99/00 CV Police stamped DS

[Blk04MM]

Just went through my mess and found one.

I don't see no writing of "MMC" on it but it does have the "police" on it and the sticker with the numbers "ending in "9691" The colors have faded on the stripes so I can't make out what color they were. The top and bottom stripes are there but are shadow white now. The middle is faded almost gone.


Is this the drive shaft you all speak of as being "the one" or is this just another regular driveshaft as the MM one.

[tbone]

That's the one.

[Blk04MM]

That's the one.

I believe I have 3 of these then.


What's the "MMC" difference some have shown?

[Guittard22]

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metal_matrix_composite


Stronger shaft :)

[MM2004]

I believe I have 3 of these then.


What's the "MMC" difference some have shown?

MMC - Metal Matrix Composite, is in fact the Police driveshafts you have located.

Dibs on one of them?

;)

Mike.

[Blk04MM]

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metal_matrix_composite


Stronger shaft :)

Somebody's gona say it...


MMC - Metal Matrix Composite, is in fact the Police driveshafts you have located.

Dibs on one of them?

;)

Mike.

Mine does not say "MMC" ...only have the "Police" stamp and the sticker

TBone said its "the one" though

[ctrlraven]

Mine had Police and Aloca written on it. Color strip code was correct, after cleaning the driveshaft the colors strips came right off. By hand you can feel the weight difference between them though.

[Blk04MM]

Mine had Police and Aloca written on it. Color strip code was correct, after cleaning the driveshaft the colors strips came right off. By hand you can feel the weight difference between them though.

The DS is definitely light. Had it by one hand

What's the difference is the ones that say Police MMC/Aloca and the ones that just say "Police"

[Blk04MM]

MMC - Metal Matrix Composite, is in fact the Police driveshafts you have located.

Dibs on one of them?

;)

Mike.

Dibs. Sure I won't need ALL of them lol. Don't know what these are selling for I'll have to see ...PM me

[ctrlraven]

I was trying to find a pic I took of mine when I picked it up but can't find it. The only one I could find was this one.

Aloca is written on the opposite side where it says Police.
https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/44269_1283225419272_8192822_n. jpg

Take some pics of the ones you have and post them up.

[Blk04MM]

I was trying to find a pic I took of mine when I picked it up but can't find it. The only one I could find was this one.

Aloca is written on the opposite side where it says Police.
https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/44269_1283225419272_8192822_n. jpg

Take some pics of the ones you have and post them up.

Looks exactly like that.
Is it engraved or written?
i Don't know how to post em. I'll try

[Blk04MM]

http://i1300.photobucket.com/albums/ag82/blk04mm/photo3_zpse6332dd5.jpg (http://s1300.photobucket.com/user/blk04mm/media/photo3_zpse6332dd5.jpg.html)

http://i1300.photobucket.com/albums/ag82/blk04mm/photo2_zps74620c22.jpg (http://s1300.photobucket.com/user/blk04mm/media/photo2_zps74620c22.jpg.html)

[Blk04MM]

I was trying to find a pic I took of mine when I picked it up but can't find it. The only one I could find was this one.

Aloca is written on the opposite side where it says Police.
https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/44269_1283225419272_8192822_n. jpg

Take some pics of the ones you have and post them up.

Pics are up....

[ctrlraven]

Mine is written on and in a dark blue color. The one on yours looks black and is cockeyed. A few others I have seen had dark blue POLICE stamped on them. The only true way to know is the color strip coding.

In the second picture I see weight on the DS. Don't know if that makes any difference but mine did not have one on it. Sent it to a local DS shop and they said mine was straight and good to go. I know my factory DS, the weight was starting to peel off which is what prompted me to change the DS a lot sooner than I had planned.

[SC Cheesehead]

Mine is written on and in a dark blue color. The one on yours looks black and is cockeyed. A few others I have seen had dark blue POLICE stamped on them. The only true way to know is the color strip coding.

In the second picture I see weight on the DS. Don't know if that makes any difference but mine did not have one on it. Sent it to a local DS shop and they said mine was straight and good to go. I know my factory DS, the weight was starting to peel off which is what prompted me to change the DS a lot sooner than I had planned.

^^^^^ What he said.

http://www.mercurymarauder.net/forums/showthread.php?t=56131

[Blk04MM]

Mine is written on and in a dark blue color. The one on yours looks black and is cockeyed. A few others I have seen had dark blue POLICE stamped on them. The only true way to know is the color strip coding.

In the second picture I see weight on the DS. Don't know if that makes any difference but mine did not have one on it. Sent it to a local DS shop and they said mine was straight and good to go. I know my factory DS, the weight was starting to peel off which is what prompted me to change the DS a lot sooner than I had planned.

So the color and position of "police" plays a factor? :confused: I seen it myself come off a PI Vic. Then put in the shop where it's been for a while.

[ctrlraven]

So the color and position of "police" plays a factor? :confused: I seen it myself come off a PI Vic. Then put in the shop where it's been for a while.



Also the MMC shaft, like any other PI shaft, will have no vibration damper at the front yoke. So yours should be like that, not have a big vibration damper like the stock MM aluminum shaft.
Check the one you posted and see if it has a vibration damper at the front yoke.

[Blk04MM]

Check the one you posted and see if it has a vibration damper at the front yoke.

I sure don't remember it being one there. When I get back there I will take close ups of both ends.

May even cotton swab the colors to see if they still have enough dye to produce color.

[tbone]

Mine did not have the color stripes. Only the police stamp.

[gdmjoe]

.

http://www.gdmjoe.com/gothvic/driveline/mmcdriveshaft02.jpg

http://www.gdmjoe.com/gothvic/driveline/mmcdriveshaft03.jpg
.

[cat in the hat]

My understanding of this was that on the MMC shafts, the "Police" stamp went around the circumference, instead of lengthwise ?

[cat in the hat]

Yes, like this -


.

http://www.gdmjoe.com/gothvic/driveline/mmcdriveshaft02.jpg

http://www.gdmjoe.com/gothvic/driveline/mmcdriveshaft03.jpg
.

[Blk04MM]

Mine did not have the color stripes. Only the police stamp.

Was/is your stamp blue or black

[Blk04MM]

.

http://www.gdmjoe.com/gothvic/driveline/mmcdriveshaft02.jpg

http://www.gdmjoe.com/gothvic/driveline/mmcdriveshaft03.jpg
.

Does this mean the "police" stamp means nthn?

In google I've seen some with this and some not. What's the diff

[Blk04MM]

Check the one you posted and see if it has a vibration damper at the front yoke.

These are of the one that's pictured earlier

http://i1300.photobucket.com/albums/ag82/blk04mm/photo1_zps4a9987a0.jpg (http://s1300.photobucket.com/user/blk04mm/media/photo1_zps4a9987a0.jpg.html)


http://i1300.photobucket.com/albums/ag82/blk04mm/image_zpsbbc700ae.jpg (http://s1300.photobucket.com/user/blk04mm/media/image_zpsbbc700ae.jpg.html)


http://i1300.photobucket.com/albums/ag82/blk04mm/photo4_zpsef1b688e.jpg (http://s1300.photobucket.com/user/blk04mm/media/photo4_zpsef1b688e.jpg.html)

http://i1300.photobucket.com/albums/ag82/blk04mm/photo3_zps71f3561e.jpg (http://s1300.photobucket.com/user/blk04mm/media/photo3_zps71f3561e.jpg.html)

[Blk04MM]

Cleaned the DS off and don't see any other stamps or print. And I couldn't pull any colors off of the stripes. Can only make out one is pink

[Blk04MM]

Is it a MMX and gets to be used or does it get to sit and collect more dust because its not

[Blk04MM]

THIS IS ON THE MARAUDER NOW.... DAMPER IN PLAIN SIGHT. DAMPER ISN'T ON THE "police" one
http://i1300.photobucket.com/albums/ag82/blk04mm/photo_zps3143a508.jpg (http://s1300.photobucket.com/user/blk04mm/media/photo_zps3143a508.jpg.html)

[cat in the hat]

http://www.mercurymarauder.net/forums/showthread.php?t=78172

posts 31, 49

and

http://www.mercurymarauder.net/forums/showthread.php?t=56131

?

[Blk04MM]

http://www.mercurymarauder.net/forums/showthread.php?t=78172

posts 31, 49

and

http://www.mercurymarauder.net/forums/showthread.php?t=56131

?

I have no colors to go by they faded. Could it be the same as to why there is no other markings :confused: I don't know.

Everyone else here who has a "police" DS has the MMC on it?

In the AM I will check the Vic and see if I can find out which gear ratio was the car.

[cat in the hat]

I have no colors to go by they faded. Could it be the same as to why there is no other markings :confused: I don't know.

Everyone else here who has a "police" DS has the MMC on it?

In the AM I will check the Vic and see if I can find out which gear ratio was the car.

Good luck ! :)

[Blk04MM]

Good luck ! :)

Thanks. Might chunk this in the trash

[Blk04MM]

If the info can't be found on this one it will be for sale for $60

I'll dig the rest out and check them for the MMX/MMC and or color markings. Thanks for the input!

[Logizyme]

MMC = Metal Matrix Composite

lets avoid calling it MMX or anything other than the Alcoa/aluminum MMC Driveline. AMMC is also fine, either for Alcoa MMC or for Aluminum MMC, I have no idea where the MMX came from, but it does not make any sense.

A metal matrix composite is a specific kind of composite. A composite is an object formed of multiple types of material, in general it is one material that is reinforced by another material. Composites are becoming very popular in engineering because they offer many advantages. The most common application in an automobile is your brake pads, Semi-Metallic brake pads use a friction material that has small bits of metal mixed in to reinforce the lining, you can see the little bits of metal in the friction material. In after market performance parts, carbon fiber composite body components are popular, carbon fiber composites are a fabric weave of carbon fiber strands, coated in an epoxy. The carbon fiber is reinforcing the epoxy. Firearms are making use of composites too, typically fiber glass coated in plastic, this type of composite is also frequently used in automobiles, such as the header panel on the front end of our cars, and the valve covers on the modular 2v. A metal matrix composite is a composite composed of 2 or more types of metal, rare to the automotive industry, metal matrix composites are frequently used in aircrafts, aside from a few drivelines, I've also heard of an exotic brand using MMC cylinders/cylinder liners. A metal matrix composite is made of somewhat of a weave of strands of a metal, coated in another metal, often times this gives better strength or lighter part than a non composite part, but I do not believe this to be the primary reason for the use of an MMC is select Ford vehicles. The MMC drivelines used in select 99-00 P71's are a carbon-boride weave, coated in aluminum.

The main reason for a speed limiter on our cars is the issue of driveline noise and vibration. Depending on a whole host of factors, your driveline could be spinning as fast as 8000 RPM, and just like your wheels, your driveline must be as balanced as possible to reduce driveline noise and vibration. Newton's laws of motion tell us that an object in motion tends to stay in motion. When dealing with a rotating object such as a wheel, if one side of the wheel is heavier than the other side, that side will pull the wheel harder away from the pivot point than the other side, and a vibration will occur, the faster the wheel goes, the more the vibration. if the wheel is balanced, both side of the wheel pull evenly against the center point, and there is no vibration. The same thing applies to a driveline, drivelines are balanced at the factory, you can see weights that have been welded on near each end of the shaft. the easiest way to improve balance is to reduce overall weight, this is why aluminum is used when better performance is required, because aluminum has a much better strength/weight ratio than steel. the downside of using aluminum, is that it is a very rigid metal, it does not like to bend until it has to, think of an aluminum can and a tin can, if you step on the tin can, it'll likely bend slowly in one direction, if you slowing step on an aluminum can, it'll likely support your weight, but give it a little impact, and the can rapidly crunches and bends a dozen different ways. Steel has more flex than aluminum, so any vibration caused by imbalance will be better absorbed and dissipated by a steel shaft than an aluminum. but generally speaking, the weight savings of aluminum far outweigh the disadvantage of the more rigid metal. so why use MMC? Several members over on CVN have weighed the standard police aluminum shafts vrs the AMMC and found the weight differences miniscule. I don't believe the advantage of the MMC comes from reduced weight or increased strength, but that it is more flexible and elastic than a plain ol' aluminum driveline, therefor vibrations will be better absorbed and dissipated by the MMC than a standard aluminum. A carbon fiber composite driveline has the advantage of being even lighter and more flexible than aluminum, this is why aftermarket has not been seen utilizing AMMC drivelines.

Ford used MMC drivelines manufactured by a company called Alcoa in SOME 99-00 Crown Victoria's with P71 Vin and 3.55 RAR. non P71 model code cars never got MMC. non 3.55 factory equipped cars never got MMC. so a 99-00 P71 with 3.27 would not have an MMC. MMC came on both 3.55 LSD, and 3.55 open, not all 99-00 P71 w/ 3.55 got MMC, only some. COLORED STRIPES ARE NOT A VALID WAY OF DETERMINING MMC! again: COLORED STRIPES ARE NOT A VALID WAY OF DETERMINING MMC! all aluminum drivelines were marked with "POLICE" in big lettering, this is not a valid way of determining an MMC. the only way to determine if a shaft is an MMC is by this lettering:

.

http://www.gdmjoe.com/gothvic/driveline/mmcdriveshaft02.jpg

http://www.gdmjoe.com/gothvic/driveline/mmcdriveshaft03.jpg
.

All of the markings on the drivelines are easily cleaned off, so just because the shaft does not say it does not mean that its not an MMC, it may just have been cleaned off by 1 too many undercarriage washes, but don't count on it, as I said, not all cars got the MMC, so unless you see the Alcoa MMC in small lettering, don't count on it being the MMC.

Interestingly Alcoa started off doing allot of aero stuff, but recently the've been very popular for OEM forged wheels, making allot of the high end stuff for SRT's ect ect.

[Blk04MM]

MMC = Metal Matrix Composite

lets avoid calling it MMX or anything other than the Alcoa/aluminum MMC Driveline. AMMC is also fine, either for Alcoa MMC or for Aluminum MMC, I have no idea where the MMX came from, but it does not make any sense.

A metal matrix composite is a specific kind of composite. A composite is an object formed of multiple types of material, in general it is one material that is reinforced by another material. Composites are becoming very popular in engineering because they offer many advantages. The most common application in an automobile is your brake pads, Semi-Metallic brake pads use a friction material that has small bits of metal mixed in to reinforce the lining, you can see the little bits of metal in the friction material. In after market performance parts, carbon fiber composite body components are popular, carbon fiber composites are a fabric weave of carbon fiber strands, coated in an epoxy. The carbon fiber is reinforcing the epoxy. Firearms are making use of composites too, typically fiber glass coated in plastic, this type of composite is also frequently used in automobiles, such as the header panel on the front end of our cars, and the valve covers on the modular 2v. A metal matrix composite is a composite composed of 2 or more types of metal, rare to the automotive industry, metal matrix composites are frequently used in aircrafts, aside from a few drivelines, I've also heard of an exotic brand using MMC cylinders/cylinder liners. A metal matrix composite is made of somewhat of a weave of strands of a metal, coated in another metal, often times this gives better strength or lighter part than a non composite part, but I do not believe this to be the primary reason for the use of an MMC is select Ford vehicles. The MMC drivelines used in select 99-00 P71's are a carbon-boride weave, coated in aluminum.

The main reason for a speed limiter on our cars is the issue of driveline noise and vibration. Depending on a whole host of factors, your driveline could be spinning as fast as 8000 RPM, and just like your wheels, your driveline must be as balanced as possible to reduce driveline noise and vibration. Newton's laws of motion tell us that an object in motion tends to stay in motion. When dealing with a rotating object such as a wheel, if one side of the wheel is heavier than the other side, that side will pull the wheel harder away from the pivot point than the other side, and a vibration will occur, the faster the wheel goes, the more the vibration. if the wheel is balanced, both side of the wheel pull evenly against the center point, and there is no vibration. The same thing applies to a driveline, drivelines are balanced at the factory, you can see weights that have been welded on near each end of the shaft. the easiest way to improve balance is to reduce overall weight, this is why aluminum is used when better performance is required, because aluminum has a much better strength/weight ratio than steel. the downside of using aluminum, is that it is a very rigid metal, it does not like to bend until it has to, think of an aluminum can and a tin can, if you step on the tin can, it'll likely bend slowly in one direction, if you slowing step on an aluminum can, it'll likely support your weight, but give it a little impact, and the can rapidly crunches and bends a dozen different ways. Steel has more flex than aluminum, so any vibration caused by imbalance will be better absorbed and dissipated by a steel shaft than an aluminum. but generally speaking, the weight savings of aluminum far outweigh the disadvantage of the more rigid metal. so why use MMC? Several members over on CVN have weighed the standard police aluminum shafts vrs the AMMC and found the weight differences miniscule. I don't believe the advantage of the MMC comes from reduced weight or increased strength, but that it is more flexible and elastic than a plain ol' aluminum driveline, therefor vibrations will be better absorbed and dissipated by the MMC than a standard aluminum. A carbon fiber composite driveline has the advantage of being even lighter and more flexible than aluminum, this is why aftermarket has not been seen utilizing AMMC drivelines.

Ford used MMC drivelines manufactured by a company called Alcoa in SOME 99-00 Crown Victoria's with P71 Vin and 3.55 RAR. non P71 model code cars never got MMC. non 3.55 factory equipped cars never got MMC. so a 99-00 P71 with 3.27 would not have an MMC. MMC came on both 3.55 LSD, and 3.55 open, not all 99-00 P71 w/ 3.55 got MMC, only some. COLORED STRIPES ARE NOT A VALID WAY OF DETERMINING MMC! again: COLORED STRIPES ARE NOT A VALID WAY OF DETERMINING MMC! all aluminum drivelines were marked with "POLICE" in big lettering, this is not a valid way of determining an MMC. the only way to determine if a shaft is an MMC is by this lettering:


All of the markings on the drivelines are easily cleaned off, so just because the shaft does not say it does not mean that its not an MMC, it may just have been cleaned off by 1 too many undercarriage washes, but don't count on it, as I said, not all cars got the MMC, so unless you see the Alcoa MMC in small lettering, don't count on it being the MMC.

Interestingly Alcoa started off doing allot of aero stuff, but recently the've been very popular for OEM forged wheels, making allot of the high end stuff for SRT's ect ect.

Thanks for the rather long yet informative write up. I have two questions!

1. What's the difference in the "Police" stamped (non MMC script being visible) DS that I have posted here and the one that comes stock on the Marauder? Which is better?
2. If I find P71 or RAR in the vin then I'm almost certain to pull a MMC DS?

[Blk04MM]

BUMP.... For above questions^^^



Going to check on the others.

[ctrlraven]

I totally forgot about that MMC POLICE ALOCA script on the DS. Now I know why ALOCA kept sticking out when I was thinking about what I saw on my DS.

[Blk04MM]

Dug this one out. I don't see the "Police" stamp BUT it does have the MMC POLICE ALOCA on it. Is not a dark ink but you can see it

http://i1300.photobucket.com/albums/ag82/blk04mm/photo2_zpsca43c690.jpg (http://s1300.photobucket.com/user/blk04mm/media/photo2_zpsca43c690.jpg.html)

http://i1300.photobucket.com/albums/ag82/blk04mm/photo1_zpsbab36460.jpg (http://s1300.photobucket.com/user/blk04mm/media/photo1_zpsbab36460.jpg.html)

http://i1300.photobucket.com/albums/ag82/blk04mm/photo3_zps7caf9cc7.jpg (http://s1300.photobucket.com/user/blk04mm/media/photo3_zps7caf9cc7.jpg.html)

[Logizyme]

RAR = Rear axle ratio, that's not in the vin.

in order to have the POSSIBLITY of being equipped with MMC, the car MUST be a 1999 or 2000 model year, the car MUST have a P71 vin, and MUST be equipped with 3.55 rear axle ratio, and just because it has both does not guarantee an MMC, only the markings on the shaft are for sure.

I'm not as familiar with the marauders as the vic's, but I would imagine there is no difference between the 03-04 standard police aluminum shaft and the marauder shaft, other than the police markings.

do the marauders have the extended tailshaft housing on the trans??

[SC Cheesehead]

RAR = Rear axle ratio, that's not in the vin.

in order to have the POSSIBLITY of being equipped with MMC, the car MUST be a 1999 or 2000 model year, the car MUST have a P71 vin, and MUST be equipped with 3.55 rear axle ratio, and just because it has both does not guarantee an MMC, only the markings on the shaft are for sure.

I'm not as familiar with the marauders as the vic's, but I would imagine there is no difference between the 03-04 standard police aluminum shaft and the marauder shaft, other than the police markings.

do the marauders have the extended tailshaft housing on the trans??

Yup, yup, and yup.

[Blk04MM]

RAR = Rear axle ratio, that's not in the vin.

in order to have the POSSIBLITY of being equipped with MMC, the car MUST be a 1999 or 2000 model year, the car MUST have a P71 vin, and MUST be equipped with 3.55 rear axle ratio, and just because it has both does not guarantee an MMC, only the markings on the shaft are for sure.

I'm not as familiar with the marauders as the vic's, but I would imagine there is no difference between the 03-04 standard police aluminum shaft and the marauder shaft, other than the police markings.

do the marauders have the extended tailshaft housing on the trans??

Got cha.

Well I found one in here.
Got one more to dig out and check

[Logizyme]

yea just make sure the shaft is not damaged. I found 4 MMC's that had been severly scratched or bent from the forklift moving the car at the junkyard before I found one that was untouched.

a regular aluminum shaft would be better than a sc***** up MMC, wouldn't take the chance if there was any damage to the shaft.

[Blk04MM]

yea just make sure the shaft is not damaged. I found 4 MMC's that had been severly scratched or bent from the forklift moving the car at the junkyard before I found one that was untouched.

a regular aluminum shaft would be better than a sc***** up MMC, wouldn't take the chance if there was any damage to the shaft.

I agree. Luckily This one is untouched.

[ctrlraven]

If you put one on your's or if anyone buys one (just speaking generally about any used DS), DO NOT install it until you have had it checked out first to ensure it is properly balanced and the u-joint hardware is good or needs to be replaced.

[Blk04MM]

If you put one on your's or if anyone buys one (just speaking generally about any used DS), DO NOT install it until you have had it checked out first to ensure it is properly balanced and the u-joint hardware is good or needs to be replaced.

Definitely. This one will be going on my MM will be checked and get new U-Joints. When I dig out the other one if its a MMC then I'll have it done or recommend the buyer to do so.

[vegasmarauder]

my .02 worth. The shaft with the POLICE lenghtwise is the standard police shaft, not an MMC. In 10 years of hunting these down I have NEVER found a MMC with the POLICE lenghtwise. Those shafts are for the non 3:55 CVPI's. The large POLICE was just to tell the line workers it was a shorter shaft. The aluminum section of the MM shaft is the same as the lenghtwise POLICE one, and NOT an MMC.

Unfortunately over the years shafts in PI's got changed and the markings got washed/worn off. I have carefully wiped the rear end end of the shaft about 6-8 inches up from the yoke and found the remnents of the MMC markings.

And yes, about 3 of them have been bent from forklifts, it's heartbreaking. When I find one I take it to driveline shop and have it checked for strightness.