Torque Tube questions
Racer
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 268
Likes: 121
From: Tempe Az
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 16,028
Likes: 170
From: oregon
i had wondered what was blowing up TTs for years back when i was racing. everyone guessed. maybe it's beating on the car? heat? etc. i'm sure all that accelerates their death but you're the first guy i've come across who has a fundamental plan to increase the lifespan of the part. catchy and easy to rank domains like corvettetorquetube dot com are open
Racer
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 268
Likes: 121
From: Tempe Az
just finished reading your main thread and this one. if you are starting to do these as a side venture the thought i kept having is to create even a simple wordpress webpage and get a business going. i've read i'm not even sure how much on these TT issues which started with the c5 and just have been an ongoing issue and finally. 20 some years later you have an explanation that makes an enormous amount of sense. there is real demand for what you're doing and multiple products from a stock rubber rebuild to a solid performance track rebuild have real demand.there are 3 generations of corvette you have to cover.
i had wondered what was blowing up TTs for years back when i was racing. everyone guessed. maybe it's beating on the car? heat? etc. i'm sure all that accelerates their death but you're the first guy i've come across who has a fundamental plan to increase the lifespan of the part. catchy and easy to rank domains like corvettetorquetube dot com are open
i had wondered what was blowing up TTs for years back when i was racing. everyone guessed. maybe it's beating on the car? heat? etc. i'm sure all that accelerates their death but you're the first guy i've come across who has a fundamental plan to increase the lifespan of the part. catchy and easy to rank domains like corvettetorquetube dot com are open
My next project will be to Debunk the Mystical, Magical & Malicious V4 Mode vibration issue.
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 16,028
Likes: 170
From: oregon
Thanks for the feedback. When my new 3.5" coupler delete driveshaft arrives I'll scrutinize it and finish the rebuild for my C7 Z51. For this project, I bought 3 TT off ebay to take apart and find out whats really going on with them. I do plan to rebuild a few using my findings and upgrades, then advertise them for sale. I will also offer checking and accurizing parts for anyone who wants to send them to me. I did hear about TT issues when I bought new my C5 Lemans Commemorative Edition, but I never had a problem until my C7 had two failures.
My next project will be to Debunk the Mystical, Magical & Malicious V4 Mode vibration issue.
My next project will be to Debunk the Mystical, Magical & Malicious V4 Mode vibration issue.
Racer
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 268
Likes: 121
From: Tempe Az
that is something else i was wondering about. is the c7 actually more failure prone than the c5 and c6? they all share a fairly similar design but the c7 tube from what has been mentioned runs hotter due to exhaust placement. if that is the killer you would think you would see fewer failures in northern states and more in southern. i was always under the impression it was from beating on the car but a lot of these recent posts of failures sound like they aren't even from guys who are racing. i remember one c5 z06 that was at the track with 296k miles and quite a few 1/4 mi passes on the original engine and running gear
Torque Tube Root Cause Failure Analysis Part 3 & Summary - CorvetteForum - Chevrolet Corvette Forum Discussion
Summary: The big question, what are the factors killing these torque tubes? The first and usual suspect is heat, the next suspect is High HP/Abuse, the next culprits are grouped together, design flaw/excessive manufacturing tolerances/out of spec parts/ poor choice of materials.
Heat: Yes the torque tube gets hot likely 250+ degrees, typical ball bearings are rated up to 250 degrees, the Buna-N o-rings are rated up to 250 degrees. I’m not sure what the rubber couplings are rated at.
High HP/Abuse: Any guy with enough HP can tear up anything.
By now the root causes should be obvious. #1: Excessive axial and radial runout of the driveshaft. #2: Heat build up in the rubber couplers due to excessive driveshaft runout, the rubber couplers are made with many tightly woven fibers incased in hard rubber and have to absorb all of the runout constantly flexing and bending creating friction and heat build up from the inside out. #3: Design flaw and or out of spec parts, along with poor choice of materials, especially the front bearing housing oversized bore and the o-rings loosing grip on the outer bearing race.
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 16,028
Likes: 170
From: oregon
Below is an excerpt and link from my part 3 Root Cause Failure Analysis. I have not done anything with the C5, and C6 TT issue. From what I can gather the C7 have the most TT problems. There could be many reasons for more C7 issues, different vendor, different exhaust pipe routing, different materials, cheaper new & improved manufacturing processes, looser & sloppy tolerances for cost savings. I think if you follow my findings and do what I am doing you have a greatly improve confidence level for a long TT life. When my new driveshaft arrives I will measure everything & put together mine, then I will rebuild a few for resale.
Torque Tube Root Cause Failure Analysis Part 3 & Summary - CorvetteForum - Chevrolet Corvette Forum Discussion
Summary: The big question, what are the factors killing these torque tubes? The first and usual suspect is heat, the next suspect is High HP/Abuse, the next culprits are grouped together, design flaw/excessive manufacturing tolerances/out of spec parts/ poor choice of materials.
Heat: Yes the torque tube gets hot likely 250+ degrees, typical ball bearings are rated up to 250 degrees, the Buna-N o-rings are rated up to 250 degrees. I’m not sure what the rubber couplings are rated at.
High HP/Abuse: Any guy with enough HP can tear up anything.
By now the root causes should be obvious. #1: Excessive axial and radial runout of the driveshaft. #2: Heat build up in the rubber couplers due to excessive driveshaft runout, the rubber couplers are made with many tightly woven fibers incased in hard rubber and have to absorb all of the runout constantly flexing and bending creating friction and heat build up from the inside out. #3: Design flaw and or out of spec parts, along with poor choice of materials, especially the front bearing housing oversized bore and the o-rings loosing grip on the outer bearing race.
Torque Tube Root Cause Failure Analysis Part 3 & Summary - CorvetteForum - Chevrolet Corvette Forum Discussion
Summary: The big question, what are the factors killing these torque tubes? The first and usual suspect is heat, the next suspect is High HP/Abuse, the next culprits are grouped together, design flaw/excessive manufacturing tolerances/out of spec parts/ poor choice of materials.
Heat: Yes the torque tube gets hot likely 250+ degrees, typical ball bearings are rated up to 250 degrees, the Buna-N o-rings are rated up to 250 degrees. I’m not sure what the rubber couplings are rated at.
High HP/Abuse: Any guy with enough HP can tear up anything.
By now the root causes should be obvious. #1: Excessive axial and radial runout of the driveshaft. #2: Heat build up in the rubber couplers due to excessive driveshaft runout, the rubber couplers are made with many tightly woven fibers incased in hard rubber and have to absorb all of the runout constantly flexing and bending creating friction and heat build up from the inside out. #3: Design flaw and or out of spec parts, along with poor choice of materials, especially the front bearing housing oversized bore and the o-rings loosing grip on the outer bearing race.
I'm "Apache" a psycho dog
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 3,085
Likes: 31
From: N.J.
Shopping for a C7 and since the powertrain warranty has expired on them anyone have knowledge or experience on weather an extended warranty would cover the cost either fully or partial?
I'm concerned about this potential issue considering the expensive repair bill and being a used car not knowing how it was used or abused.
TIA.
I'm concerned about this potential issue considering the expensive repair bill and being a used car not knowing how it was used or abused.
TIA.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2022
Posts: 910
Likes: 430
From: MN
Shopping for a C7 and since the powertrain warranty has expired on them anyone have knowledge or experience on weather an extended warranty would cover the cost either fully or partial?
I'm concerned about this potential issue considering the expensive repair bill and being a used car not knowing how it was used or abused.
TIA.
I'm concerned about this potential issue considering the expensive repair bill and being a used car not knowing how it was used or abused.
TIA.
None of us can give a blanket answer to your question.
But perhaps some here can give specific answers like "I have warranty XZY and they did / did not replace it because This and That" etc. and hopefully that can be helpful for you.
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Joined: Jul 2025
Posts: 1
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Replacement Toto fit 2019 StingRay1LT
Advanced
Joined: Mar 2022
Posts: 79
Likes: 80
From: The Bay, CA
I am new to the forum.After wanting a vette since a kid I finally found one at 78 years old. Found a 2019 Sting Ray 4400 miles torch red. Started a couple weeks ago hearing a howling sound around 50 and again at 60 coming from around back end. Of course no warranty. Had a local Chev dealer do drive and testing and think howling comes from TT. Before it gets worse do you veterans feel I should bite bullet and have replaced. Quoted $6,700 ouch. Does Lemans Blue have replacement units available which might be a better option than through GM. Any thoughts from you veterans would be greatly app.
