[DeTomaso] Half Shaft Safety Hoop

[MikeLDrew at aol.com]

In a message dated 12/8/09 15 17 42, tborcich at msn.com writes:


> Mike....how the heck would the two halves of the half shaft separate 
> unless the suspension itself was sheared off due to some catastrophic event?
> 
>>>Because the driveshafts telescope.   The assembly consists of an inner 
and an outer half, which telescope one inside the other, and they are secured 
with a threaded cap.   Normally the ends are captured by the gearbox and 
wheel hub flanges, but if one end was to suddenly break free, then theo
retically there might be enough force to cause the threaded cap to break free, and 
the inner half (and by that I don't mean the half closest to the centerline 
of the car, I mean the half that telescopes inside the larger diameter half) 
could break free.   But I've never heard of that happening.
> 
> >My half shafts have obviously been replaced(when??) and the u-joints are 
> very smooth...but I don't trust them at this point. Since they are off the 
> car I might as well replace the u-joints. Is there a heavy heavy duty 
> u-joint available to fit the stock half shafts?  A few months ago I spoke to 
> Wilkenson about possibly replacing my half shafts with spicers...but he told 
> me stock units are stronger than the spicers which surprised me.
> 
>>>He's right, they are.   The stock-size U-joints are physically larger 
and stronger than those typically fitted to 'heavy duty' aftermarket 
driveshafts.   The Pantera vendors sell drop-in replacement U-joints for the stock 
driveshafts (rumored to be Toyota 4x4 U-joints with the ends milled off or 
something like that).

Mike