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Old 06-04-2019, 05:38 PM   #1
IsaacLt1
 
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Qa1 cf driveshaft

Anyone have the qa1 cf driveshaft if so how are you liking it? Any problems with it?
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Old 06-04-2019, 06:43 PM   #2
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There've been multiple issues with the carbon fiber driveshaft. I know of at least half a dozen that have broken. The aluminum driveshaft is the way to go.
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Old 06-04-2019, 08:07 PM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by IsaacLt1 View Post
Anyone have the qa1 cf driveshaft if so how are you liking it? Any problems with it?
I know at least one car here is running in the 10’s with it. Believe the CF shaft problems were a different brand, but hopefully someone else who knows the situation better will chime in.
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Old 06-04-2019, 08:23 PM   #4
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I just put a QA1 in my car Friday ran 10.26 with a 1.46 60 ft Saturday seems good n smooth no vibrations or anything , I do know a big name Aluminum one broke on a dyno that's why I went with the QA1
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Old 06-04-2019, 09:03 PM   #5
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Went with the GM performance ZL1 type for the SS, there are many advantages to a two piece shaft.
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Old 06-05-2019, 07:32 AM   #6
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Went with the GM performance ZL1 type for the SS, there are many advantages to a two piece shaft.
I look at it like more pieces to break and more weight , my understanding is the newer cars have 2 piece shafts because not enough room with the small tunnels for a large enough diameter shaft to get the smoothness the factory wants.
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Old 06-05-2019, 07:55 AM   #7
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Originally Posted by oldman View Post
Went with the GM performance ZL1 type for the SS, there are many advantages to a two piece shaft.
The only advantage to a 2-piece is fitment and cost, that is it. A 1-piece is stronger and has less chance of NVH, but as said if made in aluminium it would be bigger than the drive shaft tunnel will allow.

A good quality CF 1-piece is the way to go as long as the person can afford it.
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Old 06-05-2019, 11:16 AM   #8
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Originally Posted by TJay74 View Post
The only advantage to a 2-piece is fitment and cost, that is it. A 1-piece is stronger and has less chance of NVH, but as said if made in aluminium it would be bigger than the drive shaft tunnel will allow.

A good quality CF 1-piece is the way to go as long as the person can afford it.
A) IMO aluminum and carbon fiber are suspect on a daily driver. For example I slightly damage the driveshaft going over the curb.
1) NEVER happen with a the ZL1 driveshaft as it is stronger than the curb...
2) The carbon fiber could just shatter next time under load,
3) the aluminum could dent leading to vibration or critical failure later on.

I have NO opinion on a race car.

Aluminum in specific. I don't like them


B) two piece does NOT have high speed instability.
Two piece design does not suffer from vibration issues at high speed, all one piece designs are suspect, even more critical if not perfectly installed.

C) I believe the factory shaft is 3 lbs heavier than the Aluminum shaft., the middle bearing of the two piece shat is kind of like a driveshaft safety loop.. (more than 3 lbs.). Sure one is rotational on is static, not like 1 and 3/4 radii is a huge consumer of HP. I'd counter the factory shaft has less diameter which and we all know that rotational inertia is mass times radii squared, so radii is about 4x more important than weight.

For me the ZL1 drive shaft just made more sense. Ever heard of one broken and / or ANY high speed racing problems such as vibration?
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Old 06-05-2019, 02:48 PM   #9
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I can say that I have been to their place and seen them make the driveshafts and it is nothing but top notch how they do it and the equipment they use.
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Old 06-05-2019, 04:37 PM   #10
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My thinking was if a CF shaft does shatter that should not hit the underneath of the car hard enough to set the air bags off like the others have been know to do I've shot enough CF arrows over the years and they just splinter and colaspe ,I would think DS would be like that, yes something could fly up off the road and screw up a CF shaft but damn that exhaust protects it alot , I will say this its not as light as you would think. On my cheap bathroom scale it was less than 3lbs vs stock DS . This may be just in my head but I think the car reacts quicker.
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Old 06-05-2019, 04:53 PM   #11
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Agree that if the shaft breaks, I like carbon fiber. I have never heard of a ZL1 shaft breaking... so for a true street car that needs a shaft, I went with the GM performance shaft, basically a ZL1 shaft that bolts into the SS. As stated above I would not consider an aluminum shaft because if it breaks (and they do), you could be in REAL trouble.

Don't know what to say about the response or drivability? Rotational momentum is related to the square of radii, and this is 1 and 3/4 inch... not much. compared to say a 29" diameter tire. About 55X more important.'

From GForces's site: "The 3.5” or 4" aluminum driveshaft is rated to 900hp and speeds up to around 160 mph with no issues or vibrations. As they say “smooth as glass” at 160 mph."

I'm looking at this or even more HP and even though I don't drive 160 MPH, my car is capable of such. Once again I'll point to that I know of no ZL1 driveshaft issues (not including convertible).
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Last edited by oldman; 06-05-2019 at 05:04 PM.
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Old 06-05-2019, 06:03 PM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DapperDan View Post
I will say this its not as light as you would think. On my cheap bathroom scale it was less than 3lbs vs stock DS . This may be just in my head but I think the car reacts quicker.
Damn I thought it would be a better savings than that too. I would think if an ATI UD pulley helps then this would help it spin up a little faster as well?? But agree DS seems protected enough by exhaust. Hmmm
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Old 06-07-2019, 06:25 AM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TJay74 View Post
The only advantage to a 2-piece is fitment and cost, that is it. A 1-piece is stronger and has less chance of NVH, but as said if made in aluminium it would be bigger than the drive shaft tunnel will allow.

A good quality CF 1-piece is the way to go as long as the person can afford it.
What about the one-piece shaft only being balanced to 160mph from what I've heard? Whereas the ZL1 driveshaft has been tested at 202mph.

As far as quality of a CF shaft, remember that member toohighpsi had one break on his SECOND pass at the dragstrip. Have not been hearing this about the ZL1 shaft.
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Old 06-07-2019, 07:17 AM   #14
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How much less does the GM Perf ZL1 shaft weigh than a SS? How much are they?
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