Painted driveshafts?

[Grit dog]

So when I painted the chassis on the old Freedom Wagon, the bare metal rusty driveshafts got a gleaming coat of black paint as well.
In fact the only underbody and chassis parts that didn’t get painted were the engine/trans/tcase, shocks and a couple spots I initially missed on accident.

Buddy (who is a total gearhead and has cranked out a few awesome looking old Chevy trucks) was like “that’s not right. Driveshafts aren’t supposed to be painted, supposed to be rusty just like they came from the factory.”
I know a shot coat of paint isn’t going to hurt them, nor will it help them physically. Not like they’re going to rust out.
But painted steel driveshafts, **** or not ****? Did I break some fundamental restoration rule?
LOL.
Let’s hear it!

You must be registered for see images attach

 

[Grit dog]

Sorry, the **** is
G
H
E
Y

 

[78C10BigTen]

Im confused on the poll as to wich is yes but im with you. Paint em!

 

[Octane]

I paint mine when I do u joints.Smoother surfaces get better mpg!

 

[78C10BigTen]

My dad always painted his funny colors, such as candy cane striped, one i remember was neon green. He used to do that on every part he replaced, always told me hey when im old n cenile i will know what i fixed and what i didnt, plus if it falls off or flys off i can find it easier! Lmao dads wisdom!

 

[Catbox]

Not sheeeeeeeiiiitt.
Paint it up, you are making it all purdy.
So why not the driveshaft as well.

 

[Alaska 79 K-10]

Paint it!

 

[JeffK10America]

I don’t always paint my “driveshafts”
But when I do !
Oh ye paint em.

 

[Grit dog]

Right on guys. Yeah the **** added some cornfusion there!

 

[81squared]

bro whatever you do.... DO NOT paint that driveshaft !!!!

 

[PrairieDrifter]

Paint em.

 

[RecklessWOT]

If the rest is all new and painted and looking good and then you randonly have this sh!tty looking rusty driveshaft among all the other nice tidy black stuff, that would look retarded. Why wouldn't you paint it, I just don't understand? Hell, I've had trucks that were missing rockers and you could see theough the sides of the bed, but when I pulled the driveshaft off to replace the U-joints I painted the shaft while it was already out and just sitting there. Nothing wrong with cleaning up rusty parts of your truck... Not sure how that's even a topic of debate lol

Also, I'm pretty sure not a single part comes rusty from the factory no matter what you're driving... Maybe not painted and it surface rusts fairly quickly compared to the rest of the truck, but I'm pretty sure they didn't come off the assembly line covered in bright orange rust scale...

 

[hoagster]

I stripped mine clean and then painted it! It will probably be out of balance forcing me to get a new high $$ one! Dam it Jim.

 

[John-Ryan]

Another vote for painting the shaft

 

[bucket]

A new shaft always gets painted. The local driveline shop that I use gives them a shot of black paint before you even pick the thing up.

I've always wanted to paint one up like a barber pole. Maybe I'll actually do it one day.