Broken Spindle Follow Up
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 1,211
Likes: 5
From: Nashville TN
Broken Spindle Follow Up
Here is what was still attached to the halfshaft. The question becomes, do I continue to drive the car as is ? or park it until I can do the other side ? Does C3 Corvtte rear suspension geometry allow more power to the right wheel or is it an equal split ? I don't want to end up stranded with this car.
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 13,858
Likes: 0
From: A 12/8 man in a 4/4 world
Re: Broken Spindle Follow Up (dman535)
I would bite the bullet and repair the otherside too.
1st, because there might be some metal fatigue and/or strees fractures.
after seeing what you did to the other side....
2nd. for piece of mind. if you are like me, id always be wonder when the other side was ready to go
thats my 2 cents
1st, because there might be some metal fatigue and/or strees fractures.
after seeing what you did to the other side....
2nd. for piece of mind. if you are like me, id always be wonder when the other side was ready to go
thats my 2 cents
Team Owner
Joined: Apr 1999
Posts: 21,953
Likes: 1,445
From: Reno Nevada
2024 C3 of the Year Finalist- Modified
Re: Broken Spindle Follow Up (dman535)
years ago when I twisted off a half shaft at the drag strip I think that it was linked to a posi problem. I think that it had all the power to one side. It was my passenger side that broke. It wasn't shear power that twisted mine off. I think that it got previous damage during an off track excursion.
I went off a road racing track and it filled the wheel full of gravel. Which locked the caliper against the wheel for an instant. Then it ripped the caliper off of the trailing arm and locked the wheel solid. I came back on the track still sliding and the car was still moving about 70 mph and felt goofy because it didn't steer well and the thing was coming to a stop even with my foot on the floor. So I only replaced the trailing arm and caliper/rotor. but the damage was already there to the posi unit and half shaft.
You should inspect the other spindle. You can see that from time your shaft has rotatated the splines. It's just years of fun. You don't know if the previous owner drove it like me!:)
I went off a road racing track and it filled the wheel full of gravel. Which locked the caliper against the wheel for an instant. Then it ripped the caliper off of the trailing arm and locked the wheel solid. I came back on the track still sliding and the car was still moving about 70 mph and felt goofy because it didn't steer well and the thing was coming to a stop even with my foot on the floor. So I only replaced the trailing arm and caliper/rotor. but the damage was already there to the posi unit and half shaft.
You should inspect the other spindle. You can see that from time your shaft has rotatated the splines. It's just years of fun. You don't know if the previous owner drove it like me!:)
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 3,052
Likes: 0
From: Vancouver BC, Canada
Re: Broken Spindle Follow Up (dman535)
These are interesting photos (thanks for email). I am going to show them to one of my former engineering professors, an expert in such fractures. To me it looks like low-cycle fatigue crack propagation from the stress concentrations just after spline blend cuts ie the minimum c/s area. However, there is a lot of plastic deformation, indicating otherwise.
[Modified by Turbo-Jet, 5:29 PM 10/12/2002]
[Modified by Turbo-Jet, 5:29 PM 10/12/2002]
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 1,211
Likes: 5
From: Nashville TN
Re: Broken Spindle Follow Up (Turbo-Jet)
I know these units were made when GM wasn't at its best with metalurgy. Thungs like camshafts, differential output yokes and these spindles were all probably a bit substandard. This unit has about 130,000 miles on it. Certainly they have been subjected to some hard use.
the question now is how long do I wait before doing the other side ? Should I even drive the car ?
the question now is how long do I wait before doing the other side ? Should I even drive the car ?
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 3,123
Likes: 13
From: Hollywood, Florida
Re: Broken Spindle Follow Up (Turbo-Jet)
These are interesting photos (thanks for email). I am going to show them to one of my former engineering professors, an expert in such fractures. To me it looks like low-cycle fatigue crack propagation from the stress concentrations just after spline blend cuts ie the minimum c/s area. However, there is a lot of plastic deformation, indicating otherwise.
[Modified by Turbo-Jet, 5:29 PM 10/12/2002]
[Modified by Turbo-Jet, 5:29 PM 10/12/2002]
Thas easy for you to say!!!! Let us know what the professor thinks.
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Melting Slicks
Joined: May 1999
Posts: 2,897
Likes: 0
From: Moon Township PA
Re: Broken Spindle Follow Up (Turbo-Jet)
"...it looks like low-cycle fatigue crack propagation from the stress concentrations just after spline blend cuts ie the minimum c/s area. However, there is a lot of plastic deformation, indicating otherwise."
Yeah, what he said. Geez, and I wuz gonna say it dun broke!
Seriously, there is a friend of mine who rebuilds differentials and other drive train components. He has shown me several spindles that look like this. The newer hardened spindles don't seem to do this, but I question what happens for those that look for more horsepower. All of that energy has to go somewhere.
Gary
Yeah, what he said. Geez, and I wuz gonna say it dun broke!
Seriously, there is a friend of mine who rebuilds differentials and other drive train components. He has shown me several spindles that look like this. The newer hardened spindles don't seem to do this, but I question what happens for those that look for more horsepower. All of that energy has to go somewhere.
Gary
Racer
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 253
Likes: 0
From: Berlin,NJ,USA
Re: Broken Spindle Follow Up (dman535)
dman535. You asked the same question twice. So the answer is don't drive the car until the other side is replaced.
I know I've been there. I lost the whole wheel when my shaft broke. Not fun.
I know I've been there. I lost the whole wheel when my shaft broke. Not fun.
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 1,735
Likes: 14
From: Tucson AZ
Re: Broken Spindle Follow Up (Rocket Ron)
Do these things give you any warning? When I disengage my clutch I hear a brief rotating clunking sound from the left rear wheel area. I had the wheel off and checked the brakes, everything is fine. My next "guess" was either a u-joint or spindle? Does this sound like anything you guys have experienced? (I know, hard to diagnose over the Internet)
Thanks,
Bob
Thanks,
Bob
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 1,211
Likes: 5
From: Nashville TN
Re: Broken Spindle Follow Up (BobJ)
No warning what so ever. As soon as we put a light load to the rear end it snapped. As I have discovered there really is no way to inspect them without ripping them out. At which point you are right there to replace wheel bearings. I would say that if you inspect them and the splines are all still 100% straight you are ok. If there is any kink to them than they should be replaced.
My car is sitting in the garage and not out on the road with the rest of the vettes doing the color tour this morning, because I don't want to f__k the car up any more. I would hate to have to turn this into a bodywork episode.
My car is sitting in the garage and not out on the road with the rest of the vettes doing the color tour this morning, because I don't want to f__k the car up any more. I would hate to have to turn this into a bodywork episode.