis (he seems to know his stuff). This is the thread that will teach you ALL about this issue and the solution.





http://www.ssrfanatic.com/forum/f5/yes-jim-gs-ssr-finally-has-quiet-driveshaft-7905/

So I decided with strong faith in Matt's math and understanding of the issues, I would try one.

I got a shaft from North Carolina a few months ago. Just last week I put it in. Now Matt had told me that only 03/04 manual transmissions were the one's to look for. Apparently they use the exact same u-joint making it pretty much plug and play. Just swap your yoke onto the shaft and install it. I hit a snag from an 05, I do not listen well, so the rear u-joint was not the same. With a call or two I had a conversion u-joint that dropped right in to my lowered 1994 Impala.

The earlier SSR and the Impala/Roadmaster/Caprice list a part number front and back as:

Saginaw - S44/3R
Mechanics - 3
Neapco/spicer - 1344
?? - 534G

The later SSR 05/06 model has larger caps and lists the front as above but the rear as:

Neapco/spicer - 1350
?? - 232A

So the conversion u-joint you will need with a later shaft is:

Fisher auto - P447 - $22
Precisoin (Napa/Summit) - 447 - $38
Inland Empire (Summit) - 2-1153 - $60
Neapco/Spicer (TheUjointStore.com) - 2-1153 - $32

I used the Fisher auto one for now. No exhaust issues (yet), has not hit the tunnel (it is 4.5" around after all) and no noise. I have not had a chance to drive it much yet. But I was confident enough to get a second shaft for the Pot Rod on its way to the house. this one will get to me on Monday. Hope to get the wagon back from paint on Monday (he sprayed in on Friday). Hope to install the shaft soon after or at next oil change.

Comments? Suggestions?

"close enough for government work or union work for that matter (this is for you John)" that hurts tim

so,. notice any difference?

or was it one of those "gotta have it" internet things,.??

Nick

Have not had a chance to really try it. Will report back.

Put #2 shaft into the wagon tonight. Gear noise from 3.73:1 install dropped way off and 60 MPH high frequency vibration is gone!! Whoot!!

Wow thats great news,Tim.Did you ever check your pinion angle?
JG

No I did not Jim. Wagon pinion angle should not have changed with a gear change. The Impala has the issue with a tranny mount. I will change that to a stock type mount the next time I am under. Hopefully that takes care of it's issue.

I took the shaft out today 9/15/11 to check the u-joints (I thought i messed one up on install). Everything looks good.

I had a high pitch ringing at some speeds and under light load. I think it is likely a symptom of a large aluminum shaft. But I had some "cold shrink" tubing that I thought I would try to see if I could deaden the sounds and it seems to have worked.

Oh and the barefoot garage got a re-organization last week so it is presentable again.





While it was out I looked to see how close it was to bottoming out the yoke in the tranny, afterall it is 1/2" longer than stock. I have a rebuilt tranny in the garage (thanks to Joel) so I checked it. I seem to have about 1/4-3/8" overhead from where it has begun to polish the yoke.



The cold shrink.........







Went for a short ride and it does not seem to flop around at 70 mph. I will see how much noise it deadens.

EDIT - At 85 it begins to flap!! LOL.....

hey tim i will be the 1st to help clean up garage. i will come pick up one of the sets of heads for you at no charge

Take the rusty part off the yoke with emery cloth before it ruins the tailshaft seal and you start undercoating your car and overcoating your garage floor.

sherlock9c1 wrote:

Take the rusty part off the yoke with emery cloth before it ruins the tailshaft seal and you start undercoating your car and overcoating your garage floor.

I figured it would cost me a seal, but pretty easy one to replace.

are you getting the "TING" noise the SSR guys were whinning about?

buickestate wrote:

are you getting the "TING" noise the SSR guys were whinning about?

was it a "ting" or a "ding" ??

ting

Not really sure. I do not think so.

IMPORTANT UPDATE:

DRIVESHAFT HITS TUNNEL OF LOWERED CARS.  My Impala SS is lowered with Hotchkis springs.  The shaft hits over some bumps.

EDIT: The Impala tunnel had a small outgoing dent in it. pushed it back out and it went away.

So how is the shaft working now after you have had it on for awhile now ? That ting or ding , ping thing happening ? Is it rubbing any where now ?

The wagon is running great!!! No issues what so ever.

Impala has not been out again. Need to get it on a lift.

BigBlackBeaSSt wrote:

Matt found out that the Manual transmission SSR has a 4.5" aluminum drive-shaft that is 1/2" longer than ours.

So I started searching. I ended up on the SSR Enthusiast site. I got a shaft from North Carolina a few months ago. Just last week I put it in. Now Matt had told me that only 03/04 manual transmissions were the one's to look for. Apparently they use the exact same u-joint making it pretty much plug and play. Just swap your yoke onto the shaft and install it. I hit a snag from an 05, I do not listen well, so the rear u-joint was not the same.

Comments? Suggestions?

Can we verify what actually has been proven to work here?

According to the post above, 03-04 manual trans driveshafts are the ones to look for.

But...

03-04 SSR's (manual or automatic) and 05-06 SSR's (automatics only) reference the same shaft in both GM parts system and the online Hollander interchange.

GM PN 15247556.

05-06 SSR's (manual) show PN 15209860 (same as on the shaft photo posted above).

Online photos of the early and/or automatic shaft show it has a damper on the front yoke



(OEM on left / Aftermarket replacement on right)

Has anyone actually attempted to install the automatic / damped shaft?

If so, does it fit and work as intended?

- J

I know the manual shaft works. The yoke (spline/shaft) is larger in diameter and will not fit, so if the dampener is in the yoke it will not play.

BigBlackBeaSSt wrote:

IMPORTANT UPDATE:

DRIVESHAFT HITS TUNNEL OF LOWERED CARS. My Impala SS is lowered with Hotchkis springs. The shaft hits over some bumps.

I finally got under the car. The shaft is hitting about 18 inches past the end of the tail shaft of the tranny. The Impala's hump and a dip in it and that seems to be the issue. I used the spacer on the Energy tranny mount. I am going to remove the spacer as I think it also throws off my pinion angle. More to come.

BigBlackBeaSSt wrote:

The wagon is running great!!! No issues what so ever.

About 10-12k miles on it now with no issues.

straightened the dip and took one shim out of the tranny mount. The problems seem to be gone on the Impala.

So, other than the clearance issue that you are experiencing, what is the benefit of this driveshaft over a stock one to the average user? Lightness?

As you increase diameter, you increase critical speed. A good thing when you have a .5 OD T56. For example, my 4.10 equipped T56 car turns just over 2000 on the highway. That means the driveshaft is turning 4000 I'm still on the stock SS shaft, though...

What he said. Plus I can polish it!!

Don't polish your shaft too often. Your wife will get jealous.

Hi all,

Sorry to dredge up an old thread, but I'm considering putting one of these in my car and I have a few questions about it.

I've done a little research, and it seems as if the SSR was only available with a manual transmission in 2005 and 2006. Does that mean that I must use a shaft from one of those years (and the corresponding "adapter" u-joint)? Or does a shaft from a 2003-2006 with the automatic also work? Has anyone tried a driveshaft from an automatic-equipped model? What is the difference in length?

Thanks for the help,

Sam

Not sure it the automatic shaft would work. Mine are both from a manual car.

I just picked up one of these. I decided just to get a 1350 pinion yoke, as opposed to the conversion U-joint. Had a nice forged one lying around in the warehouse anyway.

Just got to swap my yoke onto the front, and she'll be good to go.

Big thanks to Phil (06 Blue SSR) on SSR Fanatics for going out of his way to give me the shaft on time.

Cool. Now find me one!

And me, for that matter.... lol


Gotta get a shaft before this beast can roll with its 4.56s.

Carbon fiber ftw

I agree. If I had deeper pockets to dedicate towards a driveshaft, that's what I would do in a heartbeat, but this is a fraction of the cost.

Viceroy454 wrote:

I agree. If I had deeper pockets to dedicate towards a driveshaft, that's what I would do in a heartbeat, but this is a fraction of the cost.

True,.. my CF shaft cost me $850,.plus the ride,.

Holy hell.


Yeah. That ain't in the budget yet. haha.

They sure do look sweet though.

So is it a drop in for the t56 conversion or automatics also?

Yes and Yes.

In June if this year I bought a used Crown Vic. Police Cruiser aluminum drive shaft from my youngest son for $15.00. He it got for his Grand Marquis and hadn't got around to putting it on (it needed to be modified). It was 1/2" too long so I took it to Pittsburgh Drive Shaft in Baldwin Boro next to Pittsburgh. It cost ~ $90.00 to shorten and some more for the two modified yokes. These yokes use the outside clips instead of the hard to melt out plastic holders then internal clips. The internal clips were still needed for attaching to the rear end. This is a 3 or 3.5" diameter shaft. No more rust. Car is now in storage for the salt season here, end of March usually.

Skier

Bump.

Tim (or anyone else with one of these) - are you running a driveshaft loop?

There's no sort of spec for the BMR loop, and I want to make sure it clears this shaft before I order one.

1 year later,.............

........and I'm still sporting the factory shaft!

Stingroo wrote:

Bump.

Tim (or anyone else with one of these) - are you running a driveshaft loop?

There's no sort of spec for the BMR loop, and I want to make sure it clears this shaft before I order one.

Yes it works well.  I think the rule of thumb says use with 4.11's or better.

phantom 309 wrote:

1 year later,.............

When you create a "Timeless" post it's, well, Timeless!

So you're using a BMR driveshaft loop?

Not sure the brand Ray. Bought it from another impala forum member.

Aparently the UMI, BMR, and Metco loops are identical.

I'll run with it. If it doesn't fit, that's what RMAs are for I suppose.

Got the u joints and yoke onto the shaft today, finally. Progress is slow but going. Life gets in the way too often.

i,m pretty sure the car will run and drive without a driveshaft hoop,.

two of mine do ,....

It probably will, yes.

phantom 309 wrote:

i,m pretty sure the car will run and drive without a driveshaft hoop,.

two of mine do ,....

Yes,but doesnt your cool factor increase knowing its there,silently doing its job?

Andebe wrote:

phantom 309 wrote:

i,m pretty sure the car will run and drive without a driveshaft hoop,.

two of mine do ,....

Yes,but doesnt your cool factor increase knowing its there,silently doing its job?

Ok,...

well seing as most are like me too fat to get down and look,.

All my cars have front mid and rear driveshaft hoops,..

So my cool factor is off the charts,..