Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) Why no paint on the drive shaft?

[diesel DOG]

Is there a particular reason for this?:--)

 

[Double 6]

Another way to cut costs by DC, they may use another whole 1/16 of a ounce of paint.

 

[JHansen]

$$$$... .



Or DC wanted to improve their fuel mileage by eliminating that extra bit of rotating driveline mass.....



You decide!



Jason

 

[MikeR]

So the paint doesn't sag as it dries causing it to be out of balance

 

[Todd T]

Mine has a nice Black sheen to it.....

i Painted it with some single stage urethane while i was waiting for clutch parts last week



along with cleaning up the underside and washing both cross members while i had them out.

 

[CharlieMiller]

I've never seen a painted driveshaft. I have always assumed it was because it would cause an out of balance problem.

 

[Joe G.]

It's where you can't see it normally so Dodge save a few nickels by not painting it.

 

[Dr.Kayak]

I have been wanting to post about this as well... . I have major rust on my drive shaft, U-joints, access cover to transfer case... ect. I was wanting to paint them. I want this truck to last a long time. OK to paint?



My rear differential on my old Dakota looked like Hell with rust. I painted it once and the paint lasted 6 years, till I sold it. Can't beleive DC. .

 

[diesel DOG]

I think I'll jack it up and have some one take it to 60 mph and then paint it with Por 15 while it's spinning

 

[SS]

I spent over 2 hours under mine when I received it painting anything that wasn't, peeling any unsightly labels, and generally cleaning up wire routings, etc.



I know most of you are joking about the paint causing an out of balance condition. You would have to be the world's worst painter to affect the balance (or put on WAY too many coats). Just use a quality spray bomb with several light coats.

 

[chuck3]

I painted mine a year ago, could not stand seeing all the rust on it.

 

[n7gxz]

An interesting thing about how painting something will effect the balance of it is in the world of aircraft. The rudder is painted and balanced before it is installed in the airframe. The rest of the plane is painted after it is all assembled. If they waited to paint the rudder until it is installed it can not be balanced and thus can cause the rudder to be out of balance causing handling problems.



Kevin

 

[Jumbo Jet]

Why? - to give the owner the opportunity to crawl under and inspect the work without all the "coverup" of paint.



I painted all the bare metal on my '02 the 2nd day I had it. Had to take the wheels off to paint the brake calipers, rotors, etc.



One thing I discovered was that the '02 has the entire cab undercoated. My '01 sure didn't.

 

[diesel DOG]

All 02's are undercoated? I'll look at the dealer. What did they do it with? Did the dealer do it?

 

[proflow]

Undercoat

On the 02 they undercoated the underside of the cab, & none of the box. Actually did a pretty good job of not overspraying everything. I wish this product would have been "non hardening" though. ----Proflow

 

[fredflinstone]

Undercoating???

My 2001 one is also undercoated , but only the cab. I assumed this was the norm for all the new diesel's just to cut down on noise??

 

[cArNiVaLwOrKeR]

I would like to paint the axles and other areas that are FADING...

 

[AFoulk]

yeah, mines undercoated too. Unfortunately most of its coming off

 

[Grizzly]

I would like to paint the axles and other areas that are FADING...

You dug up a 6 year old thread!

 

[proflow]

That Por-15 is some pretty good stuff. I still need to do it myself---Proflow