Driveshaft Destruction!
Thread Starter
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 2,169
Likes: 1
From: Dallas, TX / Boston, MA
Driveshaft Destruction! I had a little 'misfortune' down at the track on Saturday. I do my burnout, go to launch... tach it up, dump the clutch and *BANG*... nowheresville. car will rev like normal, no weird noises, but it wont go anywhere. They push me off to the side, I look under the car, and see tranny fluid dripping out.
After getting towed home, i let it sit for a day while i try to get un-pissed off. Tonight i got it on jackstands to take a closer look. Driveshaft broke at the transmission yoke. from a visual glance, it doesnt appear that any damage has been done to the transmission output shaft or tail housing, but i wont know until i can get the rest of the pieces of the drive shaft out, replace the seal, and put some fluid back in it to see if it leaks out from anywhere.
driveshaft was a 3.5" PST "1000+ HP" aluminum driveshaft. dunno how my 350-360rwhp car broke it, but it was used when i got it, so maybe it was already fatigued. They supposedly have a lifetime warranty, so i'm not overly concerned about the driveshaft, i'm more worried about the tranny.
i'm having trouble getting all the pieces of the driveshaft out... one piece i was able to get out with a pen magnet, but the bigger piece wont come out like that, and not enough is sticking out for me to get pliers on. will the transmission seal come out, or does the driveshaft have to come out before the seal will? I tried to take some 'dental picks' and try to get under the driveshaft chunks to pull it out, but coudlnt get under it. i figure if i can get the seal out, i'd have more room to work.
and ya... driveshaft safety loop FTMFW!
After getting towed home, i let it sit for a day while i try to get un-pissed off. Tonight i got it on jackstands to take a closer look. Driveshaft broke at the transmission yoke. from a visual glance, it doesnt appear that any damage has been done to the transmission output shaft or tail housing, but i wont know until i can get the rest of the pieces of the drive shaft out, replace the seal, and put some fluid back in it to see if it leaks out from anywhere.
driveshaft was a 3.5" PST "1000+ HP" aluminum driveshaft. dunno how my 350-360rwhp car broke it, but it was used when i got it, so maybe it was already fatigued. They supposedly have a lifetime warranty, so i'm not overly concerned about the driveshaft, i'm more worried about the tranny.
i'm having trouble getting all the pieces of the driveshaft out... one piece i was able to get out with a pen magnet, but the bigger piece wont come out like that, and not enough is sticking out for me to get pliers on. will the transmission seal come out, or does the driveshaft have to come out before the seal will? I tried to take some 'dental picks' and try to get under the driveshaft chunks to pull it out, but coudlnt get under it. i figure if i can get the seal out, i'd have more room to work.
and ya... driveshaft safety loop FTMFW!
I had a little 'misfortune' down at the track on Saturday. I do my burnout, go to launch... tach it up, dump the clutch and *BANG*... nowheresville. car will rev like normal, no weird noises, but it wont go anywhere. They push me off to the side, I look under the car, and see tranny fluid dripping out.
After getting towed home, i let it sit for a day while i try to get un-pissed off. Tonight i got it on jackstands to take a closer look. Driveshaft broke at the transmission yoke. from a visual glance, it doesnt appear that any damage has been done to the transmission output shaft or tail housing, but i wont know until i can get the rest of the pieces of the drive shaft out, replace the seal, and put some fluid back in it to see if it leaks out from anywhere.
driveshaft was a 3.5" PST "1000+ HP" aluminum driveshaft. dunno how my 350-360rwhp car broke it, but it was used when i got it, so maybe it was already fatigued. They supposedly have a lifetime warranty, so i'm not overly concerned about the driveshaft, i'm more worried about the tranny.
i'm having trouble getting all the pieces of the driveshaft out... one piece i was able to get out with a pen magnet, but the bigger piece wont come out like that, and not enough is sticking out for me to get pliers on. will the transmission seal come out, or does the driveshaft have to come out before the seal will? I tried to take some 'dental picks' and try to get under the driveshaft chunks to pull it out, but coudlnt get under it. i figure if i can get the seal out, i'd have more room to work.
and ya... driveshaft safety loop FTMFW!
After getting towed home, i let it sit for a day while i try to get un-pissed off. Tonight i got it on jackstands to take a closer look. Driveshaft broke at the transmission yoke. from a visual glance, it doesnt appear that any damage has been done to the transmission output shaft or tail housing, but i wont know until i can get the rest of the pieces of the drive shaft out, replace the seal, and put some fluid back in it to see if it leaks out from anywhere.
driveshaft was a 3.5" PST "1000+ HP" aluminum driveshaft. dunno how my 350-360rwhp car broke it, but it was used when i got it, so maybe it was already fatigued. They supposedly have a lifetime warranty, so i'm not overly concerned about the driveshaft, i'm more worried about the tranny.
i'm having trouble getting all the pieces of the driveshaft out... one piece i was able to get out with a pen magnet, but the bigger piece wont come out like that, and not enough is sticking out for me to get pliers on. will the transmission seal come out, or does the driveshaft have to come out before the seal will? I tried to take some 'dental picks' and try to get under the driveshaft chunks to pull it out, but coudlnt get under it. i figure if i can get the seal out, i'd have more room to work.
and ya... driveshaft safety loop FTMFW!
I hate to hear this, we may have a yoke at the shop that you can have. Give us a call at 260 244-4808. Bob
Wow, that's a bummer! What brand of yoke was it? I've never seen one break like that before.
I also think if you can get the seal out it'll make getting at the rest of the yoke much easier.
I also think if you can get the seal out it'll make getting at the rest of the yoke much easier.
Thread Starter
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 2,169
Likes: 1
From: Dallas, TX / Boston, MA
thanks in advance for looking out for me.
Driveshaft & Yoke is by PST. cryo treated and supposedly good for over 1000hp.
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Thread Starter
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 2,169
Likes: 1
From: Dallas, TX / Boston, MA
just got off the phone with PST. they are going to send out UPS to pick up the old DS and send me a new one. but they want to look at the old one first.
The guy i talked to said he doesnt think he's ever seen the transmission slip yoke break before.
The guy i talked to said he doesnt think he's ever seen the transmission slip yoke break before.
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Thread Starter
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 2,169
Likes: 1
From: Dallas, TX / Boston, MA
so I popped the seal off and got the rest of the yoke out. here are some pics. they dont match up to the body of the yoke, so obviously pieces got grenaded at the track. You can see in the pictures, that there is another crack going almost all the way around it.
as i had to remove the old seal (which was damaged anyways), i will have to replace the seal/bushing before i can put another shaft in it and put some fluid in there to test for leaks.
as i had to remove the old seal (which was damaged anyways), i will have to replace the seal/bushing before i can put another shaft in it and put some fluid in there to test for leaks.
Thread Starter
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 2,169
Likes: 1
From: Dallas, TX / Boston, MA
just got off the phone with PST. They've 'reviewed my case' so to say, and have determined that its probably just a bad casting on the yoke and are going to install a new yoke, check the balance and send it back. They paid shipping both ways. +1 for their customer service!
I have the tailshaft back on the tranny. I didnt find any abnormal metal parts in there, nor cracks in the tailshaft... but the tailshaft bushing (metal sleeve where the DS goes in) was all kinds of hacked up, so went ahead and replaced that along with the output seal. the new Timken bushing actually looks to be of a simpled bronze/brass instead of a smooth aluminum like the stocker.
so once i get that shaft back in the car, i just gotta filler back up with syncromesh, get the shifter/console back together and prey the tranny doesnt make any weird noises when i start it back up again.
what an unnecessary headache this has all been... but at least the involved vendors have been very helpful, and i'm only out the cost of a seal/bushing and 4qts of synromesh
I have the tailshaft back on the tranny. I didnt find any abnormal metal parts in there, nor cracks in the tailshaft... but the tailshaft bushing (metal sleeve where the DS goes in) was all kinds of hacked up, so went ahead and replaced that along with the output seal. the new Timken bushing actually looks to be of a simpled bronze/brass instead of a smooth aluminum like the stocker.
so once i get that shaft back in the car, i just gotta filler back up with syncromesh, get the shifter/console back together and prey the tranny doesnt make any weird noises when i start it back up again.
what an unnecessary headache this has all been... but at least the involved vendors have been very helpful, and i'm only out the cost of a seal/bushing and 4qts of synromesh
just got off the phone with PST. They've 'reviewed my case' so to say, and have determined that its probably just a bad casting on the yoke and are going to install a new yoke, check the balance and send it back. They paid shipping both ways. +1 for their customer service!
Good stuff, glad to hear they are helping you out!
Thread Starter
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 2,169
Likes: 1
From: Dallas, TX / Boston, MA
They also offered to sell me an 'upgraded' forged yoke (i forget how much, i think it was like $40 or something). but based on the fact that almost no one breaks their yokes, and even PST stated that this was a freak incident, i felt the standard 'cryo treated' yoke would still be fine.
The only thing that would have made my experience better for me would be if they offered a 'cross ship' option to just send me a new (or refurb) shaft while i sent mine back (with my CC # for collateral of course), but they wern't interested in that. I do however, understand and respect their position of preferring to repair my existing shaft since i didnt damage the body of the shaft itself. having the car down for almost 2 weeks sucks, but it's an acceptable price to pay since the shaft repair was covered under warranty.
i hope to have the car ready to drive and evaluate by friday.
The only thing that would have made my experience better for me would be if they offered a 'cross ship' option to just send me a new (or refurb) shaft while i sent mine back (with my CC # for collateral of course), but they wern't interested in that. I do however, understand and respect their position of preferring to repair my existing shaft since i didnt damage the body of the shaft itself. having the car down for almost 2 weeks sucks, but it's an acceptable price to pay since the shaft repair was covered under warranty.
i hope to have the car ready to drive and evaluate by friday.
