Spydershaft Driveshaft Install!

Well, long over due, here is my install write up on what I think is one of the best mods i've done and the price simply can't be beat!

This install is based on the 07. I believe there is a crossmember on the 05/06 that needs to be removed also. The instructions included are very detailed!

Items included:
1 piece Aluminum driveshaft
new bolts for the rear of the driveshaft
new pinion flange with seal
excellent instructions

Tools Required:
10mm socket
12mm socket
14mm socket
27mm socket
3/8 drive ratchet/air ratchet
1/2 drive ratchet/breaker bar
1/2 drive torque wrench/good to 140ft/lbs
gear/bearing puller
Impact gun
An extra person makes it faster!

Step 1. Open up the box and check out this beast!


Step 2.
Get the car in the air via lift or jack stands.

Step 3.
Now make sure e-brake is engaged. Starting with the front end of the driveshaft, remove as many bolts as you can with the 12mm socket and ratchet, then disengage e-brake, spin shaft, re-engage e-brake, and remove remaining bolts.


Step 4.
Next, slide to the rear end of the driveshaft, pull e-brake and using a 10mm socket and ratchet, remove as many of the bolts as possible. Have someone release e-brake, then spin shaft, pull e-brake again and remove remaining bolts.


Step 5.
Using a 14mm socket and ratchet, loosen the 2 bolts, then with one hand support the bearing carrier and remove the bolts with the other hand or have another person hold it as you remove the bolts. *WARNING* The stock driveshaft is HEAVY!! BE CAREFUL! On bolt I had to remove with the ratchet facing the rear end, and the other facing the trans. There isn't alot of room due to the exhaust, so take your time. Hard to make out the 2 bolts in the picture, but the car is honestly resting on my chest while doing this install. I'm too poor for a lift...



Step 6.
Slowly slide the driveshaft out the rear of the car and onto the ground. Please be careful! Compare the 2 shafts..yeah, get rid of that dead weight!



Step 7.
Time to remove the stock pinion flange using the 27mm and 1/2 ratchet or impact gun...use the impact gun! I made the mistake of using the ratchet and added about 2 hours to my install time......Lets say I hit 2 balls out of the park when the socket slipped off the nut.

After removing the pinion nut, I lightly tapped my stock flange off, but a gear/bearing puller would have worked better. When you pull this off, install the spydershaft flange quickly to keep from losing alot of diff fluid.

stock flange

spyder flange


Step 8.
Once the spyder flange is pushing onto the pinion shaft, reinstall pinion nut with red locktite and torque to 125-150ft/lbs. I went with 140ft/lbs. This is important to set the proper bearing preload.

Step 9.
Slide the spydershaft up into place from the rear of the car with the large diameter end toward the rear of the car and the slip joint toward the trans.

Step 10.
Put trans into gear and bolt up the front of the driveshaft to the trans flange using the stock bolts and the 12mm socket and ratchet with some red locktite. You will probably only be able to get 2 installed, then take the car out of gear to spin the shaft to install the remaining 2.

Yes X pattern OEM specs are 76 lb ft tranny and 41 lb ft pinion, but since the pinion flange is replaced and the pinion bolts supplied with the Spyder are the same as the tranny bolts (they aren't in OEM), I torqued to 76 lb ft also.

The manual says both the tranny and pinion bolts should be replaced (Spyder provides the pinion bolts)...UNLESS you use "a medium strength thread locker" (red loctite) DON'T FORGET THE LOCTITE!



Step 11.

Engage e-brake and pull driveshaft into place against pinion flange. Install the supplied bolts with locktite and the 12mm socket and ratchet. Install what you can, disengage e-brake, spin the driveshaft, engage e-brake, and install remaining bolts.



Step 12.
Lower car back down and go burn some rubber!

Opinion of Spydershaft:
Pros:
Cost-Half the price of others of the same material and strength.

One piece-reduced slop in the drivetrain.

Weight-OMG, at least half the weight! I believe my stock was around 60lbs and the spydershaft is around 25lbs. This will knock off alittle time at the strip!

Strength-This thing has been tested on 500+rwhp drag cars with slicks and shows no signs of failure!

Cons: You make your car faster???

Overall I think this is one of the best buys i've found and think is a great mod to add to anyone's car that is looking for some more strength to handle that added power, or someone just looking for better quality and less slop in the drivetrain. This thing is smooth as butter and I am 110% satisfied with it! Customer support is top notch also, but I doubt you will ever need it.

Nice !! thanks.

I envy you so bad.
One day....

Enitalp said:

I envy you so bad.
One day....

Click to expand...

Ditto...

Thanks Kimmer!!
great write-up. i'm going to have Justin link that on my website.

Sounds good. Glad you can use it!

Thanks Kimmer. Man I can't wait to do this one. I might even wait to do the UDP's and do this instead...Kimmer: had you dynoed you car prior to the Spydershaft install? I bet that because if the lower weight, especially on a rotational piece of the driveline, the driveline loss is lower with this shaft....and therefore you would put more hp and tq to the ground....in fact this would be in interesting test to run...for the next person doing the install.

No, I wish I would have though mr. clean. I've had it on for about a month and am very happy with it!

MrClean said:

Thanks Kimmer. Man I can't wait to do this one. I might even wait to do the UDP's and do this instead...Kimmer: had you dynoed you car prior to the Spydershaft install? I bet that because if the lower weight, especially on a rotational piece of the driveline, the driveline loss is lower with this shaft....and therefore you would put more hp and tq to the ground....in fact this would be in interesting test to run...for the next person doing the install.

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dyno hp gains are in the 8-10rwhp range but where it really makes the difference is in acceleration. less rotational weight allows the engine to rev quicker which make the car acclerate quicker. this you can definitely feel after the install.

spyder7724 said:

dyno hp gains are in the 8-10rwhp range but where it really makes the difference is in acceleration. less rotational weight allows the engine to rev quicker which make the car acclerate quicker. this you can definitely feel after the install.

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Thanks, makes sense. Unfortunately vacations, kids b-day parties etc have sapped the cash-flow for now, but as soon as I can pull it off, I'm getting it from you!

MrClean said:

Thanks, makes sense. Unfortunately vacations, kids b-day parties etc have sapped the cash-flow for now, but as soon as I can pull it off, I'm getting it from you!

Click to expand...

whenever you're ready just pm or email me.

Thanks for the install guide. I need to get this done but I'm having some clutch issues that I want to work out before I modify something else. I agree with kimmer on this, this is a quality piece. Nice work Ron!

mwilkes said:

Thanks for the install guide. I need to get this done but I'm having some clutch issues that I want to work out before I modify something else. I agree with kimmer on this, this is a quality piece. Nice work Ron!

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i can't take credit for this it was all kimmer

Hey, just making sure people know about a great product. If your bite bars are anything like the quality of the d/s, you'll see a write up on those too..lol. Keep the great products coming!

Im straped for cash as well, I am saving for this exact driveshaft.

I bent my stocker while driving over a log a 70 mph and it wedged up under my car. landscaping truck that dropped it kept on going.
a lot of vibration now over 55 so I don't drive my car much these days.

2k05gt said:

Im straped for cash as well, I am saving for this exact driveshaft.

I bent my stocker while driving over a log a 70 mph and it wedged up under my car. landscaping truck that dropped it kept on going.
a lot of vibration now over 55 so I don't drive my car much these days.

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I'm sorry to hear that, that really blows. On a happier note welcome to the site!! Have a big ROOT BEER on me!

yeah, welcome to the site. Something else to think about is that everyone with the spydershaft more than likely has their stock driveshaft laying around. Maybe they would be willing to part with it to help you out.

mwilkes said:

yeah, welcome to the site. Something else to think about is that everyone with the spydershaft more than likely has their stock driveshaft laying around. Maybe they would be willing to part with it to help you out.

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Now that's a great suggestion! I would make mine available, but I still have the stocker installed....but that may change by the end of July...

2k05gt... Welcome to the forum!

I hear a bent shaft can be quite painful.

2k05gt said:

Im straped for cash as well, I am saving for this exact driveshaft.

I bent my stocker while driving over a log a 70 mph and it wedged up under my car. landscaping truck that dropped it kept on going.
a lot of vibration now over 55 so I don't drive my car much these days.

Click to expand...

Welcome to the forum and that sucks. I guess there wasn't much time to see the license plate much less get the number.

ur welcome to mine when I get the Spydershaft in about a month..or less, depending if I change jobs...it was replaced under warranty at 400mi 9the other one had a reverberation at 67 mph). This puppy is perfectly balanced...had it up to 130 w/o problems.