Gears & Axles Driveshafts | Rearends | Differentials | Gears | 12 Bolt | 9 Inch | Dana

Look what let go while crusing at 80mph......

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 10-16-2010 | 05:40 PM
  #1  
LS6427's Avatar
Thread Starter
Banned

iTrader: (2)
 
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 11,290
Likes: 12
From: South Florida
Default Look what let go while crusing at 80mph......

It was the loudest, most evil sounding racket I've ever heard.

Only this 18" long piece of the rear shaft was left. The rest of the shaft was gone and out on the highway somewhere. Never went to look for it.
The front u-joint and shaft that goes into the tranny tail cone was still there....so it broke the shaft there also.

TQ arm was terribly bent.

The end of the piece pictured below is all bent up around the end from banging the **** out of the tunnel, exhaust and TQ arm. But it looks like a clean shear happened......none of the damage from it banging around is anything bad at all, no big deal.

The tail shaft housing of the tranny case cracked open all the way around 360 degrees. So I need a new tail cone end. I hope the tranny itslef is ok...it was just completely rebuilt 2 weeks ago.

Anyone else ever break a steel shaft????

.
Attached Thumbnails Look what let go while crusing at 80mph......-shaft1.jpg   Look what let go while crusing at 80mph......-shaft2.jpg   Look what let go while crusing at 80mph......-shaft3.jpg  

Last edited by LS6427; 10-16-2010 at 10:48 PM.
Old 10-16-2010 | 05:46 PM
  #2  
Kevin01Z28's Avatar
TECH Regular

iTrader: (8)
 
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 445
Likes: 0
From: Plain Dealing, LA
Default

That sucks. Hope it didn't mess up your transmission...other than the tailshaft of course.

Did you have any vibrations prior, or did it just let go? What kind of shape were your u-joints in?
Old 10-16-2010 | 06:42 PM
  #3  
trik396's Avatar
TECH Apprentice

iTrader: (4)
 
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 337
Likes: 1
From: Crown Point, IN
Default

Did you somehow damage the shaft prior to this event? Seems a little strange for it to let go where it did when it did...?
Old 10-16-2010 | 06:51 PM
  #4  
LS6427's Avatar
Thread Starter
Banned

iTrader: (2)
 
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 11,290
Likes: 12
From: South Florida
Default

No vibration at all. Just cruising...and bam.

Shaft was fine as far as I know. I drove around all day maybe about 50 miles highway driving mainly.......

I'll get pictures when he tears it apart to replace everything on Monday.

.
Old 10-16-2010 | 07:31 PM
  #5  
Valkyn's Avatar
TECH Enthusiast

iTrader: (8)
 
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 686
Likes: 0
From: Phoenix AZ
Default

Damn 80 miles per gallon is pretty sweet....

The drive shaft just couldnt handle that much efficiency!
Old 10-18-2010 | 10:08 PM
  #6  
Supers's Avatar
Restricted User
 
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 233
Likes: 0
From: Long Island, NY
Default

What is the tube diameter of that shaft 2.75" ? is that the original shaft ?

Not any piece of the rear shaft is with the car ? not even the joint in the end yoke on the diff ?
Old 10-18-2010 | 10:22 PM
  #7  
Heyfred's Avatar
TECH Regular
iTrader: (10)
 
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 473
Likes: 12
From: Woodinville, WA.
Default

steel or aluminum?
Old 10-19-2010 | 06:55 PM
  #8  
LS6427's Avatar
Thread Starter
Banned

iTrader: (2)
 
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 11,290
Likes: 12
From: South Florida
Default

Originally Posted by Supershafts
What is the tube diameter of that shaft 2.75" ? is that the original shaft ?

Not any piece of the rear shaft is with the car ? not even the joint in the end yoke on the diff ?
Its a stock F-Body M6 shaft...........

My aluminum factory original shaft from 1998 broke about 4 years ago....it just sheared clean under throttle doing 15 mph through a parking lot.

The pictures you see is what was left connected to the rear-end. About 18". The front 3-4 feet of the shaft fell out when it sheared and is on the highway somewhere.

.
Old 10-19-2010 | 06:56 PM
  #9  
LS6427's Avatar
Thread Starter
Banned

iTrader: (2)
 
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 11,290
Likes: 12
From: South Florida
Default

Originally Posted by Heyfred
steel or aluminum?
steel.

The front end of the shaft that slips into the tranny......the yoke...was still jammed in there. So obviously the front part of the shaft broke there too. The two caps of the front u-joint were gone that seat into the shaft mounts, and that u-joint was still sitting in that yoke.

.
Old 10-19-2010 | 10:16 PM
  #10  
Swiat34's Avatar
TECH Fanatic
iTrader: (9)
 
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 1,527
Likes: 3
From: Jackson, TN
Default

Sounds kinda like sabatoge! Check for saw marks..
Old 10-19-2010 | 11:25 PM
  #11  
LS6427's Avatar
Thread Starter
Banned

iTrader: (2)
 
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 11,290
Likes: 12
From: South Florida
Default

Update.....

My tranny guy (friend) called me about an hour ago. No damage to the tranny that he can see. He threw in another steel driveshaft, new bell housing, shaft seal and a new (used) factory torque arm....and went for a drive. Says its perfect.

I got lucky for sure. We'll see how the next few days go. Hopefully no leaks.

I know...get a real torque arm. Getting an adjustable one with crossmember mount.

.
Old 10-19-2010 | 11:28 PM
  #12  
LS6427's Avatar
Thread Starter
Banned

iTrader: (2)
 
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 11,290
Likes: 12
From: South Florida
Default

Originally Posted by Swiat34
Sounds kinda like sabatoge! Check for saw marks..
Well, all I have is that 18" rear piece. Its a clean shear, it looks like it was cut with a precision saw, thats how clean the cut is.

No way someone could get under there and reach the shaft without lifting the car up, its lowered.

.
Old 10-20-2010 | 08:09 AM
  #13  
LS6427's Avatar
Thread Starter
Banned

iTrader: (2)
 
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 11,290
Likes: 12
From: South Florida
Default

Here's the sheared bell housing...........

.
Attached Thumbnails Look what let go while crusing at 80mph......-bell.housing.jpg  
Old 10-20-2010 | 12:49 PM
  #14  
Jays_SSZ28's Avatar
Banned
iTrader: (2)
 
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 2,223
Likes: 53
Default

Originally Posted by LS6427
Here's the sheared bell housing...........

.
Thats a tail housing.

I thought all M6 cars had aluminum driveshafts.
Old 10-20-2010 | 02:34 PM
  #15  
LS6427's Avatar
Thread Starter
Banned

iTrader: (2)
 
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 11,290
Likes: 12
From: South Florida
Default

Originally Posted by Jays_SSZ28
Thats a tail housing.

I thought all M6 cars had aluminum driveshafts.
Oops I meant tail housing.........

A4's come from the factory with aluminum.

M6's had steel.

I have an A4. I broke my stock aluminum one in 2006 sometime. Had a steel one put in to replace it.

.
Old 10-20-2010 | 10:16 PM
  #16  
Supers's Avatar
Restricted User
 
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 233
Likes: 0
From: Long Island, NY
Default

Do you have pics of the other parts of the shaft, that break isn't right for a shaft failure, something else caused that.

You didn't feel a vibration suddenly and then bang ?
Old 10-21-2010 | 07:51 PM
  #17  
TheBearJew's Avatar
Teching In
iTrader: (7)
 
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 39
Likes: 0
From: Bryan, TX
Default

Originally Posted by LS6427
Oops I meant tail housing.........

A4's come from the factory with aluminum.

M6's had steel.

I have an A4. I broke my stock aluminum one in 2006 sometime. Had a steel one put in to replace it.

.
My M6 has aluminum
Old 10-21-2010 | 07:59 PM
  #18  
CajunZ28's Avatar
Staging Lane
 
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 91
Likes: 0
From: Kentwood, LA and Beebe AR
Default

damn sorry man
Old 10-21-2010 | 11:04 PM
  #19  
LS6427's Avatar
Thread Starter
Banned

iTrader: (2)
 
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 11,290
Likes: 12
From: South Florida
Default

Originally Posted by Supershafts
Do you have pics of the other parts of the shaft, that break isn't right for a shaft failure, something else caused that.

You didn't feel a vibration suddenly and then bang ?
No, it just broke and started banging the tunnel and everything else.

Why....what does it mean if I had vibration first??

I get back from a trip on Sunday....I'll go see if I can find it. It has to still be there off to the side of the road.

.
Old 10-22-2010 | 06:46 PM
  #20  
Supers's Avatar
Restricted User
 
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 233
Likes: 0
From: Long Island, NY
Default

If it ripped apart at the middle and had a short vibration prior to it would mean the shaft exceeded the rpm it could live at for it's length and diameter..

But the break you have is not of that issue, you have a issue where it was caused at one end or the other, and the rip was part of whatever broke at the front.

Was a joint changed recently or something played with at the slip yoke ?



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 06:15 PM.