Launched the car and broke driveshaft!!

[BAWLZ SS]

Hey everyone!!! Well yesterday i took my car to the 1/8 mile drag strip and well here it is... I just did alot of suspension work to my car everything except lowering the car because i have a very steep driveway at home. So yesterday i took my car to the track and i lowered my tire pressure to 28psi (street tires) pulled up to the line and did a burnout! once i stagged i launched the car a little too hard... had wheel hop and boom!!! (not loud but i knew i broke something) after the boom my shifter went off to the side a bit and was shaking like crazy!!! It all happen at the launch!! ( launched, wheel hop,boom, shifter went off to the side a bit and was shaking) When i tryed to put it into gear i felt like the driveshaft had broke because as i did that it felt like something kept going in circles (like the driveshaft) and it went clack, clack, clack, clack so i turned off the car!!!:(. So I called a tow truck to tow me home. The guys at the track gave me some bolts and nuts that broke off my car. i went under the car and noticed that the bolts that connect the driveshaft to the tailshaft of the transmission were the ones that broke off! That was the only thing i could see wrong because my car is too low and still havent had the chance to look under. When i put the car in gear it still rolled. I will be replacing the bolts i broke off, cleaning off the tires and the chunks of burned rubber. Then i will take it to the dealer and let them know that my car has been having a vibration coming from the shifter area and when i checked it it was missing two bolts that connect the tail and driveshafts so i replaced them so i could be able to take the car to the dealer so it can get checked out buy them!!! what do u guys think might be wrong besides that?? why is my shifter off to the side a bit? why does my car still roll in gear? is that a good story to tell dealership!?? of course i wasnt gonna tell them i was racing it!!! Any ideas or suggestions??:(: popcorn:

Posted in other places in the forum to see if i get anymore comments on this!! thanks!!

[ffrcobra_65]

the broken output shaft is a known issue and normally covered under warranty. With your modifications, I hope the dealer won't give u crap.

[SlingShot]

IMO your gonna be on your own for the repair bill.

[HondaPowered]

^^ this... unless you have a b.a. dealership

[ffrcobra_65]

Assuming it is a broken output shaft...The car will continue to roll in gear (you push or pull the car) but the car won't move via the driveline anymore because the transmission is no longer connected to the rear end. You can tell them any story you want aside from the truth, it is not what will make the dealer deny your warranty. It is some of the mods you have done to the car, most especially if you have a tune! If you have a tune, you are better off not taking it to the dealer because if you do, and they WILL know you have an after-market tune and the dealer will tag your VIN in the system with a Voided powertrain warranty. At that point, no matter which dealer you go to for warranty claim on any part of the driveline, they will pull up your VIN and see you have voided powertrain warranty. A tune is a sure way to void the powertrain warranty. Having said that, the output shaft breakage is a very well known and documented issue with the LS3 5th Gen Camaros and maybe your dealer will take that into account and fix it under warranty without investigating your car too much. If you choose to go the dealer route, walk in there armed with documentation about the problem with the output shaft and you'll have a better chance. Good luck.

[BAWLZ SS]

Originally Posted by ffrcobra_65

The car will continue to roll in gear (you push or pull the car) but the car won't move via the driveline anymore because the transmission is no longer connected to the rear end. You can tell them any story you want aside from the truth, it is not what will make the dealer deny your warranty. It is some of the mods you have done to the car, most especially if you have a tune! If you have a tune, you are better off not taking it to the dealer because if you do, and they WILL know you have an after-market tune and the dealer will tag your VIN in the system with a Voided powertrain warranty. At that point, no matter which dealer you go to for warranty claim on any part of the driveline, they will pull up your VIN and see you have voided powertrain warranty. A tune is a sure way to void the powertrain warranty. Having said that, the output shaft breakage is a very well known and documented issue with the LS3 5th Gen Camaros and maybe your dealer will take that into account and fix it under warranty without investigating your car too much. If you choose to go the dealer route, walk in there armed with documentation about the problem with the output shaft and you'll have a better chance. Good luck.

My car is not tuned! All i have is an intake and exhaust and suspension work done. No tune as u never know if u might need ur warranty to jump in as in situations like this. Any links to the commen problem with the output shaft breaking being a common problem? All icve seen broken was two bolts that connect the rear of the trqny to the drive shaft!!! Not gone under the car yet for further inspection!!!

[khislop007]

Thats sucks! Whats your VIN #?

[HumanWiki]

How long were you in it while wheel hopping? You always come off the gas the moment you notice wheel hop.....

[ffrcobra_65]

Originally Posted by BAWLZ SS

My car is not tuned! All i have is an intake and exhaust and suspension work done. No tune as u never know if u might need ur warranty to jump in as in situations like this. Any links to the commen problem with the output shaft breaking being a common problem? All icve seen broken was two bolts that connect the rear of the trqny to the drive shaft!!! Not gone under the car yet for further inspection!!!

let's hope it was just the bolts. Warranty should cover that. As far as the broken output shaft, do a search in this forum and you it will return a lot of info. Good luck man.

[67motorcat]

No Tune.....
The dealer will fix it no problem.
ALOT of cars have broke this way if they use "Launch Control"...

I realize you did'nt,just saying!

[BAWLZ SS]

Originally Posted by ffrcobra_65

Assuming it is a broken output shaft...The car will continue to roll in gear (you push or pull the car) but the car won't move via the driveline anymore because the transmission is no longer connected to the rear end. You can tell them any story you want aside from the truth, it is not what will make the dealer deny your warranty. It is some of the mods you have done to the car, most especially if you have a tune! If you have a tune, you are better off not taking it to the dealer because if you do, and they WILL know you have an after-market tune and the dealer will tag your VIN in the system with a Voided powertrain warranty. At that point, no matter which dealer you go to for warranty claim on any part of the driveline, they will pull up your VIN and see you have voided powertrain warranty. A tune is a sure way to void the powertrain warranty. Having said that, the output shaft breakage is a very well known and documented issue with the LS3 5th Gen Camaros and maybe your dealer will take that into account and fix it under warranty without investigating your car too much. If you choose to go the dealer route, walk in there armed with documentation about the problem with the output shaft and you'll have a better chance. Good luck.

Hey guys i just went under the car yesterday and took a look at the car. The trans and driveshaft are not connected anymore. I broke 3 bolts and bent the other 3 still attached to the black rubber piece (also pretty ripped) that connects the tranny and the driveshaft. The shaft at the end of the tranny looks on with very minor damage as well as the driveshaft itself. The only thing that worries me is another piece of metal that i have no idea where it broke off of. And my shifter! Trans mount looks to be perfectly good!!! Also my shaft doesnt look like some of the broken ones i've seen here in pics from some of our other fellow members! But will GM also replace my trans? Im just worried that if my shaft didnt break now i will eventually break later!

Originally Posted by khislop007

Thats sucks! Whats your VIN #?

Yeah my car was built in early June of 09 and falls as one of the 1st 25,00 built

Originally Posted by HumanWiki

How long were you in it while wheel hopping? You always come off the gas the moment you notice wheel hop.....

I had wheel hop since launch for about 1-2 secs before boom. And yeah i got off it but it was too late!

Originally Posted by 67motorcat

No Tune.....
The dealer will fix it no problem.
ALOT of cars have broke this way if they use "Launch Control"...

I realize you did'nt,just saying!

Yup no tune for the same reason that u never know when u might need it! Hooe they fix it.

[SnoopyAce7]

Skip to 0:30... maybe it includes us too!

[Mr. Wyndham]

Originally Posted by SnoopyAce7

Skip to 0:30... maybe it includes us too!

In terms of managing the loads on the drivetrain? Yeah!!

In fact, you're supposed to use launch control in such a fashion as to put full-faith in the car's computer...foot to the floor, dump the clutch - and let it do the rest...

[mlee]

Sounds like a ring gear in the rear end... this can cause a chain reaction and mess up drive shaft etc...