A few weeks ago, I installed an LS1 Driveshaft on my LT1. I checked the universals before I put it on, and they moved about in all directions very smoothly.

About a week ago, I was driving about 50mph and I hear a terrible horrid grinding, which appears to be coming from the rear, accompanied by vibration. I notice the noise is directly related to the car's speed, not the engine RPM, however volume does change with increased engine load.

I couldn't stop as I was on a bridge, so I limped myself over to work (since I was on my way there and was very close) and figured something had gone wrong with the driveshaft.

Long story short, a few miles down the road the driveshaft broke loose. The rear universal was missing, there's a dent in my exhaust pipe, only one "universal cap" was still in the differential, and the universal was completley gone, as well as one of the loops that hold the universal in. The tail of the driveshaft was also beat up quite a bit.

What gives? Did I not put the driveshaft in tight enough or something? Certainly it was torqued down enough as all the bolts were there, and they had taken such a beating I had to purchase new ones. So I got my universal replaced on my steel lt1 driveshaft and re-installed that. But I'm just wondering if I had a fluke or does this happen to people sometimes when they put driveshafts in.

 

You can overtighten the caps causing bearing failure.

 

you mean like overtorque the steel straps? I didn't put it on any harder than I have in the past. *shrug*

 

Yeah, that is it. I have seen people put them on and turn them until they stop. Or with impact guns.

I hope you find the cause. Later.

 

Hmm, I don't like the sound of overtightening those things, any idea what the torque setting should be when tightening them down.

 

I put my shaft in the other day and the book said only 14ft/lbs on the retaining straps.