Has this ever happened to you?
- Thread starter JMiles_T
- Start date
plymouth383
Active LVC Member
bet that made one hell of a racket... looks like a manufacturing defect... the end was torn from the driveshaft
vr4
Dedicated LVC Member
actually it looks like it broke and cut thru the shaft from sitting on the driveshaft loop. did the yoke fail or something?
I have no idea. I didn't look under the car. I assumed it was just a U-Joint at first, and had even called one of my preferred shops for a quote on the repair, which was $150.
The tow truck driver arrived, and I told him the situation, and what I thought was wrong. I wanted the car taken back to Princeton for the repair, but he said he knew of a shop nearby that could do the job and have it ready that day. I declined; I don't like having to trust new shops. While he got to work lifting the car, while I ran to my office to get my stuff and tell people I'm done for the day. When I came back out, the driver told me they're gonna charge more than $150, and handed me what used to be the driveshaft.
It started as a loud buzzing sound with a violent shaking of the whole vehicle. I slowed down immediately and got on the shoulder. Being literally 1 minute away from my destination I took a chance getting there and let the car roll off the exit, to the light.
As I started to pull away from the last red light before my office, that buzzing noise became a sound of unmistakable destruction with banging noises coming from under the car. I took it out of gear and shut it off right away. Some guys helped me push it to the side of the road. I was practically in front of the building now, so I could have broken down in a much worse place. As we were pushing the car one of them saw this on the ground.
The place I usually go to told me to take it to the dealer. I'm not going to do that. With the price I know they'd charge, I might as well buy a MMx shaft and do the work myself. I'll hunt down a used '93 shaft and have new U-Joints put on it.
vr4
Dedicated LVC Member
ok....something did cut thru it. that was most likel the buzzing noise you heard. then the banging was when it cut thru and thats what prolly caused the u joint to rip apart like that.
time to get under there and see what it is.
time to get under there and see what it is.
Nightsky 93 VIII
LVC Member
Check the differential mounts. The way that is chewed up brings memories of when I broke my rear diff mount and dropped it to the ground.
My mounts are in good shape. They are polyurethane mounts and should last a long time.
The Yoke is in OK shape too, however one of the original U-Joint caps in it looks like it couldn't handle the stress.
I got another 1-piece for $106 shipped. I was pleased to see that it arrived dent-free.
Not willing to take any chances, I opted to get new U-Joints for it.
I knocked the old ones out with a socket the side of a hammer. I used phone books to cushion the shaft, in case I missed. A dent would have been unfortunate.
Those caps were in there good. I had to whack'em pretty hard to get them to budge. The dents in the hammer aren't all from just this job.
In with the new.
The Yoke is in OK shape too, however one of the original U-Joint caps in it looks like it couldn't handle the stress.
I got another 1-piece for $106 shipped. I was pleased to see that it arrived dent-free.
Not willing to take any chances, I opted to get new U-Joints for it.
I knocked the old ones out with a socket the side of a hammer. I used phone books to cushion the shaft, in case I missed. A dent would have been unfortunate.
Those caps were in there good. I had to whack'em pretty hard to get them to budge. The dents in the hammer aren't all from just this job.
In with the new.
ponytail john
Well-Known LVC Member
Good job, best putting in the new joint, now you know what you have.