Hello, I broke the drivers side half shaft the other night on a hard 1-2 shift. My fault. I am putting 624 HP to the wheels. Anybody know if the driveshaft shops Level 2's are any good or have any problems. Or should I just stick to the OEM half shafts. Level 2's cost $485 shipped. Stockers are $355 shipped. Thanks for your help!
Half shafts any experience with Level 2's
- Thread starter frank700
- Start date
If you plan on making any more power, or launching hard, just go right to the Gforce half shafts.
Like wise, if you are breaking stock half shafts on a shift, it's very likely do to wheel hop and you need to get a better tire on it. From what I have seen, the level 2's will break just as easily as the stock half shafts.
Like wise, if you are breaking stock half shafts on a shift, it's very likely do to wheel hop and you need to get a better tire on it. From what I have seen, the level 2's will break just as easily as the stock half shafts.
Knowing zero about this, it seems like that's a nice upgrade for the money.
There's wheel hop. Any shaft has a chance to sheer with wheel hop present. Contrary to opinion, solid axles also wheel hop and bounce.
Address the wheel hop with an ftbr 5001a complete kit with filter relocation. The bushings and pieces solidify the unit and get rid of the propensity of bouncing and hopping. They have great videos in the wheel well showing exactly what is happening.
FTBR is full tilt boogie racing. They have a great website that explains all of the avenues and the science behind the break/weak points.
Good luck.
With a built irs cobra, people have gone 1.3x 60fts. You won't do wheelies with an IRS but who cares, they ride better and done right, hook better on real world streets.
After you have the subframe optimized, the stock shafts will live a long life at 600whp. If you can pick up a pair of new s2's for $450 though, then I'd do those as they are far stronger assuming they have the stronger hub as well.
I have level 5 s2 axles and hubs from 2010, and 10,000 miles of hard street driving with ~800wtq on 18" drag radials. No sidewall to absorb the shock but the shafts haven't failed yet. Mine were ~$1400 in 2010.
Address the wheel hop with an ftbr 5001a complete kit with filter relocation. The bushings and pieces solidify the unit and get rid of the propensity of bouncing and hopping. They have great videos in the wheel well showing exactly what is happening.
FTBR is full tilt boogie racing. They have a great website that explains all of the avenues and the science behind the break/weak points.
Good luck.
With a built irs cobra, people have gone 1.3x 60fts. You won't do wheelies with an IRS but who cares, they ride better and done right, hook better on real world streets.
After you have the subframe optimized, the stock shafts will live a long life at 600whp. If you can pick up a pair of new s2's for $450 though, then I'd do those as they are far stronger assuming they have the stronger hub as well.
I have level 5 s2 axles and hubs from 2010, and 10,000 miles of hard street driving with ~800wtq on 18" drag radials. No sidewall to absorb the shock but the shafts haven't failed yet. Mine were ~$1400 in 2010.
I would probably buy the level '2's', (what does level 2 mean?). Might be worth researching to see if they are bigger diameter and/or use stronger materials than OEM. Sounds like they would be somewhat stronger than OEM and for $130 bucks might be worth it.
To add on to tt335, you will see (or read) that stock shafts can hold up surprisingly well if you have the rest of the car setup properly. Also it is common knowledge now bias ply tires are key to longevity if you are drag racing. Take it for what its worth but I read some threads of guys still snapping level 4's & 5's with drag radials. If you are hopping and/or running sticky drag radials they aren't going to be your saving grace. I was interested with the super duty super awesome 'level 5', but saw where those had failed as well. I thought you could run a nice drag radial on the IRS with these but does not seem to be the case.
With that said I am running G force shafts...if I did it over I might have given the stockers another go now that I have bias ply tires coming in and FTBR bushing kit installed and seen how far I could push them. Still having over 600whp and hitting the strip with stock half shafts never gave me much confidence.
To add on to tt335, you will see (or read) that stock shafts can hold up surprisingly well if you have the rest of the car setup properly. Also it is common knowledge now bias ply tires are key to longevity if you are drag racing. Take it for what its worth but I read some threads of guys still snapping level 4's & 5's with drag radials. If you are hopping and/or running sticky drag radials they aren't going to be your saving grace. I was interested with the super duty super awesome 'level 5', but saw where those had failed as well. I thought you could run a nice drag radial on the IRS with these but does not seem to be the case.
With that said I am running G force shafts...if I did it over I might have given the stockers another go now that I have bias ply tires coming in and FTBR bushing kit installed and seen how far I could push them. Still having over 600whp and hitting the strip with stock half shafts never gave me much confidence.
If you truly launch hard at the track and make 600rwtq, you stand a good chance of breaking stock half shafts on bias ply (I have broken a handful on 28" bias ply, which made me go gforce, where they next weakest link was the output shaft on the t56).
The best cure for wheel hop is a good tire, not the FTBR kit. In fact, I'd argue that it's a waste of money, as once you put a good tire on, the wheel hop will be gone. A good drag radial cures the wheel hop problem 99% of the time. As far as hard launches, the drag radials are harder on the half shafts to a point.
If I weren't planning on launching hard at the track, I'd throw a stocker in there for $250, buy a set of good drag radials, and call it a day.
Last edited:
Did you put another stock output shaft in there? Do they even make an upgraded output shaft?
A good tire isn't street legal. If it's a street car it's not like he can run slicks.
If it's a drag car, ok, but with all the play in the rear suspension, I wouldn't just throw slicks on. That would be a car that will flip a 180° at the 330ft mark when you powershift for 2nd especially if it's running 90/10's and drag race spec'd coilovers.
The rear has too much play in it, especially 15 years later.
If it's a drag car, ok, but with all the play in the rear suspension, I wouldn't just throw slicks on. That would be a car that will flip a 180° at the 330ft mark when you powershift for 2nd especially if it's running 90/10's and drag race spec'd coilovers.
The rear has too much play in it, especially 15 years later.
A good drag radial like the MT ET SS is street legal here, not sure about whatever state you are from. I have never had wheel hop in either of my cars with a drag radial, and I have never wasted money on the FTBR kit.
I have no clue of what you are trying to say in your second paragraph BTW. Can you elaborate?
I think he's talking about it not being smart to just throw a bias ply slick on a car with OEM worn rubber IRS bushings and go down the track. Doing so would not only have the typical sway from bias plys (assuming your not running a bias ply front skinny) but also added sway from the worn IRS bushing and that could cause one to loose control down the track.
On a side note i love my MT ET street radials on the street. I will get a pair of the new SS's once these are done. I just dont recommend trying to launch on them.... ive broken two axles last year trying....
On a side note i love my MT ET street radials on the street. I will get a pair of the new SS's once these are done. I just dont recommend trying to launch on them.... ive broken two axles last year trying....
Last edited:
Pretty much what svt_troy deduced.
You need skinnies when you run a bias ply read otherwise the front tires are far too wide and tram line whichever direction the rear sends it. Look up how many people have wrecked cars at the drag strip running slicks with full size fronts.
And further on point, the rear is too loose stock, compounded with 15 years of time, I'd hesitate to send a stock 03 cobra down the strip on slicks let alone a modified one.
I run drag radials as well and it's a known fact that drag radials are the worst thing you can do for the stock IRS because one grippy launch will sheer a stock shaft. Too much play, so the shaft gets a nice compromised defense play and can't handle the stress, so it sheers.
I thought you meant a true bias ply slick. That's honestly much better because the aired down tire has such a stretchy sidewall that it absorbs the torque load nicely.
Drag radials are the worst tire for a stock irs because they grip very hard, almost like a slick, and have a rigid sidewall. Very easy to sheer a shaft or damage a hub.
The street is very different than the strip. In my town I register the car out of town and can do whatever I want emission and inspection wise. That said I know drag radials are a poor tire choice for an IRS but I and many others build up the rear to basically handle it.
You need skinnies when you run a bias ply read otherwise the front tires are far too wide and tram line whichever direction the rear sends it. Look up how many people have wrecked cars at the drag strip running slicks with full size fronts.
And further on point, the rear is too loose stock, compounded with 15 years of time, I'd hesitate to send a stock 03 cobra down the strip on slicks let alone a modified one.
I run drag radials as well and it's a known fact that drag radials are the worst thing you can do for the stock IRS because one grippy launch will sheer a stock shaft. Too much play, so the shaft gets a nice compromised defense play and can't handle the stress, so it sheers.
I thought you meant a true bias ply slick. That's honestly much better because the aired down tire has such a stretchy sidewall that it absorbs the torque load nicely.
Drag radials are the worst tire for a stock irs because they grip very hard, almost like a slick, and have a rigid sidewall. Very easy to sheer a shaft or damage a hub.
The street is very different than the strip. In my town I register the car out of town and can do whatever I want emission and inspection wise. That said I know drag radials are a poor tire choice for an IRS but I and many others build up the rear to basically handle it.
Have had level 2's since about 2004. Been great. A boot ripped last year and DSS sent new ones for free. Have been at 700rwhp for 2 years with about 20 launches on drag radials from 5k rpms. No issues yet.
Users who are viewing this thread
