Upgraded Half Shafts

[rcdice]

At what point do half shafts "need" to be upgraded? I suppose stronger half shafts are only needed it you are interested in launching the car from a dead stop. Let's say you are. Anyone ever broken a stock one with a bone stock car? I would think that with even light mods (air intake and exhaust) AND sticky tires, an upgrade might be in order. Any thoughts.

First step upgrade would be Unitrax heavy duties rated at 800 hp.

 

[Viper X]

Good idea. I know of two GTS owners who have broken half shafts with sticky tires at the drags, though both cars were modded. Before I add sticky tires to my stock GTS, I will upgrade the half shafts. I recommend you do the same.

After many dealings with Unitrax (they are local), I find they are a first class outfit with very nice people who stand behind their products. It would be hard to do better.

Good luck.

Dan

 

[DEVILDOG]

Get the Unitrax HD and then don't worry anymore. Worth the piece of mind. I recently was making a shift at redline from 1st to 2nd at the end of a steeply inclined on ramp right on top of a bad expansion joint which I could not see and got launched and lost all road contact for an instant and then hooked up at max revs. Made a loud as hell metal to metal bang, however, nothing broke (rearend or half shafts). Proof enough for me.

 

[Joseph Dell]

Stock cars break stock half-shafts with sticky tires. Then again, jdawg ran 10.19 @13x on stock half shafts too... i'm not sure if he was straying NOS on the launch, though. he was also on borrowed time w/ those half shafts.

the unitrax heavy duty half shafts lasted me a LONG time before I broke them (over 100 1/4 mile passes with a car making mroe than 800rwhp).

BTW - while you are there, spend the $150 or whatever it is for halfshaft loops. When the half shafts break, they tend to break other things with them. Like rear ends or suspension components...

Good luck!

JD

 

[Viper X]

Half shaft loops are good insurance. I have them on my SRT-10.

 

[PhoenixGTS]

A big factor (with the stock half shafts at least) is wheel hop. When the wheels hop and cause an up and down motion in the suspenion, the slip-joints on the stockers bind and therefore put a huge stress on the u-joints. In other words, a stock shaft will take WAY more power on a car that does not wheel hop that on a car that hops. Maybe someone can chime in as to whether the two versions of the Unitrax HD units solve this particular problem.

 

[ViperRichRT10]

JD,

How much are these upgraded half shafts and can we install them on your lift on my car?

Rich

 

[rcdice]

800 hp rated Unitrax, $769 through Partsrack.

 

[jeffdai]

I broke my stock half shaft on my 94 totally stock except tubes and filters on stock (still the tires from 94, they are getting changed this month, have my 2001 wheels to put on anyway), but i popped the clutch at a pretty hard rpm, started launching, then lost traction a little, had some bad wheel hop and that was the end of the shaft. Had a stock shaft put back on because it was covered by my extended warranty but before i do much else to the car im definitly going to change mine to heavy duty shafts.

 

[Joseph Dell]

and just a few hours to install. not too bad at all.

 

[IEATVETS]

I must be one of the lucky ones. I am going to upgrade my half shafts but a lot of you talk about wheel hop. That is something I have never had with my car. Makes me wonder why.

 

[jeffdai]

i never really did either until i brought it to the nice prepared track at mir, launched way to high the last run i did, and kept getting traction and losing it as the wheel hopped and byebye half shaft, made it home but it was all screwed up. Doesnt happen to me on the road but sure happened that night