saw this in a new speedway catalog in their "new products" section. maybe they had this stuff before and i just never noticed it. it will come in handy for me and maybe for some of you..premade new driveshafts: 5 different length shafts (for 1310 series u-joints) , four lengths slip yokes for th350 /powerglide/700r4 , and two different combination u-joints for ford or chevy rear ends. the prices seam fair....i just had an all new driveshaft made for a `40 ford project i'm working on and it cost a little over $300 the shafts could be used on non chevy transmissions buy using a combination u-joint on the front for your slip yoke here is a link to the suff on their website: http://www.speedwaymotors.com/xq/aspx/display_id.2187/qx/Product.htm
I got mine from inland truck, they made it in 1 day, $215 with life warranty. They have many locations across midwest/east coast. Good people
there was quite a bit of neat new stuff in the new catalog. one thing to keep in mind with those driveshaft kits, is that you'll still have to have it balanced one you ***emble the ujoints and yoke. i also noticed the absence of spider caps in the new catalog, not available anymore?
I saw those too but immediately thought about balancing. You're still going to have to go to a driveline shop. I'd rather just spend the few extra bucks to get a driveshaft completely done. They do have a bunch of new stuff and are definitely the best catalog out there for hot rod goodies!
The NEW thing that I noticed the most was the prices, I bought a semi elleptical front end kit for my willys 2 months ago for $360 and now they are $410 !!! All the front end kits have gone up $50, I could see going up a little, but 50 bucks is a lot of difference.
i got one of those speedway driveshafts in my 31 coupe and am very pleased with it no vibrations what so ever.just my .02
Just got a driveshaft made and balanced for my coupe at a local shop. We used a 65 fairlane front yoke, a tube from their pile and I had to get a new setup for that rear end as what it had isn't available anymore. With new U-joints and balance and the yoke on the rear end $142.00.
Yeah, I noticed 'em also. My local shop is a little cheaper and I don't have to wait for shippin'. Good to see they are available though.
Check the price of steel lately? Not only do they have to raise the price with its current cost, but they have to anticipate its future costs. Either that or do a catalog like so many others that says "call for pricing".
Inland has a dealer here too. Another reason to use a driveline shop and MAKE SURE it's balanced is the fact that they insert a cardboard tube inside, to absorb small harmonics. (vibrations) Our Bonneville car acted funny the first couple of years (was causing what we thought was a bit of "wheel hop") until the driveshaft shop said, "You should have told us you were going to go over 200 MPH! We need to increase to thickness of the cardboard tube!" We're now considering a "gl*** fiber" drive shaft.
We have 3 shops in our area that can build driveshafts from scratch and they are all cheaper than speedways by the time you factor everything. Don't forget the old trick of using a garage name and pay the tax if you can. I lot of these places charge more money to reg. joes off the street vs. a repair shop. Cheapest driveshaft I ever got was from the local u pull it. Luck plays a big part. Who knew a dodge van driveshaft would fit a 59 chev pickup with a 4l60e and camaro rear but it was perfect and at 20.00 bucks was sweet..
Theres another neat thing in that catalog on page 25. An 11/16 rod end with a 5/8 hole.... That will fit in standard suspension tubes and convert your system to rod type ends, AND it will allow you to connect the old tubes to your steering arm by boring the taper hole out to 5/8. That one item will save me lots !!!
That is cheap. I had a driveshaft made by the local shop for my 53 Olds and it cost me $320. Now I just make my own. But for a new tube w/new ends, that's cheap. Karl
the thing i noticed probably more than most.....the finally started grouping stuff together......like the front axle / spring/ hairpin kit ...and the disk /spindle,draglink kit.....though the steering arms probably won't work in a couple situations......namely split bones....but you can swap parts around to make a kit......brandon
You can buy the ford /gm U joints over the counter at NAPA stores.I'm told but havent tried it yet that you can buy 1 each of the 2 cap sizes and swap 2 caps and end up with 2 of the mixed size joints the cross itself is supposed to the same only the od of the cap is different.tried to get the part#but the man in the know isn't there tonight.last time I got one it was $18.00
Yeah, I got excited seeing them until I saw they still don't make 'em 5x5. C'Mon guys, give us another 1/4"!
keep in mind there were NO new g***er style cars being built for a long time, the last year, and even the last few months the g***er thing has been exploding in popularity! they probably haven't had to have a new batch of straight axles made in years, so you REALLY feel the hit of the high steel prices now!
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