High Performance Driveshafts

Performance Driveshafts and Driveshaft Parts in This Category

This category covers complete performance driveshafts plus the yokes, joints, bearings and safety hardware that connect them. Each piece has to work with the others, so it helps to shop the driveline as a system. Start with the subcategory that matches the part you're replacing or upgrading:

• Driveshafts and components for complete shafts and replacement shaft parts
• U-joints for connecting shafts and yokes, including greaseable 1350-series joints
• Driveshaft yokes for slip, pinion and flange-style connections
• Carrier and center support bearings for two-piece driveshaft setups
• Driveshaft safety loops for containing a broken shaft or failed U-joint
• U-joint straps and girdles for clamping U-joint caps at the pinion yoke

If you're building a complete drivetrain package, browse our full selection of transmission and drivetrain parts too. You'll find the transmissions and rear-end components your new driveshaft connects.

Aluminum vs Steel vs Carbon Fiber Driveshafts

Choose aluminum for light weight and RPM capability, steel or chromoly for strength, and carbon fiber for minimal weight and vibration damping. Each material balances cost, strength and weight differently, so match it to how you drive.

Aluminum is lighter than steel and has a higher critical speed at a given tube diameter. That makes it a popular upgrade for street performance cars and many bracket cars. The Quarter Master aluminum driveshaft with a 50-inch center-to-center length is one example in this category.

Steel and chromoly driveshafts are stronger and tolerate dings and debris better than aluminum. That durability matters for high-torque launches and heavy-duty use where the shaft takes repeated shock loads.

Carbon fiber weighs less than either metal, and it damps driveline vibration well. It costs more, though, and it's sensitive to impact damage. For more on component choices, see our brakes and drivetrain tech articles.

How to Measure for a Replacement Driveshaft

Measure with the suspension at ride height, from the transmission tailshaft seal or slip yoke to the centerline of the pinion yoke U-joint. An accurate number sets proper slip yoke engagement as the suspension moves. A wrong measurement can leave the yoke too shallow or let it bottom out.

Follow these steps before you order a new shaft:

• Support the car at the wheels or axle so the suspension sits at ride height
• Note your transmission model and rear end, such as a Turbo 400 with a Ford 9-inch
• Measure from the tailshaft seal to the pinion U-joint centerline
• Repeat the measurement and record it before you shop

Driveline angles matter as much as length. If you've changed ride height, motor mounts or rear suspension, your old angles may no longer work. Check your pinion and transmission angles with our driveline angle guide for rear-wheel drive and drag racing before you install the new shaft.

Choosing Slip Yokes, Pinion Yokes and U-Joint Series

Choose a slip yoke by transmission model and output spline count, and choose a pinion yoke by rear end and U-joint series. The U-joint series must match at every connection, or the parts won't fit together.

For automatics, Moser Engineering offers transmission yokes for Turbo 400 and Powerglide applications. Sonnax adds a TH400 slip yoke, plus 6-bolt and 8-bolt aluminum adapter flange yokes for 1350-series U-joints.

Strange Engineering builds transmission yokes in 2-piece chromoly, nodular iron and cast iron, along with an S-Series pinion yoke. Dana Spicer covers slip yokes and the greaseable SVL 1350 Series U-joint.

The 1350 series is a common step up from the smaller 1310 for higher-torque builds. Before you order, check the cap diameter and span of your current joints. That way your new driveshaft, yokes and U-joints all line up on the first try.

Driveline Safety and Vibration Control

Secure your U-joints, contain a failed shaft and keep angles and balance in check to control vibration. These steps protect your car, your rear end and you.

Moroso heavy-duty U-joint straps fit Dana 60 and Ford 9-inch rear ends with a 1350 yoke, giving the caps a secure hold. Moroso also offers U-joint girdles for the Ford 9-inch.

A safety loop wraps the front of the shaft, so a broken joint can't let it whip into the floor or drop to the ground. On two-piece shafts, a worn center support bearing is a common vibration source. Dana Spicer offers an SVL 1610 Series center support bearing for these setups.

Vibration usually points to worn U-joints, poor balance or incorrect angles. Out-of-balance tires can feel the same, so rule them out first. If your car shakes at speed, start by diagnosing a car that shakes at highway speeds before you replace parts.