rear drive shaft bolts coming loose...

[Mad Hatter]

I have my rear drive shaft bolts coming loose quite often... Would it be sane to use a longer bolt so I can but a locking nut on the other side?.... Instead of the short allan headed bolts. Here is a photo of the back side of the drive shaft looking forward, you can see the threads are all the way through to the back.

 

[ArizonaBOSS]

Have not had that issue on S197. You should be using loctite on those bolts, if you are not. Also your RLCA bushings being toast may contribute to unwanted vibration going through that flange.

 

[Mad Hatter]

Yes their was quite a bit of vibration at the track last outing... I imagine that it would affect the bolts. You would think a longer bolt would help as it has about 2cm more of threaded material to go into.

 

[Grant 302]

You should be using loctite on those bolts, if you are not.

I think Drew already got you the best answer here. Once loosened from a torqued down position, the extra threads do little to prevent backing out further.

Consider ditching the poly bushings in your trailing arms.

 

[Mad Hatter]

Check... In the process of changing the LCA's to spherical at both ends as well as a poly/Spherical UCA.

 

[Grant 302]

Consider ditching the poly bushings in your trailing arms.

I mean *all* of them. Even more so for a UCA. Just my opinion though. They should be inspected regularly for wear and failure, and I don't think people generally do that.

The pumpkin side bushing isn't that bad a place for poly for wear and failure compared to the other 5 trailing arm connection/pivot points, but it's still a source for bind.

 

[Mad Hatter]

For now I went with all spherical at the rear except on the pumpkin side that now has a Poly. The original rubber unit was split. The ride now is not as bad as I thought it would be so maybe next time around I will put a spherical in as well.

Big lesson of the day..... check the WHOLE car before going to the track....