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Driveshaft snapped

  • Thread starter Thread starter Creomod
  • Start date Start date Nov 24, 2023

Creomod

5 Year Member
Sep 14, 2018
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San Antonio,Texas
Nov 24, 2023
#1
  • Nov 24, 2023
  • #1
I worke up took off in hiway and my driveshaft snapped in the back i didn’t power shift at all what could’ve caused this? Also someway some how the fan hit the radiator letting out all anitfreeze seems like some sort of recoil action kicking engine trans just a hair I already have that fan pressed up on rad I guess the driveshaft problem what could’ve caused that. Maybe u joint went bad seems like that dissapered
 

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Noobz347

Stangnet Facilities Maint Tech... Er... Janitor
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#2
  • Nov 25, 2023
  • #2
I don't want to make assumptions but is that driveshaft made from a material known as "chinesium" by chance? It looks different than my FMS (but it's also 20+ y/o).

I would ditch the fan spacer and see if you can find a proper shroud once your sparkly new radiator arrives.
 
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nickyb

I gotta say i never painted my nuts, Never Ever
15 Year Member
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Nov 25, 2023
#3
  • Nov 25, 2023
  • #3
I would replace those motor mounts with solid ones or at least new ones. Also check trans mount. Easy fix for driveshaft, put steal one back on.
 
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Monkeybutt2000

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Aug 11, 2019
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Nov 25, 2023
#4
  • Nov 25, 2023
  • #4
Why did you have that huge spacer on their? Did you not have a shroud?
 
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Creomod

5 Year Member
Sep 14, 2018
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San Antonio,Texas
Nov 26, 2023
#5
  • Nov 26, 2023
  • #5
Monkeybutt2000 said:
Why did you have that huge spacer on their? Did you not have a shroud?
Click to expand...
lol I have no idea . I think if I recall the further away I was with the fan the hotter it ran. I did already order the rad. No on the fan shroud i wasn’t running one. My car wouldn’t get hotter then 200 if it got that hot it run at 180
But right now with weather running cooler
 

Mcmahst

5 Year Member
Jan 19, 2021
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Laguna Woods CA, fort Mohave AZ
Nov 26, 2023
#6
  • Nov 26, 2023
  • #6
To attempt to answer your initial question, from my limited experience, front U joints fail when the joint bearings overheat on the shafts of the joint, and “weld” themselves to the same, putting forces on the driveshaft joint bores they were never intended to bear. Once that happens, it’s like bending metal back and forth, the bending action finally causes a crack, crack causes deformation in the driveshaft joint bores, and finally the momentary out of balance creates additional distortion, ending in a catastrophic failure.

The good news, frequently, that kind of failure ends up causing a terrible car crash. You got lucky there. And, the amount of additional damage; cracked transmission housing, destroyed underbody, damaged exhaust system, et all, doesn’t seemed to have occurred.

The “replace with steel driveshaft” is great advice. Also, the tail shaft fitting. And, as already stated, carefully check the three engine/transmission mounts to ensure they are in good condition. I would also replace the rear U Joint as part of the rebuild.
 
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Monkeybutt2000

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#7
  • Nov 26, 2023
  • #7
Creomod said:
lol I have no idea . I think if I recall the further away I was with the fan the hotter it ran. I did already order the rad. No on the fan shroud i wasn’t running one. My car wouldn’t get hotter then 200 if it got that hot it run at 180
But right now with weather running cooler
Click to expand...
Get a stock shroud and remove the spacer.
 
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FastDriver

I was uncomfortably high & wearing a helmet
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Nov 26, 2023
#8
  • Nov 26, 2023
  • #8
Dayumn... I'd guess the U-Joint cap seized up causing it to rotate in the driveshaft's bore until it overheated & came apart.

Glad you're ok. This is why they make D/S safety loops. I've never actually seen it happen, though. Did it give you any warning signs first? Grinding sounds, vibrations, or anything else?
 
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Bullitt347

I have been doing it wrong this whole time
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#9
  • Nov 26, 2023
  • #9
That break was at the rear. A safety loop is always a good idea, but provides no help in this situation.
Depending on the power level and usage, nothing wrong with a steel shaft.
 
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Creomod

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San Antonio,Texas
Nov 26, 2023
#10
  • Nov 26, 2023
  • #10
FastDriver said:
Dayumn... I'd guess the U-Joint cap seized up causing it to rotate in the driveshaft's bore until it overheated & came apart.

Glad you're ok. This is why they make D/S safety loops. I've never actually seen it happen, though. Did it give you any warning signs first? Grinding sounds, vibrations, or anything else?
Click to expand...
Thank you for your concern my brother as for sounds yes I did hear something here and there but didn’t get under the car and physically try and wiggle it. We had rain down here this past week
 

Creomod

5 Year Member
Sep 14, 2018
511
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San Antonio,Texas
Nov 26, 2023
#11
  • Nov 26, 2023
  • #11
Didn’t even think about the tail housing being cracked in a bit I’ll lift up the car and take a good good look
 

Creomod

5 Year Member
Sep 14, 2018
511
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San Antonio,Texas
Nov 27, 2023
#12
  • Nov 27, 2023
  • #12
Ok I got it running with a used driveshaft from my other car but it vibrates when I accelerate it feels rough no cracks in my trans but somes wrong. How could’ve it damaged my trans or my rear ended ?
 

Creomod

5 Year Member
Sep 14, 2018
511
42
48
San Antonio,Texas
Nov 27, 2023
#13
  • Nov 27, 2023
  • #13
Creomod said:
Ok I got it running with a used driveshaft from my other car but it vibrates when I accelerate it feels rough no cracks in my trans but somes wrong. How could’ve it damaged my trans or my rear ended ?
Click to expand...
Someone told me that i should lift car turn it on at idle look at pinion flange see if it wobbles also another friend told me I should look at the input shaft it mightve gotten bent he said take diff off and see if it spins nice or hits/wobbles
 

Creomod

5 Year Member
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511
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San Antonio,Texas
Nov 27, 2023
#14
  • Nov 27, 2023
  • #14
Creomod said:
Someone told me that i should lift car turn it on at idle look at pinion flange see if it wobbles also another friend told me I should look at the input shaft it mightve gotten bent he said take diff off and see if it spins nice or hits/wobbles
Click to expand...
i just wanted to add this happened Friday morning at 430 am on the hiway very scary.That same day I installed a sve starter .Now today after I installed new rad and used driveshaft (from my other car) so earlier when I went for a drive to test I heard a bolt pop off it was lower starter bolt also loosened the 2 small bolts at the bottom of the housing they were almost out those I know for a fact we’re tightend right but the starter bolt mayyyybeee I didn’t tighten it all the way but I really think I did.So either problem was happening I I didn’t notice I don’t believe that cuz my car wasn’t vibrating I believe everything came loose when my driveshaft snapped there must’ve been a lot of force maybe becuse my fan also hit radiator so vibration when driveshaft snapped maybe obisly the u joint was bad and im sure had play and it was spinning and spinning so I’ll be cheking. Also could be water pump because the fan hit it could’ve made the water pump crooked just a hair enough to vibrate
 

General karthief

wonder how much it would cost to ship you a pair
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Nov 28, 2023
#15
  • Nov 28, 2023
  • #15
Start with the driveshaft, new u joints and a balance is needed at the very least.
 
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