Alright I have a 2002 shortbed reg. cab silverado and as I see pics of other trucks on the board most have driveshafts that are completly rusted looking but mine in for the most part normal no rust what id the deal. My truck is all stock

 

Don't know what you mean. I've put my truck in mud, snow, and even swamps-no rust on my driveshaft. Then again, the 4x4 driveshafts are aluminum and not two peice like on the 2wd.

 

I have a 99 reg cab step side with the stock steel driveshaft. It was rusty and heavy right from the factory.

I sent it to Dennys Driveshaft and they made me a light wieght 4" aluminum Driveshaft. They garenteed it for life against anything I plan to throw at it. I don't know if it helped 1/4 mile but it wieghs half the weight of the stock steel unit.
www.dennysdriveshaft.com
I can send you a picture.

http://photos.yahoo.com/creederado

 

no rust on mine. not sure if if you can see it next to my borla muffler at my homepage

 

i just checked my homepage. if you click on the borla muffler pic, look at the top right corner. you can see the aluminum driveshaft has no rust, but it looks like the slip yoke does.

 

Mine still looks new (but dirty), of course I do live in California and we have summer for 8 months out of the year.

 

steel - rust

aluminum - no rust

Why my truck came with a steel driveshaft when most others have aluminum? Mine started of as Base model 2wd.

The same reason Why Chevy is to cheap to paint or coat the machined parts,susp, steering, block even on the new SS undercariage

 

Well much as silverados and S10s have thick aluminium driveshafts I don't think they are as strong as steel. My truck has a steel tailshaft End of story.

PS just look at alumium rods used in racing, thick as a MF but only last few trips down the dragstrip. A rod from a toyota carolla is stronger then a top fuel car rod.

 

Hmm - this is interesting: My truck is a 99 4x4 and it has a rusty steel driveshaft. I don't see any pattern here...

 

Duck, Like evrything else Chevy does, nothing is uniform.
For every 99 I have seen with a aluminum Shaft I have seen a 99 with the steel.

As for Steel vs Aluminum The one I have from dennys is Garunteed for life and If I break it they replace it free.
NOs-SC etc. I'll take that aftermarket Aluminum shaft over my -twice the wieght Stock steel one anyday.

Let us not forgot The 2000 are faster than 99 stock anyways, atleast most of the time. Chevy changes things little bit every year anyways.