Sheared Axle
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 470
Likes: 9
From: Broken Arrow Oklahoma
Sheared Axle
Last weekend, I sheared the right axle on my 2005 C6 with 49,000 miles. The car has been driven hard, but never drag raced. The break showed rust inside the break area, indicating this has been a failure in progress for some time. I am curious if any others have experienced similar problems and if this is a known weakness. Also, any ideas for prevention other than babying the car?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 5,493
Likes: 809
From: West coast CA
Last weekend, I sheared the right axle on my 2005 C6 with 49,000 miles. The car has been driven hard, but never drag raced. The break showed rust inside the break area, indicating this has been a failure in progress for some time. I am curious if any others have experienced similar problems and if this is a known weakness. Also, any ideas for prevention other than babying the car?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 5,328
Likes: 405
That was my first thought.Autoxnut: Check out this thread and see if your axle failure looked anything like this one.
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=1544932
His was due to a loose axle nut, Post 35 has an explanation of the failure if yours looks similar.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 2,713
Likes: 0
Just checked and tightened mine.
1. ~33,000 mostly highway miles
2. No symptoms
3. The nut took about 1/8th turn on each side, estimated initial torque ~40 ft/lb; final torque 118 ft/lbs
4. Yes, you do need a deepwell, 34 mm socket.
I think every C6 owner needs to check this. If you are a member of a club, just bring your preset torque wrench w/socket to the next hoe-down, and be a very popular guy, only takes a moment to pop the wheel cap off and check. Could stop a burgeoning mechanical tragedy.
1. ~33,000 mostly highway miles
2. No symptoms
3. The nut took about 1/8th turn on each side, estimated initial torque ~40 ft/lb; final torque 118 ft/lbs
4. Yes, you do need a deepwell, 34 mm socket.
I think every C6 owner needs to check this. If you are a member of a club, just bring your preset torque wrench w/socket to the next hoe-down, and be a very popular guy, only takes a moment to pop the wheel cap off and check. Could stop a burgeoning mechanical tragedy.
Last edited by TrackNoob; May 23, 2007 at 08:05 PM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 7,588
Likes: 6
From: Montreal Qc
...
I think every C6 owner needs to check this. If you are a member of a club, just bring your preset torque wrench w/socket to the next hoe-down, and be a very popular guy, only takes a moment to pop the wheel cap off and check. Could stop a burgeoning mechanical tragedy.
I think every C6 owner needs to check this. If you are a member of a club, just bring your preset torque wrench w/socket to the next hoe-down, and be a very popular guy, only takes a moment to pop the wheel cap off and check. Could stop a burgeoning mechanical tragedy.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 5,759
Likes: 539
From: AZ
St. Jude Donor '06-'08-'10-'11-'12-'13 '14-'15-'16-'17-'18-'19
Thanks
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
5 Best & 5 Worst Corvette Daily Drivers
Joe Kucinski
The Headlights of Every Corvette Generation Explained
Joe Kucinski
5 Best & 5 Most Overrated Corvette Track Packages of All Time!
Joe Kucinski
Every 2027 Corvette Engine Explained
Joe Kucinski
Designer Imagines A Corvette That Looks More Like a Corvette Than the Corvette
Verdad Gallardo
10 Ugly Corvettes That We Still Kinda Love
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 5,759
Likes: 539
From: AZ
St. Jude Donor '06-'08-'10-'11-'12-'13 '14-'15-'16-'17-'18-'19
Moderator emeritus
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 18,599
Likes: 3,955
From: Jacksonville Florida BWO Dayton, Cincinnati, Bloomsbury NJ, Cincinnati
2015 C7 of the Year Finalist
I think it may be the accuracy of the socket at question here.
1/16"=1.588 mm
So, 21/16 (1 5/16) = 33.348 mm
Theoretically, a perfect 33 mm nut needs a socket a hair bigger to slip over it, thus a 1 5/16" socket would fit very well over the axle nut. A 33 mm should work and a 34 should be loose. I think the 1 5/16" and 33mm are close to the same size.
I'm assuming that the axle nut is 33mm.
My $.02
Elmer
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 5,493
Likes: 809
From: West coast CA
A 34mm socket fits, but it's pretty loose. That's not to say it wouldn't work, (particularly at a paltry 118 lb.-ft.). Lots of people use these.
I measured the nuts on my car and they're both in spec for a 1 5/16" nut. A 1 5/16" socket fits perfectly.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 470
Likes: 9
From: Broken Arrow Oklahoma
Follow up with pics (I hope)
I'd like to thank all who have responded to my post. I apologize for the delay in follow-up, but I was off getting married. I have the Z51 option and have run about 6 autocrosses on the standard supercar EMTs. The break appears to have started in the spline area. Also, though hard to see in photos, there was rust present on the metal in the break area. I presume this is indicative of a part failure that had been ongoing and not a sudden failure. Any comments? I will try to include a picture if I can figure out how. If not, I just posted the pictures to the general forum area. I was unaware of the loose nut issue, but my thinking is this is not the same type of failure. 
Jeff
Jeff
Last edited by autoxnut; Jun 1, 2007 at 03:35 PM. Reason: trying to get picture to work
