N/s Drive Shaft Exploded On Motorway

[pip470 61]

I was on the way to santa pod after giving the car abuse on the lakes trip friday with no real issues, and i was in the fast lane overtaking a lorry that was overtaking another lorry. Now when in this position i dont hang around so give it some beans to get past the lorry in 5th gear and bang, the steering tugged sharply and a horrible noise came from the front of the car. I though at first i was about to lose control and go into the lorry. very scary. After i had gained some sort of control I thought it was a blowout so nursed it onto the hard shoulder. Looked underneath and th driveshaft was not connected to the hub anymore. Luckily Ive fitted the LSD so i limped the next mile on the hard shoulder on one driveshaft with the other one making horrible noises as I crawled.

 

I dumped the car in a hotel car park and carried on with a mate to santa pod mud bath. Still loved it though. Car is now recovered but I don't want to ever experience that again.

 

The car is pretty low, its running 309 bottom arms and standard 1.6 driveshafts. So to save changing the set up to 1.9 to fit the 309 shafts, im going to make a spacer to fit between the shaft and the hub. Ive read lots of searches and although has been mentioned, no-one said they have been successful. The car also has the four pots so thats another reason i dont want to change as i dont think they will fit the 1.9 hubs.

 

Any way, i'm glad it never happened on the tight turns of the lakes trip but im shocked how it did this in a straight line. What are your thoughts?

 

[ORB 227 1 Cars]

Fook!

 

As long as your ok Dave, all is well

[pip470 61]

I think Dave is fine lol, but i'm Phill. I think it could of been very very bad. I dont want it again.

[minimaniacwhyard 17]

Split cv boot before hand spun the grease out. Heat seized when driving. Bang. That would my guess. Saying this you need know

 

Ps glad your ok aswell that's the main thing

[dcc 855]

Phil that looks pretty dry in there.

 

Every single day of the eurotrip I was expecting this to happen to the v6

 

however, im glad you're ok now.

[pip470 61]

Well when i fitted this drive shaft a week ago along with the engine the boot was fine. I stoop-idly tried to grab the shaft just after it happened and my hand sizzled from the friction of it rubbing and banging on everything as i came to a stop, it has worn into the hub carrier. It is possible the boot split on the lakes tour and i haven't noticed it then the motorway driving has made it sieze as suggested. The grease is all in the arch by the way and all over the calliper ect...

[welshpug 1,656]

Just bad luck and a weak CV joint design, 1.9's have a full 6 ball and cage design which is much stronger than a tripod type joint.

 

Running 309 arms wont have affected that IMO as the outers are not the ones taking up the movement, but the inners.

[Matt205 14]

Woohoo! Bet that was 'exciting' for a moment or two. Glad you're ok. We certainly gave them a hard time on Saturday (I was in the red GTI6 at the fuel stn). It does look very dry and if all the grease has been shed it would indicate a failure of the boot IMHO.

[pip470 61]

Today has been spent fitting a new wheel bearing, making a 8mm spacer and machining where the flange the nut screws onto. Ive gone for 8mm to try and give as much thread as possible and same with the machining. I have a new drive shaft too so ill build it all back up tomorrow. Heres some pics.