Broken driveshaft

[Mentow]

Well, thats what just happened to my front-left driveshaft:

http://www.inf.ufsc.br/~grando/Temp/Eclipse/semieixo/ (sorry to put those in highres, i though that it would help too see the details in the broken shaft)

The damn mechanic hited with a hammer several times when putting the driveshaft back on the car, when i engaged first gear and droped the clutch....kbum!

So you guys think it was an installation fault by the mechanic, or the driveshaft just blew by any other reasons?

Thanks!

 

[JCMDSM]

Mechanic for sure. Generally smacking things with a hammer is bad, especially on the drivetrain. See if you can get him to replace it for free.

 

[GTM]

Well, thats what just happened to my front-left driveshaft:

http://www.inf.ufsc.br/~grando/Temp/Eclipse/semieixo/ (sorry to put those in highres, i though that it would help too see the details in the broken shaft)

The damn mechanic hited with a hammer several times when putting the driveshaft back on the car, when i engaged first gear and droped the clutch....kbum!

So you guys think it was an installation fault by the mechanic, or the driveshaft just blew by any other reasons?

Thanks!

Hello, do you think the hundred or so radial cracks had anything to do with it ...

You couldn't have had 1/2 the axle strength to begin with. Was that original factory part. Usually they are forged, machined smooth, and maybe even polished. This looks like a rough sand casting that was never treated or baked in carbon. There is a partly circular stressed area but can't tell if it had anything to do with a hammer and it certainly didn't make the cracks which have been there for a long time.

Car might have run for another 5 years if you didn't drop the clutch, not the smartest thing to do if your cash flow is limited and you don't like fixing things.

Cheers,
GTM

 

[Mitsu RacerX]

From what I see I don't think the mechanic put those groves/cracks in the shaft. When you dropped the clutch what RPM were you at??

 

[Mentow]

Hello, do you think the hundred or so radial cracks had anything to do with it ...

You couldn't have had 1/2 the axle strength to begin with. Was that original factory part. Usually they are forged, machined smooth, and maybe even polished. This looks like a rough sand casting that was never treated or baked in carbon. There is a partly circular stressed area but can't tell if it had anything to do with a hammer and it certainly didn't make the cracks which have been there for a long time.

Car might have run for another 5 years if you didn't drop the clutch, not the smartest thing to do if your cash flow is limited and you don't like fixing things.

Cheers,
GTM

GTM,

thanks for your answer.

i posted another picture, marked with red and yellow "circles".

http://www.inf.ufsc.br/~grando/Temp/Eclipse/semieixo/IMG_1480_marked.JPG

When you talk about "radial cracks", whick one do you refer? If you mean the yellow lines, it seems to be fresh to me, doesnt it? If youre talking about the red marks, i must agree to you that it doesnt seems to be fresh, but it seems to me that that kind of damage was made when i droped the clutch and the shaft started to spin, but being locked (by bad coupling by hitting it with a hammer, i think!), it twisted and cracked. Or do you really believe that the cracks surrounded in red are old timed marks?

MitsuRacerX: just trying to make the car start to move itself, like 1500RPM!

Thanks guys!

Michel

 

[GTM]

GTM,

thanks for your answer.

i posted another picture, marked with red and yellow "circles".

http://www.inf.ufsc.br/~grando/Temp/Eclipse/semieixo/IMG_1480_marked.JPG

When you talk about "radial cracks", whick one do you refer? If you mean the yellow lines, it seems to be fresh to me, doesnt it? If youre talking about the red marks, i must agree to you that it doesnt seems to be fresh, but it seems to me that that kind of damage was made when i droped the clutch and the shaft started to spin, but being locked (by bad coupling by hitting it with a hammer, i think!), it twisted and cracked. Or do you really believe that the cracks surrounded in red are old timed marks?
...

Michel

It was those cracks circled in red that looked to be old yet I saw no rust. That has to be one of the cleanists breaks I've ever seen on an axle. It's not cut in stone but I take difficult relating hammer blows to this axle breaking. Except... your picture ~1484.jpg show some curved tangent cracks at the 3:30 to the 5:30 position which might be attributed to the stress if that's where he hit it.

The small light brown spots appear to be brinneling after it broke.

The interesting thing about the radial cracks is the absense of rust anywhere near them.

Have you found a replacement part?

Cheers,
GTM

 

[Mentow]

GTM,

we disassembled what remained of the axle inside the junction, and come to the conclusion that was an installation mistake. When the mechanic hitted the axle with the hammer, blocking the axle perfect engagement with the joint, only 2mm of the axle got inside the junction, not the about 2cm of splines on that side of the axle.

thanks anyway for your help!!

Im buying a full new drive shaft from trilogy turbos, it wasnt possible to find only the axle

Thanks again!

Michel Grando

 

[GTM]

GTM,

we disassembled what remained of the axle inside the junction, and come to the conclusion that was an installation mistake. When the mechanic hitted the axle with the hammer, blocking the axle perfect engagement with the joint, only 2mm of the axle got inside the junction, not the about 2cm of splines on that side of the axle.

thanks anyway for your help!!
Im buying a full new drive shaft from trilogy turbos, it wasnt possible to find only the axle
Michel Grando

Certainly if they did not fully seat the splined portion of the axle anything could be expected. If the mechanic _hit_ the spline or if this axle has a circlip which must be compressed and wasn't properly installed then you have a beef. There should have been no reason to hit on the side of anything. As a general rule a block of wood, plastic, brass, or lead hammer is the best choice. It is necessary sometimes to hit on the end where the nut is installed but this would not cause any problem if done properly.

It's unfortunate that you could not buy just the axle or have bought a used one from a wrecked car but the reality is you are in competition with the rebuilders who may have contracts with the wrecking yards. Your geographic location doesn't help for that limits what might be available or finding a proper interchange from other cars.

Cheers,
GTM

 

[Mentow]

Certainly if they did not fully seat the splined portion of the axle anything could be expected. If the mechanic _hit_ the spline or if this axle has a circlip which must be compressed and wasn't properly installed then you have a beef. There should have been no reason to hit on the side of anything. As a general rule a block of wood, plastic, brass, or lead hammer is the best choice. It is necessary sometimes to hit on the end where the nut is installed but this would not cause any problem if done properly.

It's unfortunate that you could not buy just the axle or have bought a used one from a wrecked car but the reality is you are in competition with the rebuilders who may have contracts with the wrecking yards. Your geographic location doesn't help for that limits what might be available or finding a proper interchange from other cars.

Cheers,
GTM

hitted -> that was grotesque! thanks for reminding me hehe

Thanks also for the advices GTM, and for suffering with mechanics that are sometimes grotesque (hehe) like this one i had, i took the decision to make all by my self from now on. I always liked messing with my car, but never went so far like doing a clutch replace (like im going to do as soon my new kit comes from the US). That way i can at least avoid situations like a broken axle, and surely have some fun at weekends.

"you are in competition with the rebuilders who may have contracts with the wrecking yard"-> heeheh i thought so!!! The guy at trilogy turbos said me that he looked on some wreck yards around his place but found none, that the eclipses already arrive at the yards without those parts. So, as you may expect, im buying a new full axle, that has rebuild junctions (joints? dont know the precise name), buts ok since even Mitsu doesnt sell those anymore (i was told)

Once again, thanks for the time!!

Best regards,

Michel Grando

 

[GTM]

hitted -> that was grotesque! thanks for reminding me hehe

Thanks also for the advices GTM, and for suffering with mechanics that are sometimes grotesque (hehe) like this one i had, i took the decision to make all by my self from now on. I always liked messing with my car, but never went so far like doing a clutch replace (like im going to do as soon my new kit comes from the US). That way i can at least avoid situations like a broken axle, and surely have some fun at weekends.

"you are in competition with the rebuilders who may have contracts with the wrecking yard"-> heeheh i thought so!!! The guy at trilogy turbos said me that he looked on some wreck yards around his place but found none, that the eclipses already arrive at the yards without those parts. So, as you may expect, im buying a new full axle, that has rebuild junctions (joints? dont know the precise name), buts ok since even Mitsu doesnt sell those anymore (i was told)
Once again, thanks for the time!!
Best regards,
Michel Grando

You are quite welcome.

An aside...
de nada, your language skills are well beyond my own. I love "grotesque", what's the translation? Harsh in English would be: "incompetent", polite would be not skilled enough, amature, neubie, apprentice, come to mind, I'm sure I'm missing a bunch more.
................

It doesn't matter what country for you find incopetence everywhere at all levels. The automotive industry is made up of those who could do no better, self-made, engineers, and those who treat it as a respectful/responsible profession. I'm old school enough and associate with the last two and suspect that is why they tolerate some of my square corners around here.
.................

Most certainly beating on axles, CV joints, splines, etc is never a good thing. There is a difference between abuse of a part and some difficulty. I have had problems with axles that have a compression ring on the end of the spline that needed to be told what to do. Sometimes it's like making love to a woman and other times it's like brute force is the only way. Still this is a judgment call by the mechanic of what tools are chosen and his willingness to stop and check his approach.
......................

My experiences are mordita works, if you grease the yard manager's hand he will find the parts for you. I left a yard at closing looking at a complete car, came back when they opened and all the headlights and tail lights were gone because the yard workers stole them and put them on Ebay for $1,000... had I given him $20 he would have protected the car. I'm sure I could make a good living taking desirable parts from cars, knowing their interchange were I a bit younger.
................

junctions/joints I think you are talking about the CV (constant velocity) joints which act like a universal but are superior to to universals in that their moment of arc does not exagerate as does a universal joint.

Wish I could have been more help but understand that new parts are always more desirable of used. Were I there I might be able to give a more professional opinion as to what caused the failure.

Cheers,
GTM