joshtownsend

iTrader: (16)

The car has a little bolt ons done to it. Its a 98 A4 with just over 70,xxx miles on it. I don't drive it that much and I don't racing it that much either. I have lowered it with eibach springs in the front but the back has factory springs that I cut a 1/4 to 1/22 coil off of because the eibach were way to low. I have drove on the spring for about 2 years or so. The rest of the suspension is factory. I did some time before this problem happened, box in my LCA and Pan hard bar. I don't remember how close it was to me having the problem..It was not the next day or anything, but it might have been with a month or so.. I also changes to a little smaller tire..285/35/18 from a 275/40/80 about the same time. Al the other mods have been down for at least a year and a half.This problem started in Aug. The bearing that holds the drive shaft in the tail shaft spun out, causing a vibration and leaked some fluid. I found my trans mount was bad or going bad, tearing, So I installed a ES ploy one and put on a new housing. With in 20 or 30 miles, It came out again. I took it to a trans shop where they rebuild it thinking it could have been in the trans, I got it back and within 20 miles it completely broke in 2, as the picture shown. I was at about 140 when this happened. There were some vibration. I though it was due to the trans mount, which is ploy. Took it back, got the drive shaft rebalanced with a new yoke on and new u joints put on. The drive shaft is stock steel one that came in the 98 2.73 cars. Replaced the housing and 25 miles or so the bearing came out again. Each time the bearing comes out, I have to replace it because it take to much material out with it, being that this is a press fit bearing. They though maybe the output shaft is bent slightly and replace its and put a new output shaft in the trans. Replaces the housing and it spun the bearing with 30 miles or so. Take it back and and talk to some people and think it might be the bushing in the LCA, So swap them out and the housing take the car out and with 30 miles or so and about 130 mph it breaks again like the pic....

This is where I am right now.. After talking to more people, I think that I am going to go back to the factory trans mount, rubber, and replace the back coil springs with factory ones as well. I have already order new LCA, adj pan hard bar, Bolt on relo brackets and torque arm bar from UMI. It will be here tomorrow. I think that I am going to put all item on EXPECT the relocation bracket as I do not think think it will hurt anything bolting everything else on.

I am open to any and ALL suggestion but please explain any reasoning by you conclusion. The trans shop thinks my frame is bent, but can show me where or any reasoning being it. I know for a fact the the car has never been in a wreck and im not putting the kind of power to it that would bend a frame. I have decide against going to a shop for now. I also have been reading about pinion angles and think that it might be a problem as well. I think that the spring after being cut and the mount going out and switch to a hard one, put the angle outside of the 2 or 3 degrees it is allowed to be. Thanks in advance for any help or comments you have. Feel free to send me a PM if need be. Thanks Again Josh

KHShapiro

iTrader: (10)

looks to me like you need an adjustable TQ arm and maybe your tranny mount is bent.OR maybe it was damaged when it was painted blue

performabuilt

iTrader: (25)

yes the Blue may have caused serious structual damage , lol .
However I would check torque arm,ujoints,mount, and rear end , and if its actually drove far like that and it had to make some serious noise and vibration I would also plan on the very real possibility of transmission internal damage , the rear case bushing was not intended to take that level of strain to support the trans internals

Yank

iTrader: (181)

Get a 3 1/2" drive shaft, drive shaft wipping is the biggest cause for this failure

Pro Stock John

iTrader: (34)

I'm thinking it's driveshaft related. Go borrow a stock aluminum and see.

02 BLK WS6

iTrader: (11)

+1 get a different driveshaft.

KHShapiro

iTrader: (10)

performabuilt, my comment was maded about the paint because maybe when the tranny came out and was painted it was damaged prior to reinstall.

i am just wondering why you would think this is driveshaft related? I have never heard the term wipping, what is it.

performabuilt

iTrader: (25)

Im not sure about wiping either or what it is as for the blue I assumed a joke little funny

KHShapiro

iTrader: (10)

i have just seen where one person tries to lift and set back down only to drop it on the tail section (from a very short distance)and cracking the flange.... ok maybe that was just me............

Do you have any better quality picture of the break?

FLT

iTrader: (1)

As one member suggested an adjustable torque arm would be a good idea. Even better get the torque arm off of the tail housing. BMR sells a crossmember to relocate it to the crossmember. If you have bad wheel hop you might want to do some other rear suspension mods as well. Wheel hop along with vibrations will continue to tear up bushings and tailhousings. It would be a good idea to have the trans gone back through to make sure the inturnal bushings are tight as well.Vince

joshtownsend

iTrader: (16)

I talked to Jerry at UMI today and he was just finishing the relo bracket for the TA for autos. But as we talked about it The TA being on the tail housing prob isn't the problem ...But it is a good idea not to have it there..But then again, I don't really raced this thing.. I have bought all new suspension for the back for UMI however, It will be in tomorrow..

I do have better pics of the housing breakage, I am going to post them tomorrow along with the other housing that I broke just like this..

As far as the paint is concerned, that just the way they paint there trans..It not my choice either, But looking at the housing, It does not look like they dropped it.. They have taken this thing out 3 or 4 times and its all been under warranty...So if they did mess it up, it would be to there advantage to fix it then...but I guess anything is possible..

As far as the DS is concerned...I don't really understand how a different one, or alum one will make a different. If they are both balanced why would one be better. Again I am open to all suggestion, And I am trying to understand the reason behind everything as I am tiered of "throwing" money at the problem.

Again thanks so much for the input and the picks will be up tomorrow afternoon.

performabuilt

iTrader: (25)

as long as they were balanced and centered it should not make a difference , though the aluminum is lighter and does cause less strain on the drive train in general

BubaGumpShrimp

iTrader: (1)

your pinion angle is screwed due to you cutting the stock springs. Any time you lower/raise the rear with springs you need to re-adjust your pinion angle other wise you will get bad vibrations and the vibrations will increase with speed. This vibration could be enough to break the tail housing or simply break it due to an extream pinion angle. You should also check the u-joints for proper operation. If you keep the car at the height you want just get an adj torque arm to correct the pinion angle.

performabuilt

iTrader: (25)

Was cool talking to you hope some of the information helped

2xLS1

iTrader: (25)

The bearing coming out is a rare problem, but steel driveshafts have been breaking F-body 4L60E tailshafts for years. Usually happens on the dyno or on high speed runs.

ramairws6

iTrader: (33)

I would really recommend that you check the run out on your rear output shaft.I think you may have slightly bent the output shaft and inturn you are taking out your bushings.I know because I had the same problem. My tranny builder couldn't believe I bent it but when he went to check it, it was toast.Were pretty sure we narrowed it down to a u-joint that locked up or a very severe pinion angle like mentioned in an earlier post.I would check these things before reinstalling new parts and then wrecking it all over.And by the way........I also had a bad vibration after it was bent that would not go away. Traver

performabuilt

iTrader: (25)

I think when I spoke with him in yahoo messenger that had already been considered and the output shaft was changed ,

PERFECT Z28

iTrader: (7)

Okay, I had the same problem.

There are many reasons why your tailshaft housing broke...I know because I replaced mine 3 times.

1. When you lowered your car, your pinion angle changed.
2. Not getting LCA relocation brackets to adjust suspension angles caused your driveshaft to operate out of spec, let the vibration begin....again, pinion angle.
3. At higher speeds or hard downshifts, the driveshaft bent your tranny's output shaft. The reason for this, well, you guessed it, pinion angle.
4. Once your output shaft is bent, the vibrations got worse and due to GM's design of the TA location, load pressure caused the pinion angle to change even more and your tailshaft took the punishment.

As you can see, the original problem was...PINION ANGLE.
Now let's get your car fixed...

1. Replace your tranny's output shaft.
2. Replace the tailshaft housing with a new speedo sensor.
3. Install your LCA relocation brackets...set to the proper hole setting (1st hole 1'' drop, 2nd hole 2'' drop).
4. Now this is where you can either buy a TA relocation member (so that the TA is no longer on the tailshaft, BMR allows you change the TA's mounting height) or you can buy an adj. TA...so that you can adj. the PINION ANGLE. Just remember the BMR TA relocation member (that's what I got) helps take the load off of the tailshaft housing and you can also use your stock TA with the proper bushing, but most importantly, you will be able to use an adj. TA whenever you get a chance to buy one.
5. Now, make sure you rebalance your DS, if you haven't already.
6. Install your components and adj. your PINION angle to your car's specs.


I really hope this helps, I know that this can be a headache.