I was wondering if anyone knew of an aftermarket cv joint/half shaft that would handle more power or has a lifetime warranty? I managed to blow one out at the truck pulls. The dealer cost is around $474 I had a friend tell me about some that he though he saw in Petersen's off road. That were lifetime warranty but I can't seem to find that information now. Any thoughs or ideas would be helpfull, and I guess the service manager was at the pulls so... no warranty work there..


Thanks


JonEdited by: big_jon00

Here are the results of my truck pull:
03' Chevy Ext Cab s/b 4x4 Duramax Allison running on 13x33x18 Nitto's AT on 9.5" eagle rims. With SS tie rod sleeves and drag link from Superdiesel on here great product!
Transmission was in low 3rd tow haul: Transgo, TCC valve and torque converter.
I was running the J/K 200+ VA box stacked with PPE's accelerator on the highest setting, "race extreme" I have run this truck on the g-tech to 12.9 @116mph in the quarter showing 550 hp. Ran on the dyno in Schoolfield, WI. Was able to turn 435 rwhp and the tires where a little wet and were smoking "spinning on the dyno" anyway here are some pics.


http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/uploads/front_cv.JPG
broken cv joint http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Dead.gif

http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/uploads/bent_drive_shaft.JPG
drive shaft....http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Cry.gif

I did end up winning after all of that.. it was a 8000lb class and there where new dodges running propane and all kinds of fords there. The drive shaft went when after the pan dropped from what I can best tell there was a slight jerk, and I hit the brakes and it was too late..
The next closes truck was 10' behind me was an 03' dodge ho on propane and chipped on 35" MT's
Edited by: big_jon00

you had more carnage in one night than I've ever had with over 50 hooks to the sled and still counting

I thought the aluminum driveshaft would be a problem but after seeing your steel shaft twisted, maybe not

did you have the torsen bars turned down? keeping the cv's straight is another benefit of lowering themEdited by: mtomac

My torsen bars are turned down as low as I can go and still keep the truck level. Passenger side is down almost all the way and drivers is up about 1/2- 3/4" I am running the cogs leveling kit off of offroadunlimited.com I believe is the address. I think it's still about an 1" higher than stock keys. There is a slight angle to the shafts heres the drivers side, I don't think I would have had a problem if the rear wouldn't have went out, though if the front were more level I might not have had a problem with the front cv then either.
http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/uploads/front_angle.JPG
I just know with the drag link on there I didn't have really any toe in and when I came off the line the front tires looked like they were ready to come off the ground and they looked pretty much straigh. I don't mess around with pulling enough to have hanging wieghts and pluss I don't think they are allowed at "stock truck pulls" around here. http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/HiHi.gif
Oh and I found out the dodge I beat was blocking his rearend. I guess that's a no no around here..
Thanks Jon

If you want to pull you better put the factory keys back in and lower em down. That's a pretty steep angle there and it will only get worse when your pulling. At that angle they will continue to break.

Sorry to hear about that. BUT you have to admit, It is pretty cool seeing a twisted drive shaft! http://dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Rock%20On.gif

One man's fate is another man's laughter...But very sorry to hear about yours. That sucks..Edited by: GMC2500HD

GM designed the suspension droop stop to be the shock. If you have aftermarket shocks with more travel than stock (like I do with my Rancho lift), then you can get in a situation where the CVs droop enough to bind. If you apply lots of power to the CVs while they are binding they could easily pull apart.


With longer shocks, the upper a-arm coms to rest on a metal pad on the frame. I am in the process of fabricating a mount for a bump stop to limit travel so the CVs will never bind. An easier option is probably limit straps.

big_jon00 the is an indestructable CV joint out there, it's called the cornay joint. They are expensive but will handle anything you can throw at it. With that said I would stick with the factory CVs. Think of them as a fuse. Meaning the CV will break before the front differential will, I'll take that anyday of the week. As for finding a CV with a lifetime warranty I have heard of a few places like AutoZone or something like that but you can't expect them to warranty a CV that you abuse truck pulling. You gotta pay if you wanna play!

Yep same thing happen to me in at tug war(on a stock truck). Spilt the inner cv cup in half. I really don't like the design of them. basically three bearings mounted on a shaft radialy that slide in and out with supsen. travel. when you have angles like that, you might actually pull the bearing out the top of the cup when it rotates, creating 2 load points(BAD news). Which is one reason why the outer ones never seem to break, due to six load points. they have 6 ball bearings in cage. But good thing is that take no more than a 1/2 hour to change them out. Least GM got one other thing right.


The info I got on here you need to have them straight or slightly below so when the truck rear start to squat they will become straight. My heart starting racing today, when I started reading this. My first truck pull today.

If you want to pull you better put the factory keys back in and lower em down. That's a pretty steep angle there and it will only get worse when your pulling. At that angle they will continue to break.





My thoughts exactly.


big_jon00,


Are you sure the front didn't go first, sending a shock load to the rear.

You were very lucky that you didn't take out the front differential with the torque that it was under when it cut loose. I had a half ton with an after market half shaft take out the differential when it broke.


As for an after market one with a life time warranty. Yes there is at least one. Advanced Auto Parts has them. But I'd say steer clear if you plan on using it for a puller.


Price is great. on the 1/2 ton it was $79 plus $100 fully refundable deposit. So at $79 it can't be beat, but when they last just 8000 or so miles and it takes out the differential with it, the cost goes up to $320 for junk yard replacement cost of the differential, plus several long distant calls and nearly 160 miles and 8 hours total time to retrieve it. Not to mention a vacation day wasted.


With that said, the factory one lasted 190,000+ miles, and another 15,000 miles with a busted boot from running a T-post through the boot. So I'd have to say the half shafts are one place where GM done pretty good.


Then again maybe you will have better luck with the Advanced Auto Parts half shaft, and maybe you can change one quicker then my hour and a half.


What ever you do, good luck!Edited by: hdmax

this is what the cv angle should look like if you don't want them coming apart while pulling
http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/uploads/A42_BeefedUpTieRod.JPG

Not too bad considering the torque you were applying and the angles the half shafts were subjected to.


That drive shaft is a new one on me. I've seen a few snapped in my time but that 500 deg twist is worth a million. http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Embarrased.gif


Time to switch to the telephone pole and get your angles straightened out.


And watch the shock loading, it'll get you everytime ... http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Big Smile.gif


Tomac has the setup for longevity in the pulling arena. His truck launches very flat and pulls true.

Check out "mtomac's" site:

Pulling and drag racing. He may be able to help you with half shafts, etc. for your needs.

http://www.duramaxracing.com/Edited by: TxDoc