Prop shaft failure

[roborross]

Prop shaft went today. The weld at the gearbox end universal joint failed. It looks like the weld only had penetration at about two 1cm sections of the entire circumference weld. Some thing worth checking on other cars out there?

[stylussprinter]

Can't quite see what I'm looking at being so close , is that one section of the UJ or the UJ to spline Mine was built at RECOPROP and I've had it out 5 times due to engine out and diff problems but never seen anything dodgy . It gets low mileage but a hard life on my car sprinting too . It pays to keep the UJ's greased several times a year so there's then no shock to the yoke holding them plus I don't fancy the front UJ coming apart at 140 mph

[CMA]

Got Robs prop sat on my workbench (and his car in my garage)....

I'm no pro welder, nor a welding tester but to me that has to be the worst ever welding I have seen and I've seen a lot of bad welding (normally mine!)



Some form of dodgy balancing bit welded on? Plus there's what looks like clean metal on the edges of the other weld which might indicate that it on its way too

[stylussprinter]

Who ever did it must have had the right equipment or it wouldn't have been balanced withe plate , so just damn poor welding ability

[DH2]

The "dodgy balancing bit" is perfectly normal practice.
The welds look quite impressive - I'm not sure how you get such a big weld with apparently zero penetration!
Prop failures are really dangerous, I don't understand why people skimp on buying a quality bespoke prop in favour of dodgy cut and shuts.

Dave

[stylussprinter]

The "dodgy balancing bit" is perfectly normal practice.
The welds look quite impressive - I'm not sure how you get such a big weld with apparently zero penetration!
Prop failures are really dangerous, I don't understand why people skimp on buying a quality bespoke prop in favour of dodgy cut and shuts.

Dave

Hence my comment regarding the front UJ breaking Dave ---- if it goes then the likely result would be the car being launched into the air followed by just about any consequence

[DH2]

Hence my comment regarding the front UJ breaking Dave ---- if it goes then the likely result would be the car being launched into the air followed by just about any consequence

Indeed. Though in the Stylus we are quite fortunate that there is a 'natural' prop catcher at the join of the tunnel tubes. I've checked mine and it can't flail very far at all should it fail, at either end. But it's not just that, a friend had his fail, which took out the fuel lines, then the wiring, and the resultant fire was fairly unpleasant. You can't mitigate against everything, but a couple of hundred quid to have a bespoke prop made, is worth it to me for a bit more peace of mind.

Dave

[stylussprinter]

Hence my comment regarding the front UJ breaking Dave ---- if it goes then the likely result would be the car being launched into the air followed by just about any consequence

Indeed. Though in the Stylus we are quite fortunate that there is a 'natural' prop catcher at the join of the tunnel tubes. I've checked mine and it can't flail very far at all should it fail, at either end. But it's not just that, a friend had his fail, which took out the fuel lines, then the wiring, and the resultant fire was fairly unpleasant. You can't mitigate against everything, but a couple of hundred quid to have a bespoke prop made, is worth it to me for a bit more peace of mind.

Dave

Agreed , mine cost me just over £200 in 1998(Dunning & F) then new UJ's in 2004/5(RECOPROP) but of course standing starts at 5000 to 6000 rpm on sprints/hillclimbs take abnormal toll

[roborross]

Speedy service from dunning and Fairbank. Measurements sent on Monday, prop delivered at 0930am this morning. Fitted this evening in robs garage (cma). 150 inc vat and delivery. Didn't think that was too bad as I'd asked for overnight delivery too.



Thanks D&F, thanks Rob......

[stylussprinter]

WOW I suppose that's the resessionary times we're going through £50 cheaper than same guys 15yrs ago

[roborross]

WOW I suppose that's the resessionary times we're going through £50 cheaper than same guys 15yrs ago

I'd imagine yours was a higher spec for the additional power? I was asked for the power output. Weight. Wise, mine was about 3.4kg. It was 115 plus vat, but I pained extra for next day delivery too. Lol pained, I mean paid, but pained fits quite well.

[stylussprinter]

WOW I suppose that's the resessionary times we're going through £50 cheaper than same guys 15yrs ago

I'd imagine yours was a higher spec for the additional power? I was asked for the power output. Weight. Wise, mine was about 3.4kg. It was 115 plus vat, but I pained extra for next day delivery too. Lol pained, I mean paid, but pained fits quite well.

When I first built my car it had just 165 bhp on carbs , the three stages of power improvement followed 1 year later then 4 years after that . Biggest laptime improvement was gained through chassis set-up and many changes over 7 years sprinting every two weeks .