Dana Holding Corporation has introduced a new series of lightweight, one-piece aluminum drive shafts. According to Dana, the Spicer Diamond Series drive shafts weigh 40 percent less than traditional two-piece steel drive shafts, have fewer parts and help reduce noise, vibration and hardness problems. The new drive shaft will reach the commercial market in late 2011.
“Dana engineers provide innovations based on customer need and marketplace evolution, creating products and processes that deliver value, ingenuity, and performance,” says George Constand, Dana’s chief technical and quality officer. “The Spicer Diamond Series driveshaft is a prime example of this, offering our customers the compelling combination of a robust and reduced-weight driveline solution that is also environmentally friendly.”
According to Dana, the new drive shaft was created as one-piece by eliminating the center bearing of the shaft and reducing three joint connections to two. Dana claims the one-piece shaft improves vehicle efficiency by reducing component wear, and the use of high-strength aluminum offers corrosion resistance.
