CLUBSPORT DRIVE SHAFTS

[cdwatson]

I have just broken the short shaft on a trackday at Cadwell Park and have the following questions.

Are breakage’s a known problem?

Does anybody know what parts make these up? Are they from standard parts? Or are they only available from Radical?

The bit that goes into the diff has ford part No’s on it.

Anybody with any thoughts?

Thanks.

[Paul T]

The early drive shafts were a known weakness, these were replaced some time ago with a much more reliable version, the later version is slighly thinner and is machined down near the splines. If you broke the short one you are best to replace both!!

[jedi]

Its like anything, the older it is the more likely it is to fail through usage.

I had a front upright stub axle fail at 110mph at brands the other week.....had forgotten the parts were over 5 years old...oops.

Cadwell is quite hard on driveshafts, especially with the Mountain and the exit road from the track being about a 1:4. Watched a driver last year leading a pack of 20 stall on the exit hill, roll back without stopping and give it full wellie.....funnily enough he broke a shaft.





>> Edited by jedi on Thursday 2nd June 14:12

[vic silvey]

I have been told that the drive shafts are Ford Fiesta but I don't know for sure!

[PhilboSE]

I too broke a (long) drive shaft yesterday - it was the original 1999 one. The car came with a pair of the the (stronger) later shafts, so I'll be fitting those this weekend.

My shaft failed in a strange way, I was going from 4th to 5th entering the back straight at Rockingham at around 8000rpm. While it took the edge off the evening, I wasn't so unhappy as I thought I had a box full of neutrals and I was in for either a new 'box or diff...

Hopefully the new shafts will hold up to my cackhanded driving until I'm smoother.