Ummm Has Anyone Had This Problem?? (Axles)

[grandprixgtp_91]

Ok, heres the Problem, i took my car to the track on friday night, it ran 13.8 with no traction, so i dropped the front tires to 15psi, went to the staging lights and went to launch and the drivers side axle exploded.

For those who are not familiar with my car, its a 1991 Grand Prix GTP , 3.4L DOHC Turbo, and Getrag 284 5 speed manual.

Im wondering if anyone knows where i can get stonger axles? the part that broke is the tripot that plugs into the transmission . and here is a few pics.

Thanks

Jake

[SofaKingWeToddDid]

WOOOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!! thats freakin CRAZY!!!

[grandprixgtp_91]

LOL tell me about it, i really am gonna need something stonger!

Jake

[robertisaar]

as a heads up: 284 parts are few and far between. axles can be easy to find, but you'll probably need to talk to a good local machine shop and have them nitrided or cryo-hardened. also: running sticky tires, especially without a LSD, means death to trannies...

[grandprixgtp_91]

LOL Im well aware of the rarity of parts for the 284, i have 3 284 cars, and have owned them for over 7 years, i always try to scoop up as many parts as i can for it, but that is still always not so easy, im glad i had spare parts to get me home from the track.

But im pretty sure that running sticky tires without an lsd would be better for the tranny than non sticky tires, because its the wheel spin that causes the death, so if you can get the wheel spin down the diff would be in better condition. but i think thats when the axles like to explode lol.

Jake

[robertisaar]

from what i've been told, its when the wheel starts hopping and either the ring or sun gear is gone at that point. some good street tires and not trying to spin them should remove most of the issue...

[grandprixgtp_91]

well a manual transmission doesnt use a planetary gearset, so the only damage would be from the diff spinning the spider gears to fast from only one wheel spinning , thats when things break.

so using sticky tires and reducing the wheel spin will save the diff when you dont have an lsd.

If you used less sticky tires the diff would spin up to much and could cause it to blow.

Even with the sticky tires on my car, if im in 2nd gear coasting at about 60-70km/h and i lay into the throttle the tires start to spin as soon as the turbo spools.

Thats my problem im just laying to much power to the front wheels on stock axles, eventually they just couldnt take the stress anymore.

But the tranny has been holding up like a champ! I love the 284, is doesnt shift any different since the day i got it. And i drive the hell outta my car, and run a ton of power through it!

Jake

[SofaKingWeToddDid]

to fix the problem, just unplug three sparkplugs and use a drill to make a 5/16" hole in the cold side of the turbo, and a 13/32" hole in the hot side. this will give you an extreme power loss causing you to never have another speeding ticket, or transmission problem again.

[grandprixgtp_91]

lmfao, this might work, but ive never even been pulled over in this car, so tickets are not an issuse. lol

Jake

[IsaacHayes]

Driveshaft shop axles time???

[1988GTU]

Driveshaft shop axles time???

$1,600 time???

[grandprixgtp_91]

do you think a driveshaft place could make custom axles like that? i just need the tripot strengthened, i would be willing to pay, not $1600 but if there good ill pay alot.

Jake

[1988GTU]

$800 for I think 450 hp axles. Gotta pay to play.

[grandprixgtp_91]

ya thats about what i figured, for a set.

Jake

[1988GTU]

If there's one thing I often see common amongst the "cliche" car enthusiasts is the repeated "I want it now at a budget rate, AND it BETTER be 120% top notch! " . It's a real common occurrence than one may think. When the crowd gets big as SB owners or import/tuners, that's when we might get a huge price break and plentiful aftermarket stufffffff.