Tippyman

In my time drag racing my Honda, I've broken an axle probably once every couple of events: no biggie. Went to the dragstrip a month ago, broke two NAPA axles in a row and didn't even get a pass (both the R. side). So I said screw this, I'm here to race, not swap axles, and ordered some stronger aftermarket axles. Went to the strip tonight: the car made it about five feet, kind of shuddered, and then broke R. axle again, didn't get a pass.

The car runs 10.9x's
2020 lb EF hatch
378 hp D-series
Quaife LSD/SI trans
23x8 M&H slicks on 8.5 lbs (probably 3 years old)
CNC staging brake, pre-loading the crap out of it

Any idea's or suggestions? The axle manufacturer is warranting the damage, but regardless of whether or not it's fixed for free, I want to be able to drive my car down the damn lane!

It was suggested to me that the differential might be playing a part in it, and it is quite old, and I bought it used so God knows how long it was abused before me. The fact that the car shuddered makes me think this is possible. I plan on sending the diff back to Quaife for a rebuild.

Could the shudder I felt right before the axle let go be tire shake and that broke the axle? The axles I am using are rated for far more than the paltry 378 I am putting down so I wouldn't think a little tire shake should do that.

Martian

Whats the suspension setup? Its not the diff.

Hyper16-Johnny

Make sure you have good mounts and good suspension. I run the DSS 2.9s at almost 600hp and 440tq without problems, but I do have solid mounts and ok suspension. I tried the Innovative axles and snapped those at 430hp and 300tq, when they were rated for much higher.

If DSS is out of your price range, try insaneshafts. I hear they have stout axles that won't really break your pocket.

Hyper16-Johnny

Make sure you have good mounts and good suspension. I run the DSS 2.9s at almost 600hp and 440tq without problems, but I do have solid mounts and ok suspension. I tried the Innovative axles and snapped those at 430hp and 300tq, when they were rated for much higher.

If DSS is out of your price range, try insaneshafts. I hear they have stout axles that won't really break your pocket.

Ron Burgandy

iTrader: (1)

Wheel hop breaks more axles than almost anything.....do you have a traction bar on your setup? How is your suspension set up?

SwappedTURBOegg

i break all the axles, but the napa ones. there sloppy in the diff but strongest so far. might need more sidewall

hub_n_hun

Have they all broke at the same spot at the diff?

ls_on_boost

iTrader: (5)

x2 on traction bars....wheel hop

imptricer

iTrader: (1)

i recommend the insane shafts two buddies and i have them me personally havent got to run my car yet but my friend with a ef hatch with 600+ ran than all last season never had a hicup with them and mike @ insane shafts is a great guy with awesome customer service. i would run nothing else specially when you look at the price difference

also i have a traction bar setup im looking to sell for a ef if interested shoot me a pm nice setup for cheap price

Tippyman

I have spherical bushings for the front radius rods, essentially making them traction bars. Maybe they aren't working. I also have stock bushings in all my arms.

I am also beginning to suspect wheel hop, maybe I tore an engine mount on the rear subframe or something.

Tippyman

The napa axles broke at the inner joint inside the boot. This one sheared at the axle seal. All same side.

Black R

From kingpin?

Get the sphericals in the front control arms and you'll see the difference.

Tippyman

[QUOTE=Black R;49696296]From progress. Basically the EF comes factory with what some would call "traction bars", a radius rod that bolts to the front crossmember with some rubber bushings. I replaced those bushings with a solid brass spherical bushing to theoretically make it a traction bar. Seemed to work until recently...

I've already contacted Kingpin about getting my lower arms done.

Discosteak

iTrader: (1)

are you pre loading the car at the line or are you just dumping the clutch?

$MIKE$

iTrader: (13)

INSANE SHAFTS FTW QUALITY AND GOOD PRICE

Ron Burgandy

iTrader: (1)

I suspect something is sloppy whether it be a bushing or a mount.....Seems like it is effecting the geometry of the axle entry point and causing the stress in one specific spot.

If this is the case, I would highly recommend fixing it rather than using a band aid approach and beefing up the axles. Although I do vouch for Insane Shaft as well as DSS. Wheel hop could definitely be the big culprit pushing the stress over the top.

Turbo-LS

iTrader: (4)

Looks Like combo of wrong or not enough suspension parts and poor driving. Preload and slip that clutch. But unless you get the correct suspension components you'll continue to have issues reguardless.

I run Insanshafts 1000hp axles and they work very well on my setup

Natural Aspirations

Those are insane shafts he is using there fellahs...

Natural Aspirations

Is it possible that you have an engine alignment issue? I've herd of SRT's having issues breaking axles when the engine isn't installed "straight".

blackeg

what is your engine mount setup?

also, what rear suspension/spring rates are you using and how pre loaded are they?

have you tried launching higher rpm or with a bit more boost to ensure they spin a bit and not dead hook/hop

Turbo-LS

iTrader: (4)

I have 10 year old 600hp insane shafts that got used and abused hard torn boost and driven through winters and still didn't break them. At 800hp the inner joint pushed apart but still didn't break. You've got a whole bunch of negative things going on if your breaking an upgraded axle

ls_on_boost

iTrader: (5)

do u have a video of the launch when the axle breaks

Natural Aspirations

Has anyone ever gotten a CLEAR responce on WHAT is upgraded on insane shafts from OEM? I've asked several times and never gotten an answer, I have a set and they don't appear any different than any replacement axle. DSS is a little more specific on what is upgraded at each specific level, but the price reflects it too.

Ron Burgandy

iTrader: (1)

Not the forum for that here. Search for the thread.

Back to OP

Tippyman

I preload the crap out of it with a CNC staging brake.


I feel something is off as well. My LCA's are factory, I'm sending them to Kingpin for spherical bushings. I'm also getting the K-Tuned traction bar that incorporates the additional stabilizer bars for the LCA's.

Yes, they are. I wasn't trying to bring the companies name into this if it isn't an axle problem. I don't want people to see this thread and say "Oh those axles are crap, I ain't buying those!"

I just want to find the root source of the problem so it doesn't happen again.

Innovative 95a mounts. I've already got solid billet on the way. I think there may be some flex in the rear crossmember that is allowing the rear mount to move some. That will be getting welded.

I'm using Skunk2 drag coilovers, not sure what you mean by how much they're preloaded. They're adjusted so the car is level with race pressure in the slicks.

Unfortunately I'm on regular Neptune, so I can't adjust things on the fly. I could get my tuner to change some things, but when it was working, it worked great so I don't really want to mess with it too much.

So I'm hoping with these things I'll be good to go:

- Solid billet mounts / brace rear subframe
- Kingpin LCA / UCA spherical bushings
- K-Tuned traction bar with rear brace arms