OLD vs. New: Steel vs. Aluminum Driveshaft

JoshH

Daggum farm truck
Staff member
Vendor/Sponsor
Feb 14, 2007
13,606
641
113
Texas!!!
Is your truck 2wd or 4wd? Regular, extended or crew cab? Long bed or short bed? All these things play a role in which driveshaft you get.
 

baddaddition

New member
Mar 10, 2013
287
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0
Well my experience is this.... I exploded my stock aluminum. CCSB. Mind u. I had a company build me a steel one at I believe 65 in. Don't quote that, but it has a tendancy to flex at a high rate of speed unlike aluminum which is more rigid. It ruined a tail bearing in 100 mile. So I would stick with aluminum if possible. Does yours have a carrier or one piece?
 

1pieceatatime

Member
Mar 30, 2014
179
0
16
Schuyler NY
Well my experience is this.... I exploded my stock aluminum. CCSB. Mind u. I had a company build me a steel one at I believe 65 in. Don't quote that, but it has a tendancy to flex at a high rate of speed unlike aluminum which is more rigid. It ruined a tail bearing in 100 mile. So I would stick with aluminum if possible. Does yours have a carrier or one piece?


I tell people this all the time, do your homework before you replace an aluminum driveshaft with a steel driveshaft. Some guys have issues with steel replacement on CCSB trucks and some guys don't. I ( as a guy that works in a driveline shop) try to discourage replacement of aluminum shafts with steel shafts.

FWIW, the ECLB is about 74'"s center of U-joint kits, CCSB about 72" and ECSB with the steel shafts are around 66.5".

From what I have seen most of the LLY, and LBZ ECSB trucks have the larger 1480 series U-joints and heavier .083 wall tubing compared to the LB7s .065 wall.