Help! Sheared Axle.

[Paul Robertson]

I sheared the splined stub axle where the spline ends. Both left and right side axles had already twisted and the right one finally sheared on track (corner 5 at Texas World Speedway). I had already ordered new shafts from RCR and they should be here soon but why should the replacements behave any differently? I vaguely remember Fran mentioning that RCR has beefer stubs. Anybody have any experience with this issue? The car has a LS-3 with maybe 500HP and maybe 460+ torque at the flywheel.

 

[Frank Clark]

Of coarse tires, aero and shifting (in combination with power) have a lot to do with load on the axles. But if the first pair twisted you can expect the same if you don't make changes.

 

[Fran Hall RCR]

Your new units are the upgrade option units we have offered for race cars for years , they are the same as are being used in much higher powered full on race cars being raced nationwide

Kind of a risky thing to continue running on track if you were running known damaged parts on your car Paul ...!

 

[Paul Robertson]

Thanks Fran!

 

[Howard Jones]

Just so I'm clear. Are we talking the half shafts (the long pieces with the CV joints on both ends), the drive shafts (short shafts with drive flanges coming out of the gear box), or the stub shafts (short shafts that go through the up rights).

Buy the way, how many laps do you think you had on them? When they should have been changed, and when they broke.

Fran, do these come from the Drive Shaft Shop? I know they make a really tuff shaft. Good enough for CANAM cars along with less expensive material versions. They really helped me out with my GT40. Perfect fit, fast turnaround, good price, and really nice people. They want to help!

 

[Randy V]

In my experience, axles twist and/or break when subjected to an extreme rotational shock such as tires spinning at a high rate and suddenly getting traction, or a hard launch.
I have had an axle twist when I got off track and was spinning tires getting back on and suddenly they grabbed. The resulting vibration caused me to seek and find the problem.
This was on a 28 spline Ford axle in a 3200# roadrace car.
Could anything like this have happened to your car?