I have a couple of questions I need answered about a driveshaft:

1) On a 2002 T/A or Camaro with Auto, are all the driveshafts on the 5.7 engine Aluminum? Did they even make a steel shaft for the 2002?

2) Is there a difference (other than the yoke) between the driveshaft they put in the 2002 model if it has 3.23 gears or 2.73 gears (I assume it is just the yoke, but the shaft is the same size in diameter, right?)?

I am going to buy this for my 1995 T/A and want to be sure what I am getting and need to know ASAP, thanks everyone!

 

Shafts for a 2.77 car are steel, and the shafts for 3.23 & 3.42 (M6) cars are aluminum.

 

Thank you Chuck!

So, why not use either the steel or aluminum on all cars, why the difference?

 

Is the driveshaft on the 2.73 equipped cars as fat as the spindles on each end?

I know that sounds vague, but when I got my tranny flushed last time, the manager was telling me how when GM makes the aluminum shafts, the actual shaft is as big as the spindles at each end, where a conventional steel shaft is skinnier than the spindles.

 

I believe that is true...................an aluminum DS must be made larger to be as strong as a steel driveshaft of a smaller diameter, since aluminum is a lighter, weaker material than steel. I'm not sure on the exact diameters, but I'd say an aluminum one would probably be maybe 5" in diameter, whereas a steel one would be about 4" (I'm guessing a little on the #'s!!).