Has anyone used the Mazdatrix aluminum driveshaft with a 20b? Wondering if it will hold up to 600 ft lbs of tq. Also does it affect the driveability of the car much? My car will mostly be a weekend driver. Here's the link.

http://www.mazdatrix.com/g9.htm

-Destin

 

The question is...how much of an advantage do you gain?
The stock FC turbo driveshaft is VERY light!
There are rumors that it's already aluminum, but I've never tested this yet (i.e. magnet).

If you got the money, I'd rather go $800 ACPT carbon fiber one.
http://www.acpt.com/


-Ted

 

You could order up a nice quartermaster aluminum driveshaft ready to bolt up WITH REPLACEABLE U-JOINTS and ability to swap out snouts for a different trans when you realize that the TII trans isn't strong enough (hint hint). That and they have a warranty if you don't exceed the spec'd torque #'s for the driveshaft (not exactly sure on the details of that though). Oh, and they are a local shop to me (just a few towns away, awsome people to work with, they want you happy, not just your money), so I'm always willing to plug them.

Honestly, I don't know enough to be able to make any knowledgable comments on the mazdatrix peice, but I can vouch for the fact that their driveshafts can hold the torque from engines that slip on the engine dyno from the power they put out, so they definatley are quality peices, and definatley worth the cost and insurance when talking about a 20b 7.

Furthermore, I don't know if I agree with RETed on the CF driveshaft. I know CF is strong and light, but in that kind of environment where the driveshaft may see huge torque spikes depending on the turbo setup, I just see the driveshaft exploding into a fine dust. Now, I don't know enough to talk smack about them, so don't take it like that, I'm just saying that's my opinion on the whole CF driveshaft thing in general. I know nobody in the club I race in uses them because of the same feelings, but they may be able to hold their own to aluminum, I just don't know for sure.

 

^ Okay, after reading the website ted posted, I retract my last paragraph (which wasn't really a paragraph because it lacked indentation, but you get the idea). I actually like that peice and may look into it in the future, I always like stuff that takes away risk of killing me, even if it is a few bucks more!

 

I was talking to one of my teachers who used to do racing and now owns a performance shop. He says the the main problem with carbon fiber driveshafts is that because the yoke can't be welded to the composite material, they use some sort of glue or adhesive. Because of this, that is the weakest point and he says that with his experience, thats where they fail the most. The yoke separates from the shaft.

Then again I dont have my own experience with them. Just sharing what i've heard.

 

The shop i work at, the owner has a 2,400 horsepower drag corvette, and it runs a 6.86 in the quarter mile. He has been using the same carbon fiber driveshaft for 4 years with over 1000 pases on it, so I think they are pretty solid. Could vary alot from one company to the next though.....

 

Thats hard for me to believe.. but I also don't know how they make it..

Most CF stuff, you have to layer up the CF to make it strong. Hence you could re-design the yoke so that it will inter lace with the CF.. Maybe drill some holes or something.. I'm sure someone figure this out instead of gluing the yoke.

 

I think the problem is RPM related. With an engine turning 9,000 RPMs to as high as 12,500 RPMs on the drag strip there might be some warping/shattering. What is wrong with the stock one? They are abundant, cheap, and strong. Why waste money on something that's readily available?

 

Because generally speaking aftermarket aluminum/CF driveshafts are lighter which is less rotational mass. It allows for quicker revs. Also on a downside it drops rpm's quicker during shifts, much like a lightweight flywheel.

-Destin

 

I believe you have the idea, just totally incorrect. A lighter driveshaft will make the Chassis accelerate faster, and de-cel faster, It wont affect the rev between shifts at all, as the driveshaft is not connected to the motor once the clutch is pushed in.

 

Right. Thanks for correcting me.

-Destin