Aluminum driveshaft goin up in price

[85_SS_302_Coupe]

Thanks for the tip on the price increase. What's the install like on the driveshaft? Hours, equip, snags, etc.

Just about the easiest thing you can do next to rotating your tires...lol. Jack up your car, unbolt 4 bolts that hold the shaft to the rear end, (you may want something to catch a little trany fluid under the trany, when you slip the input shaft out it leaks a little) then do the same thing in reverse to put the new one in. Sometimes the bolts are a little tough to get out, i recommend using the E brake to keep things from turning so you can get a good torque on'em. And remember to use jack stands!

 

[Gearbanger 101]

I just looked the used Aerostar ones up on www.car-part.com for a 92 model, there is 16 pages of them across the country ranging in price from $25-250! Too bad none of them are down south close to me!

If you can find an AWD Aerostar in the junkyards, you'll find the aluminum drive shaft in there. Not sure of the years, but its probalby around early 90s. Just FYI

what year aerostar had the aluminum drive shaft and was it for AWD or 2wd auto or manual? thanks

Well guys, I have good news and bad news for you. Yes the AWD Aerostar drive shafts are aluminum and could work. The bad news is, is they're too long and not a direct bolt-on. They have to be shortened and re-welded. I've got 3 of them sitting in my shed at home right now and am actually planning to tackle the project in the next couple of weeks. Anyone ever have any success in doing this?

 

[NKau]

I was told that china is buying the crap out of steel and aluminum to put up some structures for the sites of the next olympics they are having there.QUOTE]


Not sure if that is the whole of it, but I know China used to be a large copper exporter, but now are actually importing it to satisfy demand which kind of has a two-fold effect on the price of copper here. Anyone who deals with scrap steel and aluminum can also tell you that the price of that stuff has sharply increased in recent months. Wonder how this will impact stuff like prices on aluminum heads, etc.?

 

[blk92stangg]

I think there is more going on here than just the price of aluminum...is anyone's Coke or Bud in cans going up in price too? Granted, there is less aluminum in a coke can, the increase in price doesn't seem reasonable.

 

[glock]

Commodity prices are headed up across the board, including oil. Large demand from developing countries and a rebounding manufacturing sector. Material goods are the first in a long chain, expect this trend to continue.

Thanks for the info on installation. I just ordered a DS from jegs.

 

[NKau]

I think there is more going on here than just the price of aluminum...is anyone's Coke or Bud in cans going up in price too? Granted, there is less aluminum in a coke can, the increase in price doesn't seem reasonable.

There's currently a global shortage of aluminum due to increased demand in China, and it might take up to a year for the prices to come back down to normal levels. If you think of the scale on which Coca-Cola sells canned soda, you can see where they will have to make up that cost of production difference somehow.

 

[trbkrb]

Gearbanger 101,

I don't have any personal experience with the AWD driveshafts, but according to several people on here and Corral that have supposedly used them, I understood that they were the same length. I know the ones we have down here (all RWD), are all too long. I guess I'll have to get someone to measure one before I blindly buy it.

Thanks for the heads up!