carbon fiber driveshaft???
I was under the impression that a driveshaft loop was to prevent just that ^, i.e turning your car into a catapult if the ds catches the ground when it breaks.
The "running a ds loop in case a u-joint fails" would pertain to any driveshaft, since they all use u-joints...
The aluminum will be just fine. My ford ranger came from the factory with an aluminum driveshaft...Did a 351 swap in it an it was pushing more torque than my supercharged G is and never gave me any issues. Four times what Ford intended it to handle without a single issue. Hell, the u-joints were already 12 years old when I did the swap.
The "running a ds loop in case a u-joint fails" would pertain to any driveshaft, since they all use u-joints...
The aluminum will be just fine. My ford ranger came from the factory with an aluminum driveshaft...Did a 351 swap in it an it was pushing more torque than my supercharged G is and never gave me any issues. Four times what Ford intended it to handle without a single issue. Hell, the u-joints were already 12 years old when I did the swap.
After having talked to Driveshaft Specialist Inc. in Texas to get a quote on an aluminum driveshaft, I discovered that they have stopped making them for the Infiniti G35. They said that one of the guys who purchased the driveshaft had exceeded the critical speed and experienced severe vibration issues. This matches what Z1 has told me over the phone about not being able to work out some issues with their supplier and not knowing when they'll receive additional quantities. It makes me think now that their supplier is Driveshaft Specialist Inc. in Texas. I also learned from Driveshaft Specialist that the issue is not just being able to handle the torque, but also about the fundamental resonance frequencies for a given material, length, and width of a shaft. For the G35, the longer shaft length requires a thicker aluminum shaft (which won't fit our cars) to guarantee avoidance of hitting the critical speed. Since carbon fiber has double the critical speed at the length required for the G35, it's guaranteed that there won't be any vibration issues.
I'm a Trucker, I've had u-joints snap and drop a shaft more than once. On this one particular Semi I was driving the front u-joint on the rear ds snapped and dropped the front of the ds on the road, no loop.
It caught a pot-hole and picked up the rear of my truck and 50,000lbs on the trailer half a foot off the ground before it all slammed down, I was only going 30 kmh. Scared me sh!tless but I was unhurt, afterwards found out it destroyed the rear diff from the shaft being jammed into it. At 80kmh it would have f@cked me up good.
It caught a pot-hole and picked up the rear of my truck and 50,000lbs on the trailer half a foot off the ground before it all slammed down, I was only going 30 kmh. Scared me sh!tless but I was unhurt, afterwards found out it destroyed the rear diff from the shaft being jammed into it. At 80kmh it would have f@cked me up good.
never saw a serious driveshaft incident. One of the fleets I currently deal with hauls as much as 200 tons (yes, 400K lbs)... of course the equipment is designed to handle massive torque, but even in these rigorous loads, I've never seen a serious (driveshaft) problem.
So - yes, anything is "possible" - and in your case I guess it happened... but it is so far from likely that's its a non-issue as far as I'm concerned.
After having talked to Driveshaft Specialist Inc. in Texas to get a quote on an aluminum driveshaft, I discovered that they have stopped making them for the Infiniti G35. They said that one of the guys who purchased the driveshaft had exceeded the critical speed and experienced severe vibration issues. This matches what Z1 has told me over the phone about not being able to work out some issues with their supplier and not knowing when they'll receive additional quantities. It makes me think now that their supplier is Driveshaft Specialist Inc. in Texas. I also learned from Driveshaft Specialist that the issue is not just being able to handle the torque, but also about the fundamental resonance frequencies for a given material, length, and width of a shaft. For the G35, the longer shaft length requires a thicker aluminum shaft (which won't fit our cars) to guarantee avoidance of hitting the critical speed. Since carbon fiber has double the critical speed at the length required for the G35, it's guaranteed that there won't be any vibration issues.
I've been in commercial transportation for 25 years... have hired hundreds of drivers, investigated countless incidents & accidents, been involved with CHP BIT inspections and Federal DOT audits - thousands of tractors & trailers...
never saw a serious driveshaft incident. One of the fleets I currently deal with hauls as much as 200 tons (yes, 400K lbs)... of course the equipment is designed to handle massive torque, but even in these rigorous loads, I've never seen a serious (driveshaft) problem.
So - yes, anything is "possible" - and in your case I guess it happened... but it is so far from likely that's its a non-issue as far as I'm concerned.
never saw a serious driveshaft incident. One of the fleets I currently deal with hauls as much as 200 tons (yes, 400K lbs)... of course the equipment is designed to handle massive torque, but even in these rigorous loads, I've never seen a serious (driveshaft) problem.
So - yes, anything is "possible" - and in your case I guess it happened... but it is so far from likely that's its a non-issue as far as I'm concerned.
You're dealing with a Trucker here, not a Port Jockey. I regularly haul maxed out at my truck's 63,500 kg GVW and was doing this two months out of Commercial Driving School across the Canadian Rockies in winter hauling pipe for the oilfields with a super b flat, this was 9 years ago. It was a relatively light load positioned on a 53' tridem deck in just the right place so that it probably helped to lift the rear of my tractor when the shaft snagged, a cantilever effect.
You're missing my point though, my reason for mentioning a ds dropping is because this is why most if not all drag strips require a ds loop, depending on the track rules someone buying a one-piece shaft might not pass tech inspection if they try to drag their car without one. Statistically it dropping might be a non-issue but the loop is still required for a **** happens moment even if that moment never happens.
I also think that the carbon fiber driveshaft is overkill because I use my G35 for daily driving and have never exceeded 100mph in it. The only issue is that I can no longer purchase an aluminum one (from Z1 or Drive Shaft Specialist), and am forced to get the CF one because I really want this upgrade. While ACPT offers an aluminum one, they have never actually built one and cannot guarantee against vibration issues.
depending on the track rules someone buying a one-piece shaft might not pass tech inspection if they try to drag their car without one. Statistically it dropping might be a non-issue but the loop is still required for a **** happens moment even if that moment never happens.
Bottom line is; in theory there is a chance - in reality its simply a non-issue (for the DS and car we are discussing).
I didnt even see it on their website last night (unless I missed it?)
Z1 does not have these in stock and is unable to specify when they will have more in stock. To me, that's equivalent to no longer offering it for sale.
Well, hopefully the subjects discussed here are invalid so they can continue to offer a more cost effective alternative to the CF driveshaft. Or something did indeed happen with one of the people who previously bought an AL driveshaft.
I would think if something did happen, it would be mentioned here - so others that have one (or get one) are aware... I doubt anything happened, but the chatter might be cause of concern? More likely a production issue...
