Experiences w/ Heavy Duty Halfshafts- in here

[BlownCobra]

Hey all!!
With many halfshaft casualties out there; Has anybody tried custom beefed up, or re-enforced halfshafts? I know Amazon has a set. In addition there are several driveshaft/halfshaft shops accross the country that have been making custom halfshaft's for FWD big HP Rice burners for years.

What are your results...

also what were your conditions when you broke the shaft. Were you running Slicks or D/R's, anti-hop shocks or standard Bilstiens, big RPM launch... etc...

 

[matt lankford]

havent heard of an 03 with aftermarket shafts breaking yet. but there are a few 99-01 guys that popped some raxels/gkn setups

 

[Joe Lynch]

See my 99 Cobra site at http://www.lx.net/jlynch for my conclusions based on the 99 on a stock motor.

Also, please study the outboard stub shaft check procedure link on the same page.

The 03s are going to have a worse problem than I did with my 99 because of more torque and more car weight. Now that some of the newness has worn off, there will be more people putting sticky tires on their 03s and running them at the drag strip this Spring. The stock halfshafts will be breaking right and left, literally. By May, there will be plenty of upset people out there. Just my opinion. Based on a lot of experience.

Those of you who are able to buy aftermarket halfshafts, please check the outboard stub shafts for cracks periodically, so the hub won't come off your car and create a safety problem. I am all for people putting in aftermarket halfshafts if they understand the limitations and the safety hazards resulting from moving the weak point outside of the bearings.

Joe Lynch

 

[slythetove]

Joe, why don't we hear the Z06 guys breaking theirs as often?

I ask because you've clearly done a lot of half shaft study. Any thoughts or descriptions of how theirs is different / better?

There's a guy over there who says he's running stock on ET Streets 11.5 style passes and has over 85 slips.

The only thing he mentioned was replacing a clutch.

How can they do that but we can't?

 

[BlownCobra]

Wow Joe,
Thanks for the in-depth reply. I have not finished reading all of it, but it is safe to say that "power added" car's need not show up at the 1320' with an IRS. Which are probally 99% of all '03's currently.

I have to ask one question, how are these TT rice burning hugh tq. and hp, FWD or RWD 1/2-shafed cars able to do it? I realize that they are less wt. but the have professional suspensions which make them hook several times harder.

I do not know of the companies you mentioned in your report, but do they use top grade metals like chromoly or stronger?

As I continue to read your report I am becoming more concerned and very doubtful that our '03 IRS's can survive.


ANYBODY ELSE, COME- ON, 86 VIEWS AND ONLY 2 RESPONSES???

 

[03 DSG Snake]

I popped mine on the 7th pass down the strip on F1s. Had too much hop, got off it, went to 2nd, but it was too late. Right rear was gone.

 

[BlownCobra]

That's it... 112 viewed but on 4 responded, nobody else is have problems or thought about aftermarket 1/2-shafts...

 

[NXCobra]

Originally posted by BlownCobra
That's it... 112 viewed but on 4 responded, nobody else is have problems or thought about aftermarket 1/2-shafts...

I have put considerable thought into it, for the cost of the aftermarket half shafts I would rather just go live axle. Im not one to care much about ride comfort, or cornering abilities.
Im a straight line kind of guy.

 

[Got Incon?]

I would spend the money to kill the wheelhop first, then if I still break half-shafts, then worry about it.

 

[BlownCobra]

Incon...
I have a question, is wheelhop the only thing that breaks half shafts?

 

[Got Incon?]

No, if you put on some tires with lots of grip, and your clutch is in good shape, a few high-rpm dumps "COULD" kill it without the hop. On regular tires though, it is mostly the hop that breaks the shaft. Check out Joe's site above, he has a hell of alot more experience than I.

 

[red03cobra]

Amazon Racing has stronger half shafts for sale. My plan is to drive the stock ones til they break and then go to Amazon's. I like the improved cornering and comfort of the IRS and do not do full drag strip straight line, just spirited street drinving.

 

[Joe Lynch]

You can break halfshafts when there is absolutely no hop. Anyone who puts in aftermarket halfshafts will need to check the outboard stub shafts periodically for the beginning of a failure.

Sticky tires stop the hop but add load to the halfshafts. Sticky tires-- 26x11.5/16 ET STreets--will stop the hop with no other changes.

Joe Lynch

 

[2003blackcobra]

When I had my 99 I had about 150 - 200 runs down the 1320, I would hop the first 60'-100' hard, never broke the half shafts. Now I only had Hop on approx. a 1/3 of those runs, but I remember it all to well. I also had 3.73 gears installed. I haven't had the chance to get to the strip yet since I only picked up my car Nov. 1st. Its got 700 miles on it and its been in the garage since thanksgiving week. Too much bad weather and salt on the roads. My biggest fear is getting my car home when they snap.:shrug:

 

[Joe Lynch]

I carried a spare halfshaft and tools for two years.

Joe

 

[NetworkingGuru]

Originally posted by 2003blackcobra
My biggest fear is getting my car home when they snap.:shrug:

Just call a tow truck. Don't bother with Ford roadside assist, they won't warranty it anyhow (unless you have a REALLY good in with Ford).

 

[03 DSG Snake]

ttt Blast from the past

 

[Uncle Meat]

I'm having bad wheel hop at the track now that the weather is warmer. I just ordered a set of the AFS 17X10.5's, Nitto 315/35/17 555R tires, AR Stage I wheel hop kit, and a set of MM bushings. Hopefully I'll have all this on the car by next weekend. We'll see how long the stock half-shafts last after that.

It's not a matter of IF they will break, but when! Once it happens I'll probably go with the AR replacement shafts unless something else better comes along.

Nitrous Pete is still running the stock IRS setup and he went 10.06! Keep in mind though, he has an A/T in his '03 and I'm sure it's not as hard on the half-shafts as the manual.


U.M.

 

[kj385]

Most FWD imports I've seen on TV launch pretty soft. I.E. small motors big turbos. But I have no idea what they use for half shafts.

 

[NeedForSpeed]

It seems hit or miss with these things?

One guy will tell you he broke them on stock tires his first pass, while the next guy tells you he's made 80 passes on slicks, and the other guy goes 10's, etc.......

It doesn't make sense to me, either theres a huge driver error or difference, or these shafts come in different strengths from the factory.

In that case I hope I got some strong ones

JDM has stock half shafts, they go 10's on a E\T street, there's no reason why I can't either.

These aftermarket half shafts don't seem to do much as the cv joint is still the weak link. It doesn't matter how thick or strong the shaft is, I've heard were it reduces for the cv joint and goes into the case etc..... is still the same as factory and will just break the same. And I've been told by some people I trust that so far these aftermarket shafts are a waste of money and complete junk.

??

No clue, if a good set comes along I'd buy them.

I don't want a straight axle in my cobra, cobra's have irs rears.