One piece driveshaft opinions?

[S4Matt]

So the driveshaft / center support is starting to slightly vibrate on the 770 car under deceleration after a hard pull. I'm thinking of switching to a one piece carbon fiber driveshaft. I've read good things and bad things. Thoughts and opinions on a one piece vs new oem shaft and center support?

Thanks in advance.

[spd579]

Search>you. covered numerous time with numerous opinions. either will do and you wont notice a significant different one way or the other. One question you have to ask yourself......"how baller do I want to be?" I personally have a CF single piece, is it necessary? No.

[landfill]

Any one piece will do. Either dss or aam (Scotty).
Also it will be one more weak link taken care of
but it also brings increased cabin noise. I personally
don't mind it. It also will further reduce your cars
rotating mass. Hope this helps.

[FlyboyS4]

So the driveshaft / center support is starting to slightly vibrate on the 770 car under deceleration after a hard pull. I'm thinking of switching to a one piece carbon fiber driveshaft. I've read good things and bad things. Thoughts and opinions on a one piece vs new oem shaft and center support?

Thanks in advance.

Not the exact part you're considering, but I tried a single piece and then switched back to the stock part.

[OHS4]

I have one from Scotty no complaint here. I have not done over 110mph with it but do not feel any vibrations. I don't notice any increased noise in the cabin and am not sure how that would even be possible, lol.

[landfill]

^^^ The one pieces make a humming noise trust me. I just don't care about NVH at all.

[OHS4]

Hmm, maybe my milltek is too loud to tell haha.

[eWock]

I got the 1pc from Scotty and it has done me well for over 6 months.

[BITRBO]

I have one from Scotty no complaint here. I have not done over 110mph with it but do not feel any vibrations. I don't notice any increased noise in the cabin and am not sure how that would even be possible, lol.

I got the 1pc from Scotty and it has done me well for over 6 months.

Good too know. I'm going to pull the trigger on one here shortly...

[BITRBO]

Not the exact part you're considering, but I tried a single piece and then switched back to the stock part.

Just out of curiosity, why did you switch back? Wasn't mentioned on your website.

Also, did you really have your car 1/2 on jackstand and 1/2 on ramps??

http://www.myaudis4.com/wp-content/u...re-install.jpg

Super dangerous, and I think there was even a thread recently from someone that got pinned under their S4 doing that...

[FlyboyS4]

After all the tinkering with it that I did I still couldn't get the vibration to go away, swapping back to the OEM driveshaft resolved the issue.

Yes, I did have the car raised on ramps and jackstands. I'm fairly conscientious about risks when going under the vehicle and I didn't feel the setup posed an unusually high risk. The rhino ramps have an indentation the tire sits down in and it slopes slightly toward the higher lip, so that rolling out either side takes some force. I have the parking brake set. At the front I use a pair of jackstands on either side, one set is double locking. Whether using jackstands or ramps, both come with a warning not to raise both ends of the car together.

[Scotty@Advanced]

I have found that certain parts tend to create an increase in NVH when a single piece is installed, the Stern power ring is one such product (not Poo Pooing yet rather I've had customers complain of slight vibs and when the ring was removed the problem went away). Also if you have any other drive line issue such as a sloppy rear diff, busted mounts etc, a single piece will magnify the symptoms of those issues. This is not unique to The AAM shaft, but just about any single piece shaft of that design.

[Audimilo]

Scotty what are your options on 2 piece replacements? OEM only or are there other solutions? will you rebuild or accept a core exchange on an OEM shaft?

[Scotty@Advanced]

Scotty what are your options on 2 piece replacements? OEM only or are there other solutions? will you rebuild or accept a core exchange on an OEM shaft?

I offer both new and rebuilt shafts. The new are 100% serviceable and feature a larger more robust center support bearing and heavier duty U-joint. The only instance in which a core is required is when a rebuilt shaft is purchased.

AAM driveshaft options

[Audimilo]

I offer both new and rebuilt shafts. The new are 100% serviceable and feature a larger more robust center support bearing and heavier duty U-joint. The only instance in which a core is required is when a rebuilt shaft is purchased.

AAM driveshaft options

Scotty, thanks for the reply.

On that page you linked I see C4, C5 and D2 models listed, but i do not see B5 S4 listed. I'll just call ya to discuss options.

[audib7maniac]

I had the AAM single driveshaft, i began to make an unbearable noise after a year. Wasnt happy, went back to stock and no more noise. Maybe i had a defaulted one not sure, but wasn't pleased. The stock one works just fine for me.

[BITRBO]

After all the tinkering with it that I did I still couldn't get the vibration to go away, swapping back to the OEM driveshaft resolved the issue.

Yes, I did have the car raised on ramps and jackstands. I'm fairly conscientious about risks when going under the vehicle and I didn't feel the setup posed an unusually high risk. The rhino ramps have an indentation the tire sits down in and it slopes slightly toward the higher lip, so that rolling out either side takes some force. I have the parking brake set. At the front I use a pair of jackstands on either side, one set is double locking. Whether using jackstands or ramps, both come with a warning not to raise both ends of the car together.

Denial isn't just a river in Egypt my friend... Admission is the first step to recovery

In all seriousness though, ramps + stands is never a safe combo. If e-brake is disengaged for some odd reason, double locking stands wont do squat to prevent car from rolling off the ramps if someone leans on the car or you happen to be torquing on it hard enough. Its also a good idea to throw a wheel (or two) under each rocker panel for good measure, esp. if you plan to be under there on your own.

[mkemk3]

Haha

[Scotty@Advanced]

I had the AAM single driveshaft, i began to make an unbearable noise after a year. Wasnt happy, went back to stock and no more noise. Maybe i had a defaulted one not sure, but wasn't pleased. The stock one works just fine for me.

Please send it back and I can have it looked at.

[FlyboyS4]

Denial isn't just a river in Egypt my friend... Admission is the first step to recovery

I'm not denying there are risks, but I don't believe the risks are unusually high.

In all seriousness though, ramps + stands is never a safe combo. If e-brake is disengaged for some odd reason, double locking stands wont do squat to prevent car from rolling off the ramps if someone leans on the car or you happen to be torquing on it hard enough. Its also a good idea to throw a wheel (or two) under each rocker panel for good measure, esp. if you plan to be under there on your own.

Let's look at the sequence of events that you describe from a risk analysis pov:

Consequences are severe if the event (vehicle crashing upon a person beneath) occurs I agree.

But how likely is that to happen?

1. The parking brake becomes disengaged. The likelihood of that happening is very small, there's either going to be a mechanical failure, an even less likely event, or somebody intentionally disengages it. The second cause can be eliminated by inspecting the parking brake before moving underneath the vehicle, but the chance of somebody unknown to me entering the car while it is elevated and disengaging the parking brake and then leaving the car in that state is very small.

2. Somebody leans on the car and it rolls off the supports. The first thing that has to happen is somebody show up while the person is working beneath the car, generally that is not common for me but does occur. Next, that visitor needs to lean up against the car, but they have to lean against the front of the vehicle, (with the hood up and bumper off), since the direction of the ramps only allows the car to roll rearward. I find that extremely unlikely as leaning up against the radiator/lock carrier is an awkward surface for a person to lean against.

3. If those two previous things happen the person cannot just lean against the car to make it roll, the ramps have a divot where the tire sits and a slight lip before the sloping side, so the leaner is going to have to push a 3000-3500# vehicle up the ridge. Additionally, because the base of the jack stand extends out, when it tips the top portion in contact with the vehicle raises (anyone who has put one of these under the car and been able to slide it, but finds that it gets stuck when tilted on it's side will have experienced this), so our leaner will also need to raise the front of the car slightly. I haven't tried this, but I suspect it would take far more than leaning against the car to get it to raise on the jack stands and roll up the ramp lip.

1 is unlikely to occur, 2 is unlikely to occur, and 3 is unlikely to occur. The cumulative probability of occurrence is very very small.

I bet the likelihood of dying in a roadway motor vehicle accident is greater than the chance of dying under a car with the precautions I take and environment I work in.

[rdcyclist]

It's no where near as risky as the guy that was posting up about bringing his Santorin Avant back from the dead with pictures of using cinder blocks for jackstands. Not even close...

[Ribbie]

Oh look another derailment..........

Props to Scotty as per usual for stepping up to look after a sold product, and unhappy individual.

[01audia4]

Or on a mustang forum where a guy made a ramp with wood planks.

[Audimilo]

Scotty left you a message.

the website is all listed for C4, C5 and D2 cars. where can i find a B5 shaft option? Rather just talk to you on the phone if able

[audib7maniac]

Please send it back and I can have it looked at.

The Shop had gotten rid of it as i thought I'd have no use for it I believe, i will ask them tomorrow but i highly doubt they kept it. Sorry Scotty I didn't even think to contact you guys.

[Scotty@Advanced]

The Shop had gotten rid of it as i thought I'd have no use for it I believe, i will ask them tomorrow but i highly doubt they kept it. Sorry Scotty I didn't even think to contact you guys.

There's nothing in the shaft itself that can wear out or go bad, unless it's physically damaged, the only thing I can think of is one of the joints went south, or something else in the car failed (mounts etc). If you find it let me know I can have it checked out and repaired.

[topquarkpc]

old mans gotta win every/all arguments...

[audib7maniac]

There's nothing in the shaft itself that can wear out or go bad, unless it's physically damaged, the only thing I can think of is one of the joints went south, or something else in the car failed (mounts etc). If you find it let me know I can have it checked out and repaired.

Ok gonna get on it now bro. Will let you know if they still have it.

[FlyboyS4]

old mans gotta win every/all arguments...

It just seems that way due to the abundance of questionable information across this forum.

Out of curiosity I put my car up onto the ramps and tried to push it back off, not happening, at least not without a substantial effort, leverage, and/or multiple people. I absolutely agree we should be safe when working under a car, but we also need to accurately assess risks.

[BITRBO]

old mans gotta win every/all arguments...

It just seems that way due to the abundance of questionable information across this forum.

Out of curiosity I put my car up onto the ramps and tried to push it back off, not happening, at least not without a substantial effort, leverage, and/or multiple people. I absolutely agree we should be safe when working under a car, but we also need to accurately assess risks.

Not sure if you were referring to me, but I don't always have to win every argument nor am I spreading "questionable information". Supporting a car in two different surfaces (i.e. one that can roll and one that can't) is stupid, and if YOU FlyBoy have "accurately assessed the risk" and feel comfortable with it, then have at it. Just don't go trying to justify that it's the correct/safe way to support a car, just cause it hasn't fallen on you yet... All it takes is something silly to happen, like you or a friend/helper accidentally disengaging the e-brake (assuming you've pulled it) and then all your safety measures to go out the window... Not sure if you ever saw this thread, but there bunch of different scenarios that can cause a fall, even after people have "assessed the risks" as you put it...

http://www.audizine.com/forum/showth...ds#post5486219

[FlyboyS4]

Supporting a car in two different surfaces (i.e. one that can roll and one that can't) is stupid,

Which surface (shown in my picture) supporting the car can roll?

and if YOU FlyBoy have "accurately assessed the risk" and feel comfortable with it, then have at it. Just don't go trying to justify that it's the correct/safe way to support a car, just cause it hasn't fallen on you yet...

I never attempted to justify that it is safe by stating the reason is because the car hasn't fallen on me yet.

All it takes is something silly to happen, like you or a friend/helper accidentally disengaging the e-brake (assuming you've pulled it) and then all your safety measures to go out the window...

I disagree that disengaging the e-brake is all it takes for all the safety precautions to go out the window. I tried pushing the car off the ramps and it's not an easy thing to do.

Not sure if you ever saw this thread, but there bunch of different scenarios that can cause a fall, even after people have "assessed the risks" as you put it...

http://www.audizine.com/forum/showth...ds#post5486219

Never saw the thread, it's a good reminder to be cautious when working beneath a vehicle. But I call BS on the insinuation that each person in those scenarios accurately assessed the situation and applied adequate risk mitigating steps as I have mine. The guy using just a jack on a grassy hill? Really? Was it intentional that you quoted me saying 'assessed the risk' when my statement was 'accurately assess risks"?

[BITRBO]

Which surface (shown in my picture) supporting the car can roll?

Seriously? Maybe the flat portion of the ramp that the rear wheels are sitting on? I have a set of Gorilla ramps myself, and that flat area at the top isn't much bigger than the contact patch of the tire. Once you make it over the little "lip" on the back edge (which isn't that difficult - I've had to push my car off the ramps in neutral before), the car drops FAST.

I never attempted to justify that it is safe by stating the reason is because the car hasn't fallen on me yet.

Well, you basically insinuated that just cause you've "accurately assessed the risk" that it was something that was perfectly safe (read smart) to do. Again, just cause the car hasn't fallen on you yet doesn't mean it's a good idea. By you continuing to argue with me on this, you're obviously trying to justify what you did. Just call a spade a spade man.

I disagree that disengaging the e-brake is all it takes for all the safety precautions to go out the window. I tried pushing the car off the ramps and it's not an easy thing to do.

Oh, ok. So if you have the rear of a vehicle supported on basically rollers, and you suddenly take away its resistance for horizontal movement, how does the entire supported object not suddenly become more likely to move (in the direction of the rollers) given an outside force?? That's great you weren't able push the car off the ramps, but did you really disengage the rear e-brake? Were you really trying to push that hard?

Never saw the thread, it's a good reminder to be cautious when working beneath a vehicle. But I call BS on the insinuation that each person in those scenarios accurately assessed the situation and applied adequate risk mitigating steps as I have mine. The guy using just a jack on a grassy hill? Really? Was it intentional that you quoted me saying 'assessed the risk' when my statement was 'accurately assess risks"?

No intention - Purely semantics.

Yes the kids on a grassy hill were idiots, but some of the other scenarios we're all that risky IMO and are certainly plausible.

My point is: Working under a car on 4-jack stands is risky enough as it is, although I'm 99.99% positive that it would take a substantial amount more force to dislodge a vehicle on 4-stands than vs. 2-stands + 2-ramps (again, assuming the rear-brakes were accidentally disengaged for some reason). It's really simple physics.

[Mille Bornes]

lol I think the ramps are fine. I mean, I had my car sitting on breeze blocks for like 6 months, and then again for a few days when I pulled the powertrain the second time.
It'll only fall once

In all seriousness though, stands and ramps does have my vote of approval

[rdcyclist]

Dang some guys wrapped around the axle about shit they have no visibility in to. Bitrbo, I'm sure you're absolutely positive about the safety of working under a car on stands and ramps but you're pretty much full of shit on this one. It's way safer stand/ramping it than working on a car with the front end up on stands and the rear on the tires. Just need to set the brake and chock the wheels. Most ramps I've worked with aren't flat on the top and you cannot push the car out of the depression the wheel is set in. Just like chocking the wheels but you don't have the car cantilevered up on the rear wheels.

In fact, I would venture to say that ramps are safer than stands with a much wider footprint they are much less likely to tip over.

Now you want to get wrapped around the axle about being stupid working under a car, slag on the guy that had his car up on CINDER BLOCKS. That's absolutely the fucking stupidest thing ever. But that's just IMHO...

[FlyboyS4]

Seriously? Maybe the flat portion of the ramp that the rear wheels are sitting on?

The ramps don't roll. I guess you meant to say the tires could roll off the ramps.

I have a set of Gorilla ramps myself, and that flat area at the top isn't much bigger than the contact patch of the tire. Once you make it over the little "lip" on the back edge (which isn't that difficult - I've had to push my car off the ramps in neutral before), the car drops FAST.

Apparently the lip on the ramps you have is inconsequential to get over, like I stated previously, I put my car on the rhino ramps and tried to push the car off and it would not roll off, and that was with the front end free to roll. If I had help from another person or two perhaps it would have made it up the lip, but that's a very different situation than the one you describe where 'somebody' leans against the car while another person is working under it.

Well, you basically insinuated that just cause you've "accurately assessed the risk" that it was something that was perfectly safe (read smart) to do. Again, just cause the car hasn't fallen on you yet doesn't mean it's a good idea. By you continuing to argue with me on this, you're obviously trying to justify what you did. Just call a spade a spade man.

No - I never insinuated it was safe, in fact I stated explicitly a couple of times that there are risks to working under the car. I'm arguing with you because you claimed the setup was 'super dangerous', that I am in supposedly in denial about the risks involved with working under the car, and because you cannot provide a reasonable justification for either claim.

Oh, ok. So if you have the rear of a vehicle supported on basically rollers, and you suddenly take away its resistance for horizontal movement, how does the entire supported object not suddenly become more likely to move (in the direction of the rollers) given an outside force?? That's great you weren't able push the car off the ramps, but did you really disengage the rear e-brake? Were you really trying to push that hard?

The rear of the car is not 'basically on rollers'. When I tried to push my car off the ramps yes the person in the car really did disengage the e-brake. I was able to push the car, with a good amount of effort, somewhere around an inch before the lip prevented further movement, at which point I turned around to put my back against the car and pushed as hard as I could to raise it over the ramp lip and failed to do so. That's not to say that it cannot be done or that a few people working together could not, but in the context of the scenario of me working on the car I find it highly unlikely a couple people are going to wander along into my garage and decide they want to roll the car off the ramps. Additionally I did not try doing this with the front end stabilized by jack stands, the front wheels were free to roll on the garage floor. If the front end were on jack stands it would be harder still.

Yes the kids on a grassy hill were idiots, but some of the other scenarios we're all that risky IMO and are certainly plausible.

I'm not disagreeing they were dangerous, what I am disagreeing with is that there is a similarity to the setup I have. People using a car jack, or single jack stands, those are different situations and illustrate why I think it is important to use main jackstands as well as backups, and why I use automotive ramps with some safety features built in.

My point is: Working under a car on 4-jack stands is risky enough as it is, although I'm 99.99% positive that it would take a substantial amount more force to dislodge a vehicle on 4-stands than vs. 2-stands + 2-ramps (again, assuming the rear-brakes were accidentally disengaged for some reason). It's really simple physics.

The simple physics involves the vehicle being raised vertically in order for it to move horizontally, and that takes more force than a person leaning against the car would apply. But to be clear, I wouldn't want anyone touching my car while I was working under it.

[Hulksmash]

I have the AAM single . So smooth . Like riding on a cloud.