Best driveshaft to solve driveline vibration

[ForYourOwnGood]

I had vibes at around 68 to 70 since new and I just had a shaftmaster 3.5" alu installed and the car is smooth as butter up to 100. Haven't tested any higher yet.

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[Lo Pony]

Tough problem, guys. It's not a quality issue, it's a tolerance stack up issue. Driveshaft & pinion flange are matched for runout/balance tolerances as a set. Aftermarket shafts are a total crapshoot.

There is no simple fix.

That being said, the parts on the 2018-2020 cars are far better in spec, especially the pinion flange. Tighter tolerances, BUT you'll have to get a matching rear driveshaft.

I'll go out on a limb and say that you might be reasonably safe on a 2018 up car with a 1-piece shaft. BUT, for a 2015-2017 car, best get the newer design flange from the 2018-up cars first.

 

[Burkey]

I read strange things here. My cardan specialist told me: A one-piece shaft will always be better than a two-piece shaft! You write the opposite here?!?

For a live axle vehicle, most likely. Put simply, the angle change of the driveshaft will be reduced when the suspension compresses.
The S550 doesn’t face that issue (fixed differential position).
One thing I never see discussed with the S550 is the genuinely shitful centre bearing support. I highly doubt it can hold the driveshaft 100% true when under duress.
I would expect ANY movement at that support to produce a vibration. Mine was flogged out after 10k miles (meaning, the driveshaft bearing could move within the rubber support without any deflection in the rubber).
Replaced with QA1, all good.

 

[1MEAN18]

QA1 carbon fiber driveshaft for the win here. Zero vibrations unlike a lot of people I know who cheaped out and went with a DSS aluminum one, everyone I know who has a DSS shaft has SOME vibration at SOME POINT in the rpm/speed range.

 

[baevid]

Has there been a success story/recipe to solve the 2015-2017 vibration using 2018 parts? If so, what is need or interchangeable?

i already have a DSS aluminum shaft. Clocking it solved about 90% of the vibration but it would be nice to know if i can order a specific flange to slap onto my car.

 

[1TUFF_S550]

How are you liking it so far? I just placed an order for one (new version true one piece 3.5) but after reading about vibration issues has me second guessing it. I dont mind a small increase in nvh but if its too much i wont be happy. Car is a daily driver and wouldnt want to sacrifice a smooth ride for a little bit of performance increase.

Has there been a success story/recipe to solve the 2015-2017 vibration using 2018 parts? If so, what is need or interchangeable?

i already have a DSS aluminum shaft. Clocking it solved about 90% of the vibration but it would be nice to know if i can order a specific flange to slap onto my car.

 

[JKL1031]

Tough problem, guys. It's not a quality issue, it's a tolerance stack up issue. Driveshaft & pinion flange are matched for runout/balance tolerances as a set. Aftermarket shafts are a total crapshoot.

There is no simple fix.

That being said, the parts on the 2018-2020 cars are far better in spec, especially the pinion flange. Tighter tolerances, BUT you'll have to get a matching rear driveshaft.

I'll go out on a limb and say that you might be reasonably safe on a 2018 up car with a 1-piece shaft. BUT, for a 2015-2017 car, best get the newer design flange from the 2018-up cars first.

I doubt it for Ford mass production. what is most likely done is they mark the high balance on the pinion and the low on the driveshaft. the techs at the factory should line these two up; which is why clocking after market shafts help the problem.

 

[Lo Pony]

That’s right the marks are there for a reason. But the shafts and flanges “should” be more or less a matched set. However, you may be right that they are trying a one setup-fits-all approach, and the tolerances are not good enough, which is why so many 15-17 cars have this problem.

18-20 parts (rear shaft and flanges) are tighter spec, which is why the issue is almost gone.

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