SINGLE-PIECE DRIVESHAFT
Dana used the IAA Commercial Vehicles Show in Germany to unveil the Spicer Formed Aluminum Tube Driveshaft. Designed for medium-sized pickups and light commercial vehicles up to class 6, it’s a single-piece assembly with reduced weight and increased assembly clearance when compared to a traditional two-piece steel driveshaft.
Available in the summer of 2013 as an option for Spicer Life Series driveshafts in North America, the new product is said to weigh up to 25% less than two-piece steel assemblies.
Starting with a straight tube, it’s shaped to have an expanded center using a proprietary hydroforming manufacturing process. This expanded center allows it to run at higher speeds for a given length, Dana explains, while offering increased strength and up to a 5% reduction in weight over straight aluminum tube driveshaft designs.
Because the driveshaft consists of a single piece, vehicle responsiveness is said to be improved. By eliminating the center bearing required in a two-piece assembly, noise and vibration are reduced.
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