25 replies to this topic

[Chacha]

Still struggling with driveshaft, even after removing the circlip it does not go in.
Do the splines look damaged on picture?

[JG]

Knackered

[Chacha]

Do you think gearbox will also be damaged? Driveshaft got pulled out when hub carrier bolts snapped.

[Nev]

Those small bevelled "lead in" splines that help the end of the shaft engage into the differential are clearly very badly damaged, probably where it dragged around and bounced on the ground.

 

I doubt your gearbox (or more specifically your diff) is damaged, as when the hub carrier bolts fail I would imagine the shaft is simply pulled out vigorously as the suspension collapses. The only problem might be if the CV joints didn't bend enough and lifted the spline ends too hard whilst the shaft was still in the diff. If that was the case then you spherical bearings that hold the diff in may be crushed and have play - unlikely at a guess though.

 

I had an uprated hub-carrier bolt (that was only 2 years old) fail about a year or so ago, very frightening stuff. Luckily the other one hung in there and I immediately detected the suspension knocking about and investigated. I live in mortal fear of them failing again and replace them every year now and check their torque when I am under there intermittently. They (and the rear tie rods) are the most critical common fail point on the car IMO, particularly if you use sticky tyres and go round corners hard.

 

When spec'ing up a new set of hub carriers for my car I investigated if it was possible to add a third bolt hole as an additional safety margin and help spread the shear load. However, the ball joint that comes down vertically into the small iron rectangle was in the way. I think a way to improve from this would be a slight redesign of the wishbones and hub-carriers in conjunction, and I am discussing the matter with a couple of firms. It will be expensive though and nobody to my knowledge has taken this approach with the car so far.

 

By the way, also inspect/check the "I" brackets that the front bolts of the lower rear wishbones union into. Under extreme loads these can twist/buckle, mine both have signs of this (due to too much grip and torque in my case I think) and I have bought a new pair of those brackets from ElizP on here quite cheaply. Worth checking IMO after the strains your rear wheel assembly would have suffered, I have heard of one other person (siztenboots) have this issue too.

 

Good luck, and do double check everything in that area and maybe even replace the tie bar + joints as a matter of precaution.

Edited by Nev, 20 October 2013 - 11:33 AM.

[Kieran McC]

As JG said that drive shaft looks knackered .I would replace it to be on the safe side.

[Chacha]

Replaced complete driveshaft in the end.

Getting there slowly but surely

 

Attached Files

•  photo 1.JPG   620.08KB   3 downloads
•  photo 2.JPG   535.7KB   3 downloads