billy
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| posted on 9/4/05 at 07:56 PM |
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Prop snapped at HIGH speed
My god i was out in mine today and the prop sheared completely in half right at the front before the uj. the bang was huge and the prop tried to beat
its way out of the tunnel. did alot of damage, cut thro brake pipe, fuel pipe, wiring etc. bent the chassis big time in the tunnel, lucky it wanted to
come out thro the passenger side. i was on my own thank god. good old vauxhall prop eh
luego-lo-cost finished,vauxhall 16v 2.0,twin 45s de-dion rear set up
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RogerM
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| posted on 9/4/05 at 08:05 PM |
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Oh dear, hop you will be having a right old rant to the company that did the prop for you, must have been marginal on the welding, balance or both.
I've run some silly power / torque through props in the past and that is why I always insist on all new parts, bushed joints with grease nipples
and a read out from the balancing machine.
Don't think you'll have much joy in getting the company to compensate you for the damage unless you can prove that it was the way they
built it that resulted in the failure. Do you know anybody in an engineering company that might have a metrology lab??? If so might be worth getting
them to analyse the failure.
[Edited on 9/4/05 by RogerM]
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billy
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| posted on 9/4/05 at 08:13 PM |
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this is where it snapped
 
Rescued attachment prop-snapped.JPG
luego-lo-cost finished,vauxhall 16v 2.0,twin 45s de-dion rear set up
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billy
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| posted on 9/4/05 at 08:14 PM |
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its a bit of a dark pic but you can see the beating the side got
 
Rescued attachment prop damage.JPG
luego-lo-cost finished,vauxhall 16v 2.0,twin 45s de-dion rear set up
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Hellfire
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| posted on 9/4/05 at 08:28 PM |
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Any chance of a picture of the mating part too... with damage/risk on this scale you should tell us all who did the welding, one for us all to avoid.
Very glad you are ok - it could have been worse. Especially electrical, fuel and brake all joined... I think you were lucky. 
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billy
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| posted on 9/4/05 at 08:39 PM |
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There is no welding at this point, its ok at the weld. it just sheared of before the uj. all i can think is the uj failed itself causing it to snap
off where it did, there is half the uj missing on whats left of the prop. it eventuly dropped down and dragged along the road. My god the noise it
made
luego-lo-cost finished,vauxhall 16v 2.0,twin 45s de-dion rear set up
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Avoneer
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| posted on 9/4/05 at 08:54 PM |
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as it a bought prop or a home made one?
It looks a lot narrower than most I have seen.
Cheers,
Pat...
No trees were killed in the sending of this message.
However a large number of electrons were terribly inconvenienced.
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RogerM
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| posted on 9/4/05 at 08:56 PM |
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Was it a new joint?
I hope the damage isn't too bad mate.
I have seen a few failed shafts and that is why it's on my "extra caution required" component list.
Good luck with sorting it all out.
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billy
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| posted on 9/4/05 at 09:13 PM |
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im afraid it was not a new prop, it was a vx at the front to ford at the rear. and the moral of the story is........dont use second hand bits on your
propshaft, they always look nice and strong but are they realy???? lesson lernt
luego-lo-cost finished,vauxhall 16v 2.0,twin 45s de-dion rear set up
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Avoneer
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| posted on 9/4/05 at 09:23 PM |
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That's what makes these posts worth while.
To inform others of any potential / actual problems so they occur less and less.
Bad news that it happened and I feel for you, but at least you're fine.
Pat...
No trees were killed in the sending of this message.
However a large number of electrons were terribly inconvenienced.
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JonBowden
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| posted on 9/4/05 at 10:11 PM |
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Ok, maybe I'm being dumb, but does anyone use new propshafts ?
Can you even get them new ?
Jon
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andy d (rizla)
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| posted on 9/4/05 at 10:14 PM |
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mine was "new" from mnr
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ned
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| posted on 9/4/05 at 10:24 PM |
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there was another thread recently on th esubject fo props, a quick serach would find it. basically there are loads of places that will build you a
custom prop new, based on whichever ends/fitment you require...
autoprop rings a bell as one place, but as i say there is a thread of suppliers mentioned recently..
Ned.
beware, I've got yellow skin
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RogerM
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| posted on 9/4/05 at 10:52 PM |
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They aren't in every town but I have never struggled to find a prop manufacturer within sensible distance.
There are some things that I always use new or recon'd properly. Brake calipers, driveshafts, propshafts and steering linkages / racks.
Only live once.
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MikeR
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| posted on 9/4/05 at 11:07 PM |
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only die once too !!!!!!
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marc n
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| posted on 9/4/05 at 11:14 PM |
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Wow what a lucky escape,
This highlights the reason why every kit we sell we persuede people to invest in a new prop ( the only ones we sell are brand new with 12 months
warranty )
the extra cost over modifying second hand bits compared to new in most cases is £ 60 is it really worth the risk !!!!!
glad your ok
hopefully this will be a wake up call for many others
best regards
marc
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NOTE:This user is registered as a LocostBuilders trader and may offer commercial services to other users
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colibriman
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| posted on 10/4/05 at 02:06 AM |
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OMG...most builders nightmare.....glad your ok.
need a bike engine? - www.colibriman.com
SVA ready Mk Indyblade possibly for sale.....if the offers good...!
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NOTE:This user is registered as a LocostBuilders trader and may offer commercial services to other users
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dblissett
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| posted on 10/4/05 at 08:28 AM |
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new prop
my new prop made to suite my 442 chassis only cost me £110
from propshaft tecnolgy
its not worth the risk
glad your ok
dave
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Dillinger1977
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| posted on 10/4/05 at 09:25 AM |
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this is one of my paranoid fears, even with a brand new one.
has anyone considered some form of collar at incremental points, to hopefully limit the movement of the shaft should a break occur?
-Rog
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Northy
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| posted on 10/4/05 at 09:38 AM |
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My other worry is the flywheel letting go, just next to my ankles
Glad your ok.
Graham
Website under construction. Help greatfully received as I don't really know what I'm doing!
"If a man says something in the woods and there are no women there, is he still wrong?"
Built 2L 8 Valve Vx Powered Avon
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Danozeman
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| posted on 10/4/05 at 10:12 AM |
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You were a lucky man mate. Makes you realise the importance of of things such as this. Makes u wonder whether we should plate the front end on
the tunnel with thicker stuff..
Hope the damage aint too expensive mate..
Dan
Built the purple peril!! Let the modifications begin!!
http://www.eastangliankitcars.co.uk
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andylancaster3000
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| posted on 10/4/05 at 10:14 AM |
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Glad to hear your ok, i think you may have a problem getting any passengers now though! It still suprises me that props tend to go at the box end
(well, all the ones i have heard that have failed did). I would have thought that it would be more likley to go at the axle end where it gets a harder
time. Anyone explain this?
The point about buying a decent prop makes sense but a freind of my fathers who bought a fireblade engined car new from a rather well known company
makes you wonder if they are really worth it! His prop failed at the adapter flange where it seems, whoever made it, had decided to turn down the weld
to practically nothing to make it look more neat!
Northy: I too have always wondered about the flywheel bolts failing. I wonder too whether it would actually escape the bellhousing?
Andy
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omega 24 v6
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| posted on 10/4/05 at 10:31 AM |
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i have seen flywheels on x flows shearing all the bolts but, as they are on a spigot, and the fact that there is pressure on the clutch plate, and the
main gearbox shaft is in a bearing in the crankshaft all of these seem to prevent the flywheel from coming through the bellhousing. However if one was
to split up then it would be crutches time maybe. Has anyone ever seen this. The F2 stockcar guys actually sit astride there
flywheel/gearbox/propshaft and in my opinion they've got a lot of balls to do this sport
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RogerM
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| posted on 10/4/05 at 10:40 AM |
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I have only ever seen one flywheel failure. It was on a very high reving Mini engine (74mm bore, stroke reduce to give 999cc rather than the 1399 it
would have had, can't remember the actual stroke). That engine ran a 16V head and could rev to around 10k. Shall we say that maybe we lightend
the flywheel too much It destroyed the bellhousing and wreckedthe bulkhead too!!!!
If you are going for very light flywheels then go for machined from billet.
As for props I always have catchers of mine. Basically every 9" or so down the prop I form a ring out of 3x25 plate and size it to give about
10mm radial clearence. These rings are braced to the chassis with similar material (to top and bottom tunnel rails). In theory if it fails it should
not be able to escape.
Just remember to bolt not weld the catchers on or else it will be a pig to do anything to the transmission!!
I have had too many "experiences" over 20 years of racing to take risks with road cars. Light is good but if the ultimate weight saving is
that you are no longer able to get into it then it's not going to be fun is it!!
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Northy
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| posted on 10/4/05 at 10:41 AM |
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I've seen pictures of a flywheel that broke apart, it came out of the side of the bellhousing in little pieces!
Even worse if you've got an ali bellhousing, like I have!
Graham
Website under construction. Help greatfully received as I don't really know what I'm doing!
"If a man says something in the woods and there are no women there, is he still wrong?"
Built 2L 8 Valve Vx Powered Avon
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