Video Review & Installation

Hey, Stephanie with AmericanMuscle.com, and this is my review of The Driveshaft Shop's carbon fiber one-piece driveshaft for 2015 and '16 GTs.A carbon fiber one-piece driveshaft is going to be for any S550 owner that's looking to strengthen their driveline and drop some weight while they're at it. The 2015 Mustang still comes from factory with a two-piece driveshaft, which is going to inherently have some weaknesses. A big thing to call out here would be that the DSS driveshaft is going to be much lighter. We know that the stock driveshaft weighs roughly 33 pounds, and I have the scale to measure this carbon fiber version, which looks like it weighs right around 26 pounds. Now keep in mind that we do have the adapter plate on this guy, which is going to add a little bit of weight to this. The weight savings here should mean improvements such as faster revs, better throttle response, and less vibrations or clunking during driving.And looking at these driveshafts, I can tell you that I like the trans end for the manual version because it has a hearty flange with a solid-looking U-joint, and I like that the differential end for both options has a nice CV-joint that's going to be more stable than other options, like a slider. Another thing I like is the carbon fiber. The carbon fiber version is going to be lighter than even the aluminum one-piece driveshaft, and I know it's more expensive, between $1,300 and $1,400, but I think a carbon fiber driveshaft is nicer because of the way the material reacts to hard driving. It gives more of a torsional twist, way more than a stock driveshaft, and even more than the aluminum one-piece driveshaft, but without any kind of reverse snap. And, ultimately, the construction of this driveshaft and the carbon fiber should reduce the shock on other drivetrain components. If we were going to rate the driveshaft options, I'd have it go something like this: your stock one at the bottom, the aluminum one-piece next, followed by the top guy, which is this carbon fiber one. Now, with all of that being said, DSS rates this driveshaft as being capable of handling up to 1,000 horsepower.I would figure on about two hours for the install and about one out of three wrenches on the difficulty meter. You do have to drop your exhaust for the install, and you will need a handful of different socket sizes and hex sockets, and a hammer might be helpful, but you really want to make sure you have a torque wrench for this install so you can torque down your adapter plate and driveshaft insert.Again, the carbon fiber one-piece driveshaft from The Driveshaft Shop does cost a pretty penny, but I think it's a great mod that will both change a stock S550 and is a must-have to support more power down the road. It's at the top of my list for driveshaft options, but, as always, check this thing out online and see what you think for yourself. I'm Stephanie, and for all things Mustang, keep it right here at AmericanMuscle.com.