Could my driveshaft be bent, and how did it get that way?

They being serious about the hose clamps, i've heard about that in few places like my tech school which i graduated, its like putting counter weights on it, sort of balancing the cheap way

 

Blown76, I think you really mean it, when you say it three times!!!

 

WOW!!! and I mean WOW!!!

I took the shaft off yesterday and lined it up with a straitedge, and it "appeared" straight.

Put it back on 180 degrees around (you know, with the end that used to be in the tranny put into the differential )

Not really, seriously, I just spun the shaft in around 180 until the u-joints fit back into the slots, and bolted it down.

This morning, I took it for a test drive. Got up to 80 with absolutely no shimmy. Not even from the unevenly worn tires.

Then ran it up to 100 (I know, I will hear it from the more "experienced" drivers ). and it ran just beautifully. I actually ran it there at 4000 rpm for about 15 seconds. It was so smooth, it just purred...

Keep in mind that this is a stock bottom end, 3.80 gears, and I shift at 4000 when I race. This thing ran so smooth, it was so quiet at 4000, it seemed like it didn't want to shift until 6000 (I didn't try it).

For anyone who is skeptical about that phase bs with the driveshaft...well, I have been CONVERTED!!! I BELIEVE!!!

 

By the way, I hit 100 on a distant back highway, 2 lanes, with shoulders a good lane wide, no other cars on the road, and straight and flat. I could see for 2 miles. I don't do this often, because it would shake to death, until today, but I got "reckless" just to test it out.

The only person I could have hurt was myself, which is irresponsible. But I would have done the same thing on the track, so...

 

I'd like to think that would help my vibration, but as many times as I've had my driveshaft out, I can't believe I haven't got it in 'right' at least once. It's an easy enough job it's worth trying. For sure the output shaft on my tranny was junk when I got it rebuilt, so it's got to be in the driveshaft somewhere. Everything else has been replaced!