The U-joint that attaches to the rear end. There was a piece that attached to the end caps, but now its broken. I put the drive shaft back up and tightened the straps down. It's in there firmly and doesn't move around. What can happen if those clips are not in place, at high speed or high RPM can the caps release and pitch out the shaft?

 

yes. Just becasue they feel clamped down tight doesn't mean they'll stay there. If the clips are missing, you'll need to replace them or your driveshaft will fall off. It doesn't take much for it to fall off not just high speed.

I'm assuming the mean the tangs on the yoke itself. If so then you need a new yoke. It's possible you have some sort of strap with tangs on it but I've never seen such a thing. The U-joint needs some sort of retaining device to keep the caps from sliding off. On pressed on caps such as the front of the driveshaft, the c-clips do the job. On any open yoke that has some sort of strap holding the cap on you need a protruding tang to keep the caps in place.

Don't drive it until you are sure the driveshaft won't fall off because of missing cap retention parts.

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Stephen's racing page

87 IROC-Z Pro ET Bracket Race Car and knocking on the SuperPro ET class
383 stroker (carbed) with double hump cast iron heads and pump gas
LS6 Big Block buildup now in progress

Best results before the engine blew up
Best ET on a time slip: 11.857
Best corrected ET: 11.163
Best MPH on a time slip: 117.87
Best corrected MPH: 126.10
Best 60 foot: 1.662

Racing at 3500 feet elevation but most race days it's over 5000 feet density altitude!

Member of the Calgary Drag Racing Association

[This message has been edited by Stephen 87 IROC (edited October 08, 2000).]

 

Thats what I figured, I just wanted to be sure, and alive.

Thanks