Drive shaft

[sundance002]

Guys need some advice,

It started out as a strange noise, like something was grinding on something,, after a short while it went, then it returned but this time I could feel a vibration from the rear wheels, thought wheel bearing at first, now I can feel it clunking under load like the rear wheels are slipping but not wheel spin. I have managed to get her home in third gear at 2500rpm so not allowing any load on the rear, I'm now thinking it can only be drive shaft, has anyone else experienced this, and does this sound like the problem? I'm thinking that with this power maybe this is another weak link.

Any advice to what the options are if it is the drive shaft.

TIA
Sundance

[TuxMan]

Hi Craig , check the driveshaft hub bolts first , they could have come loose !!!

[sundance002]

TuxMan said:

Hi Craig , check the driveshaft hub bolts first , they could have come loose !!!

Thanks Si will have checked tomorrow .

[Zoobeef]

As above have a quick look at your nuts

[node]

If your driveshaft is screwed, i'd consider getting one of these babies, bit pricey but will improve your power-to-weight ratio

jump to 23mins 50secs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7YQ0_CG9kp0&fea...

[sundance002]

node said:

If your driveshaft is screwed, i'd consider getting one of these babies, bit pricey but will improve your power-to-weight ratio

jump to 23mins 50secs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7YQ0_CG9kp0&fea...

Thanks for that, maybe the way forward, need to check the hub nut first to see where it's failed, if it turns out to be the shaft will seriously consider that option. Trying to stay positive but I'm starting to wonder if I'm flogging a dead horse,
I have given all my driving experience and knowledge to get this car to be my dream driving experience not excluding my wallet,, but I am finding it hard to stay positive and beginning to wonder if this is the wrong project, I have loved the Noble since I first saw it and was on my wish list for many years, solely for its pure ness and ability to make you feel as one with the car instantly, trust me I have had the pleasure of driving many a car and the only car I had that made me feel like that was when I drove my mk2 RS 1800 lol it was a drivers high.Maybe time to change.

Edited by sundance002 on Saturday 21st April 00:14

[Juno]

sundance002 said:

Thanks for that, maybe the way forward, need to check the hub nut first to see where it's failed, if it turns out to be the shaft will seriously consider that option. Trying to stay positive but I'm starting to wonder if I'm flogging a dead horse,
I have given all my driving experience and knowledge to get this car to be my dream driving experience not excluding my wallet,, but I am finding it hard to stay positive and beginning to wonder if this is the wrong project, I have loved the Noble since I first saw it and was on my wish list for many years, solely for its pure ness and ability to make you feel as one with the car instantly, trust me I have had the pleasure of driving many a car and the only car I had that made me feel like that was when I drove my mk2 RS 1800 lol it was a drivers high.Maybe time to change.

Edited by sundance002 on Saturday 21st April 00:14

At 600 BHP plus I think it's got to be accepted that all these breakages are more routine maintenance. Any stressed item will become a serviceable part. Maybe on 400hp you wouldn't call drive shafts or hubs serviceable but it's a whole new story at 600plus.

Bit like an F1 I surpose, it's all top quality but ain't going to make a 1000miles without breaking!

You will just have to accept that these things will happen if you want that sort of power!

[GTO600]

Juno said:

sundance002 said:

Thanks for that, maybe the way forward, need to check the hub nut first to see where it's failed, if it turns out to be the shaft will seriously consider that option. Trying to stay positive but I'm starting to wonder if I'm flogging a dead horse,
I have given all my driving experience and knowledge to get this car to be my dream driving experience not excluding my wallet,, but I am finding it hard to stay positive and beginning to wonder if this is the wrong project, I have loved the Noble since I first saw it and was on my wish list for many years, solely for its pure ness and ability to make you feel as one with the car instantly, trust me I have had the pleasure of driving many a car and the only car I had that made me feel like that was when I drove my mk2 RS 1800 lol it was a drivers high.Maybe time to change.

Edited by sundance002 on Saturday 21st April 00:14

At 600 BHP plus I think it's got to be accepted that all these breakages are more routine maintenance. Any stressed item will become a serviceable part. Maybe on 400hp you wouldn't call drive shafts or hubs serviceable but it's a whole new story at 600plus.

Bit like an F1 I surpose, it's all top quality but ain't going to make a 1000miles without breaking!

You will just have to accept that these things will happen if you want that sort of power!

Craig, Juno is exactly right if you want this level of power / performance from a Noble (M12/M400) then i'm afraid it's to be expected that we have reliability issues.
I've been in exactly the same mind frame with mine as on certain things i've done everything by the book with no expense spared but then another problem occurs, it's like chasing the holy grail !

Personally l think due to your location it's either de-tune to 500bhp which is an exceptionally fast roadcar or buy a M600.

Does sound like a drive shaft issue & hopefully nothing more serious.
Kevin

[RobP]

What camber are you running on the rear wheels? The more camber you put on the more you are trying to shorten the drive shaft (which isn't exactly amenable to being compressed!)

[TuxMan]

Hi Rob , Craig runs with Different lower rear wishbones that enable him to widen the track at the bottom rather than tip the top in to change the camber . This stops the trapping of the Drive shaft on std cars . Tux

[andygtt]

Drive shafts will be fine, it will be the cv joint as it's too small on our car... Trouble is they are silly expensive.

I destroyed one at silverstone a few year back when I first jumped to 600bhp.

[RobP]

TuxMan said:

Hi Rob , Craig runs with Different lower rear wishbones that enable him to widen the track at the bottom rather than tip the top in to change the camber . This stops the trapping of the Drive shaft on std cars . Tux

[andygtt]

TuxMan said:

Hi Rob , Craig runs with Different lower rear wishbones that enable him to widen the track at the bottom rather than tip the top in to change the camber . This stops the trapping of the Drive shaft on std cars . Tux

this should only happen on cars that run more camber than stock... however my car on stock camber and full rebound/bump actually bottomed out on the drive shaft, I think this is why mine went because over the years it had been wearing badly.

still the technical size of the CV joint is too small for 500+ftlb... hard to increase the size.

I wouldnt mind if we could just replace them, but the inner (which broke on mine) is only available from ford WITH the shaft so it costs 500quid... too expensive for a 100 part.

[Hollowpockets]

Ive had the centre joint on the drivers side drive shaft go twice in 3 years, makes a clunking noise under load or when turning left at speed. Easy to replace that driveshaft and not too expensive.

[sundance002]

GTO600 said:

Craig, Juno is exactly right if you want this level of power / performance from a Noble (M12/M400) then i'm afraid it's to be expected that we have reliability issues.
I've been in exactly the same mind frame with mine as on certain things i've done everything by the book with no expense spared but then another problem occurs, it's like chasing the holy grail !

Personally l think due to your location it's either de-tune to 500bhp which is an exceptionally fast roadcar or buy a M600.

Does sound like a drive shaft issue & hopefully nothing more serious.
Kevin

Hi Kevin, Yep you and Juno are right, and of course I was expecting reliability problems as part of the process when reaching this power but it has been constant, don't think I have managed 200 miles before another problem arises,
You hit the nail on the head Kevin, my location makes it very hard when things happen that are beyond my repair capability,
so have to keep sending her to the UK, have thought about an M600 or something close, would the M600 be any better if used regularly on track? and at over 200k for the car I could still have the same problems. I don't drive hard on the road, and never light the rear up in first gear as so not to cause to much stress on the rear and am pretty smooth with throttle input on track as you have to be with that power so try to keep stress levels down, even at 550 bhp I was having the same problems was off the road more than on. not giving up yet have come so far and think I'm close, so will persevere, but will have to draw the line at some point if it continues because at this rate it will stand me in the same money as an M600.

[sundance002]

[quote=Hollowpockets]Ive had the centre joint on the drivers side drive shaft go twice in 3 years, makes a clunking noise under load or when turning left at speed. Easy to replace that driveshaft and not too expensive.[/quote


Would the centre joint give me no forward drive under load?

[sundance002]

andygtt said:

this should only happen on cars that run more camber than stock... however my car on stock camber and full rebound/bump actually bottomed out on the drive shaft, I think this is why mine went because over the years it had been wearing badly.

still the technical size of the CV joint is too small for 500+ftlb... hard to increase the size.

I wouldnt mind if we could just replace them, but the inner (which broke on mine) is only available from ford WITH the shaft so it costs 500quid... too expensive for a 100 part.

Hi Andy, not looked at cv joints but again as I asked graham would it give me no forward drive under load?

[sundance002]

Thanks for the input guys will have it checked on Monday , I will let you know the outcome.

Ascari in June and poss no car

[Zoobeef]

The centre joint failing wouldnt let it slip under load as its just a support bearing.
If the cv joint has broken up it may be grabbing and spinning inside as the load varies. Or hub nuts come off and the shaft is sliding out the hub although i dont think there is room to do this.

[R0162]

sundance002 said:

Thanks for the input guys will have it checked on Monday , I will let you know the outcome.

Ascari in June and poss no car

lol its nothing...i'm sure it will be an easy fix.

I had a clunking noise and it was a ball joint had come loose, many other times it was a hub nut.
The clunking sound could definately be the CV joint like Andy says though, either way its an easy fix, but Andy will be able to advise on "upgrading" the CV joint long term.

Like Simon said, modifying the lower wishbones is an excellent idea, i recently modified my top wishbones and i am not banging my head that i did not modify the bottom instead.

But i will say again for me it is why i would go the GT25RS route at 550bhp and lower torque, perfect power for these cars with NA like response.