TheSamba.com :: View topic - Help please! What are the symptoms of a broken axle?

Mon Jun 10, 2019 4:55 pm

Pull the axles and diff, I'll walk you thru it.

Mon Jun 10, 2019 5:22 pm

I have been following this thread. I had a similar question last night and noticed this thread asking the same question.

I haven't done any diagnostics yet. But suspect I'll be needing a transaxle (worst case). Or replace a broken axle and fulcrum plates (better case).
Guess I'll drain the gear lube and see what stuck on the drain plug.

I can drive the car. But get a decent crunchy sound out of the right side at the rear axle.

Oh joy!

Mon Jun 10, 2019 6:18 pm

Thanks mcmscott! I should have the trans out in the morning and up on the bench. I'll be sure to post pics as I tear it down for anyone that it can help!

Tue Jun 11, 2019 11:27 am

Trans is out and axles are on the floor. Axles and fulcrum looks just fine. I guess I need to open the gear box...I'm going to need help with this one as I've never done any transaxle work deeper than this. I'm going to pull the side plates and inspect, from there I'm not sure what else to look for other than the ring gear.

Tue Jun 11, 2019 11:27 am

Tue Jun 11, 2019 11:32 am

You got photos of axle spade ends, fulcrums and side gears? I'm assuming it's got a superdiff?

Tue Jun 11, 2019 11:33 am

Do you know who built the trans? If it's a Pro Street, most places would be willing to discuss it with you even if you aren't the one who actually purchased it.. They might prefer talking about it with you before you take it apart..

Tue Jun 11, 2019 11:48 am

Yep, super diff pro street transaxle. It was built 7 years ago by a somewhat well known shop. I wanted to learn from the experience, but now that I know it's a ring and pinion issue I'll probably call the shop and get their take on some replacement parts.

I pulled the side plates and the bottom of the case is full of metal chunks and most of the ring and pinion is destroyed!

I'm going to call the shop as this was about a 1700 trans a few years back. Worst case I'm going to learn something new.

Tue Jun 11, 2019 12:20 pm

I called that one! About 700 -750 to rebuild. With a g4.12 ring and pinion.

Tue Jun 11, 2019 12:36 pm

Either the r&p wasn’t set up right to begin with, or someone really flogged the shit out of that car. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen someone trash a 3.88 r&p on the street with street tires.

Tue Jun 11, 2019 12:58 pm

[email protected] wrote: Either the r&p wasn’t set up right to begin with, or someone really flogged the shit out of that car. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen someone trash a 3.88 r&p on the street with street tires.

How can you identify that it is a 3.88 from the pics?

Tue Jun 11, 2019 1:06 pm

Who knows, I'd like to think it was improperly set up but who knows. It is a 3.88, or it was...

Tue Jun 11, 2019 1:54 pm

mcmscott wrote: [email protected] wrote: Either the r&p wasn’t set up right to begin with, or someone really flogged the shit out of that car. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen someone trash a 3.88 r&p on the street with street tires.

How can you identify that it is a 3.88 from the pics?

I didn’t identify it from the pics, I read the op’s opening statement.

scottf1887 wrote: ......For what it's worth it's a 180 how 2387 with a 3.88 ring and pinion and super diff pro street box......

We both know 99% of everyone’s “prostreet” box has a 3.80 1st. If it’s got a 3.80 1st with VW swingaxles, I would of thought they would have broken LONG before the r&p.

scottf1887 wrote: Who knows, I'd like to think it was improperly set up but who knows. It is a 3.88, or it was...

A 2387 isn’t built to go get groceries, but you would at least hope it was used, instead of abused. Your otherwise innocent push on the pedal may simply have been the knock on the Devil’s door he decided to answer.

Tue Jun 11, 2019 4:11 pm

[email protected] wrote: mcmscott wrote: [email protected] wrote: Either the r&p wasn’t set up right to begin with, or someone really flogged the shit out of that car. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen someone trash a 3.88 r&p on the street with street tires.

How can you identify that it is a 3.88 from the pics?

I didn’t identify it from the pics, I read the op’s opening statement.

scottf1887 wrote: ......For what it's worth it's a 180 how 2387 with a 3.88 ring and pinion and super diff pro street box......

We both know 99% of everyone’s “prostreet” box has a 3.80 1st. If it’s got a 3.80 1st with VW swingaxles, I would of thought they would have broken LONG before the r&p.

scottf1887 wrote: Who knows, I'd like to think it was improperly set up but who knows. It is a 3.88, or it was...

A 2387 isn’t built to go get groceries, but you would at least hope it was used, instead of abused. Your otherwise innocent push on the pedal may simply have been the knock on the Devil’s door he decided to answer.

Damnit!!! I missed that! My bad for not reading all the squigly lines between the pics! :lol:

Tue Jun 11, 2019 5:37 pm

I'm pretty sure I broke mine somewhat in the same fashion as the OP.
A little too much fun pedal and aggressive clutch release = "bang!"
I got lucky and was able to drive the car home.
But when I drained the gear lube last night. I found R&P shattered teeth on the drain plug.

The only reason I'm not starting my own thread on this issue. Is that this one already exists. It would be the same information repeated over and over.
OP I hope you don't mind my intruding.

Thu Jul 25, 2019 6:28 pm

Well, I have the gearbox here. It seems some one built a drag box and found 4t was useless. So someone swapped in a .89 fourth,,,,,,,, with the shittyest weld job I have ever seen, also it appears the same "mechanic" must have changed the diff, as it was as far off as I have ever seen! Had to add 7.95mm just to get .006 bearing preload!!!!!!

Thu Jul 25, 2019 6:45 pm

mcmscott wrote: Had to add 7.95mm just to get .006 bearing preload!!!!!!

:shock:

Well, at least that answers that question. Surprised it lived as long as it did. Was it on the ring side cover? I was helping a buddy install a “built” swing axle that didn’t appear to have the diff bearing seated fully in the hd side cover. I was able to get .040 worth of feeler gauges in beside the bearing, so we took it apart, and made it right. Luckily it had not been run in a vehicle yet.

Fri Jul 26, 2019 10:15 am

I was thinking something wrong with the box too, I broke a stock axle with a 1641 coming off of a stop. They are extremely weak.

Fri Jul 26, 2019 11:18 am

TinCanFab wrote: I was thinking something wrong with the box too, I broke a stock axle with a 1641 coming off of a stop. They are extremely weak.

I would say you did something wrong, stock axles are pretty strong. I have seen many 12 second passes on stock axles.

Mon Aug 12, 2019 7:14 pm

UPDATE!! To close this one out I wanted to say that I am back on the road! A huge thanks to Scott Sebastian at Metalcraft Motorsports (MCMScott), he took care of fixing my transaxle and made it 10 times better than it ever was! Top notch service and a great guy that always took time to answer my questions and made sure we were always using the best parts. I almost put 100 miles on the 61 today of smooth shifts! Also a thanks to Roy @ MOFOCO for the 3.88! Thanks again for all of the help everyone.