95 si with a stock 98jdm b18c5, falken azenis tires, stock clutch

1st set of axles lasted a while. took lots of abuse at the track.
i eventually broke the drivers side axle about 9 months ago after a lot of miles.

i replaced the axle with an autozone rebuilt, same as the original. shortly after i took a long trip to AK and broke the axle on the highway. i was very easy on it. i never really got on it at all with this axle. this axles lasted maybe 2k miles. i replaced it and went to the track last night. got some really bad wheel hop 3 runs in a row, broke the axle again. (its actually still intact but im sure it will seperate if i just give 50% throttle. it has really bad binding noises) this axle lasted about 4k miles.

its always the driver's side axle and it always breaks at the joint. wtf is going on?
my engine dynos at 175 whp and i have the stock itr lsd with a stock clutch. i am using GSR axles.

to me that is not enough to break 3 axles in 40k miles.

a very knowledgable friend told me he never had any problems with rebuilts. he had 200whp with a very similar set up as I.

i need suggestions as to why an axle would break so easily.
thanks

 

It may be that you are just not putting enough money into that particular part.

You need something that will handle the torque that that engine provides.

Also, have you checked your engine mounts? Broken?

Remember, it is always better to have spent your hard earned money on first class items once, than to spend three times as much on second class items twice.

 

the engine mounts are good. i have inserts on the the 3 lower mounts.

 

sounds like crappy autozone axles, i hope you got life time warrenty!

I've got the kragen ones and they suck, i've gone through 7 or 8 in 30k

 

just some FYI about those autozone/discount auto type axles. When they remanufacture them they grind down the tripod so the new bearings will have a nice new surface to mate with, in doing so they also lower the effective strength of that piece (5/7 in the pic). If that is where your breaking your axles, its most likley do to them being weaker than stock (usually with normal driving those reman. axles are just fine, its the harder driving that kills them). I would suggest getting a nice pair of aftermarket axles, there usually lifetime warranteed and really not that expensive when you calculate the headache of constantly removing/installing the cheap ones (around 350 from raxles if i remember)

 

I reduced wheel hop by replacing bushings on all four sides. Try this, if wheel hopping hurts your axle.

 

JDM wheel bearings are the same as USDM wheel bearings, but the JDM ITR hubs takes a 36mm axle inlet, whereas all US models and all other JDM tegs take a 32mm axle inlet. I believe the axle inlets on your tranny and half-shaft may also be 36mm, and the axle you are using may not work. What axles are you using (designed for what stock car)?

posted by: Redline96LX

 

I had this same problem on a crx i own, turns out the front left frame was bent.

 

i am using GSR axles. they spline tight like they should and "snap" into the tranny. the inlet should be the same. i dont think they changed the tranny just for the itr, only the hub. this isnt an issue with my axles splining to my tranny. i am snapping the axles at the joint.

now a new problem has come up. i have a BRAND new axle in with maybe 20 miles on it, and i am getting bad vibrations at the wheel durring acceleration.

i am thinking bearings or the hub is messed up somehow. what can cause this? sounds like the axle is already breaking. especially when i go into reverse i hear binding and a lot of play. argh. guna take it all apart this weekend.

any info?

 

I am by no means an axle/anything "guru", but I would bet wheel hop is your worst enemy man.

There was a guy here for a LONG time running 11.30's on stock axles with 23.5 inch slicks. Traction bars are your friend.

There is no reason a basically stock C5 should be snapping axles unless you are wheel hopping the **** out of it.

I run stock axles and have no problems with them.

 

those axles suck!!


Modified by slo97coupe at 7:22 PM 3/30/2006

 

Man, your spelling "sucks at life".


Once again, wheel hop. I bet you beat the **** out of your car constantly on a suspension and bushing setup not designed for it.

If you aren't making 400+ HP and hooking like hell on slicks, there is no reason to snap stock axles or stock replacement axles unless there are other problems with your setup.

 

you guys arent even reading my replies. i am breaking my axles daily driving. i am getting binding and clunking with brand new axles.

i know wheel hop can break axles easily. forget about the wheel hop. i am breaking my axles over and over without abusing them at all.

also i pulled out my intermediate shaft. i have a very tiny amount of play in the bearing. the shaft can wiggle in the bearing a tiny tiny bit.

about the the 32 and 36 bit. on the drivers side the tranny accepts a 36mm int shaft. the other end of the int shaft is a 36mm male end. the gsr axle has a 36mm female end and a 32 male end for the hub of the gsr

 

lol our point is stop buying shittty axles i sell

 

man, everyone forgot again. check your carrier bearing. if its bad you will get the vibration and constant breaking of the axles. the point of the halfshaft is to reduce torque steer and vibration caused by unequal lenght axles. my vote is a bad carrier bearing or halfshaft.

 

coo coo. how much play can i have in the carrier bearing? it wiggles very slightly.

 

the carrier bearing shouldnt move at all.

 

How low is your car?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Contender25 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I had this same problem on a crx i own, turns out the front left frame was bent. </TD></TR></TABLE>

I'd take a serious look at this. Sometimes it takes a few rounds to get a good rebuilt axle, but at a certain point you've got to look at everything else. I started breaking axles after an accident, body shop swore up and down the frame was straight. Removed the front bumper cover and the drivers frame rail was off by 2"...

 

ok heres my update as of now.

i have inspected the halfshaft with it removed. it seems perfectly fine. VERy minimal play in the carrier bearing. i would lean towards saying there is no play at all.

hub bearing was inspected by removing everything down the the rotor. it seems very tight and spins freely and quietly.

the hub side of the axle is clean without any wear signs. the axle seems fine. its kinda hard to rotate the hub side of the axle joint it by hand. i think that is normal for new axles?

i did find that my lower engine mount insert slipped out and my mount itself is completely seperated at the rubber. my engine mount bracket was sitting in the mount crooked by about 1/4-1/2" the zip ties broke that hold the inserts in.

could that minor offset cause the binding issues?

i am going to order a new torque mount and reuse my inserts. right now it looks solid the way i have it. i think it will withstand daily driving.

 

thats most likely the cause, when the motor moves its probably off by more than it is at idle, especially at higher rpm shifts, i would feel comfortable saying you solved the problem.

 

it has to do something with your suspension. something is loose and wobbling, causing a lot of wheel hop. i been using kragen axles for the last yr on my 217hp ls vtec. havent broke 1 yet. i launch at 8500 rpm at the track too. my suspension is apex n1. put the car in the air and chaeck to see if the suspension is okay

 

wheel hop is caused by the movement of the motor, not the suspension.

 

If your motor mount inserts are slipping out I'd take a serious look at a misalignment in the frame/engine....