CV joint issues on track cars

[Icecreamtruk]

Originally Posted by Purist

I hear you. That's what I'm worried about. Bumpy track at maximum compression while accelerating and a catastrophic failure

Hear the bumpiness: You can just hear the clunk I'm talking about at 0:26.

You call that a bumpy track? Thats smooth as a baby's bottom by my local tracks standarts. Here are some examples:

The car is very low compared to stock (1 to 2", cant remember how much exactly but low enough) and still is on stock axles. I've gone thru wheel bearings on all 4 corners already, but axles are fine. Main difference here is that my car is very stiff compared to yours, so it probably is more because you bottom out that because you are lowered or the bumps in the road.

[CSG Mike]

Originally Posted by bmxr

I hear you. I run an oil cooler, race pads, and try not to abuse the clutch and trans too much. Your "track ready" comment is very general though. I am talking about axles. Do those other cars require aftermarket axles for an otherwise stock car on street tires to run HPDE without breaking? Is that a common thing? I believe the answers are "no" and "no". Anyway, I will just keep buying stock ones every 20k until I replace the car. Thanks.

I've broken axles on my s2k at the track, which a large part of the internet seems to believe to be a "superior" track car.

Axle failures on CTRs are quite common at the track.


However, I bet, if you ran the stock tires, you wouldn't break axles :p

[bmxr]

Originally Posted by CSG Mike

I've broken axles on my s2k at the track, which a large part of the internet seems to believe to be a "superior" track car.

Axle failures on CTRs are quite common at the track.


However, I bet, if you ran the stock tires, you wouldn't break axles :p

So now you are misdirecting to S2K and civics? LOL What does any of that have to do with this thread? First, it's GT3RS'. Then it's GTR's. Now it's CTRs? Just stop 😂😂🤣. Those cars are not chronically breaking driveline parts doing HPDE on street tires.

Ps-I broke the first axle on the stock tires. But no, you are right… I
should expect to have to buy 800 ***TORQUE*** axles from DSS just to do HPDE on street tires at stock ride height with stock dampers and 100 torques 🤪

[CSG Mike]

It seems no amount of examples will change your mind.

If you broke your first axle on stock tires... you may need to re-examine what you're doing, whether it's how your driving or setting up.

We'll agree to disagree.

[Purist]

Originally Posted by Icecreamtruk

You call that a bumpy track? Thats smooth as a baby's bottom by my local tracks standarts. Here are some examples:

The car is very low compared to stock (1 to 2", cant remember how much exactly but low enough) and still is on stock axles. I've gone thru wheel bearings on all 4 corners already, but axles are fine. Main difference here is that my car is very stiff compared to yours, so it probably is more because you bottom out that because you are lowered or the bumps in the road.

How stiff? Whats your spring rate?

Sent from my SM-G973F using Tapatalk

[new2subaru]

Originally Posted by Icecreamtruk

You call that a bumpy track? Thats smooth as a baby's bottom by my local tracks standarts. Here are some examples:

The car is very low compared to stock (1 to 2", cant remember how much exactly but low enough) and still is on stock axles. I've gone thru wheel bearings on all 4 corners already, but axles are fine. Main difference here is that my car is very stiff compared to yours, so it probably is more because you bottom out that because you are lowered or the bumps in the road.

Nice driving. Did you change your gearing?

[M0nk3y]

Originally Posted by CSG Mike

It seems no amount of examples will change your mind.

If you broke your first axle on stock tires... you may need to re-examine what you're doing, whether it's how your driving or setting up.

We'll agree to disagree.

What? No?!

How dare you even question his ability to setup a car. That can't be it at all, clearly.

It's not like a hit curbs every single time, have a lowered car with stickier tires and aero that for sure will put more load on a car and not have to deal with breaking axles.

...oh wait.

[Icecreamtruk]

Originally Posted by Purist

How stiff? Whats your spring rate?

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12k all around. Next spring change is probably going to need some more rear spring, playing with the sway bars to get the right balance but the rear would have benefited from a bit more even, in my case.

Originally Posted by new2subaru

Nice driving. Did you change your gearing?

Thank you! I only changed the final drive to a 4.88 and the car is only on headers + tune power wise. Lots of mods to suspension and aero, but drivetrain is pretty stockish.

[new2subaru]

Originally Posted by Icecreamtruk

Thank you! I only changed the final drive to a 4.88 and the car is only on headers + tune power wise. Lots of mods to suspension and aero, but drivetrain is pretty stockish.

I like the way the 4.88 keeps you in the power band. The extra shifting is not too much?

[Lynxis]

Of course, anyone can have an axle or any other part of a car fail on them, even someone driving on the street on OE tires like a grandpa could still be subject to a failure. That's just life.

Being worried about breaking axles myself, knowing that replacements are going to cost me $300 each because of where I live in the world, I've followed the reports pretty closely and there are certain patterns to the failures. The vast majority of failures are on boosted and lowered (more than 1 inch) track cars. NA cars lowered no more than an inch seem to have far fewer failures, to the point that despite the fact that cars in this category *vastly* outnumbers boosted/lowered cars, there still seems to be fewer such reports in total.

The prevailing suspicion was that the CV joints aren't designed for the torque that a boosted motor provides and lowering beyond a certain point puts the axle at an angle that puts more stress on the CV joint causing it to be subject to premature wear. Of course, other things can factor in as well.

YMMV but if you are NA and no more than an inch lowered and experience axle failure, I'd just assume you were unlucky with the original and tell you to get another OEM axle and save your money. If you are lower, running stickier tires or boost, then investing in a DSS axle might be a plan.

[racingfool]

Originally Posted by Icecreamtruk

12k all around.

What tires?

[rice_classic]

I’m low, I suspect lower than most and my springs are the eibachs (not too stiff), I’m racing on hoosiers yetI’ve solved the axle thing.

Not sure why it’s such a difficult puzzle. Keep the heat out of it, put in the good grease and let it breathe.

[norcalpb]

Originally Posted by Lynxis

Of course, anyone can have an axle or any other part of a car fail on them, even someone driving on the street on OE tires like a grandpa could still be subject to a failure. That's just life.

Being worried about breaking axles myself, knowing that replacements are going to cost me $300 each because of where I live in the world, I've followed the reports pretty closely and there are certain patterns to the failures. The vast majority of failures are on boosted and lowered (more than 1 inch) track cars. NA cars lowered no more than an inch seem to have far fewer failures, to the point that despite the fact that cars in this category *vastly* outnumbers boosted/lowered cars, there still seems to be fewer such reports in total.

The prevailing suspicion was that the CV joints aren't designed for the torque that a boosted motor provides and lowering beyond a certain point puts the axle at an angle that puts more stress on the CV joint causing it to be subject to premature wear. Of course, other things can factor in as well.

YMMV but if you are NA and no more than an inch lowered and experience axle failure, I'd just assume you were unlucky with the original and tell you to get another OEM axle and save your money. If you are lower, running stickier tires or boost, then investing in a DSS axle might be a plan.

I had both my axles go bad on me, NA and lowered less than 1 inch.

I should mention thought that they lasted me 130k, and I bought 2 used ones for $185.

[Icecreamtruk]

Originally Posted by new2subaru

I like the way the 4.88 keeps you in the power band. The extra shifting is not too much?

No, you dont shift any more than you would with a 4.1, you are just 1 gear higher all the time (where you'd be on 3rd on the 4.1, you'll be on 4th on the 4.88, and so on). The main difference is how 3rd to 4th and 4th to 5th are closer than 2nd to 3rd and 3rd to 4th so yes, it stays better on the power band, but not a huge deal breaker. If you have to pass the 6th (so you get over 110mph), then 4.88 is worse, the car just stops accelerating at that speed in 6th gear, while in 5th it will go until around 120-125mph usually.

Originally Posted by racingfool

What tires?

I've used several tires, depending on class im racing for and points allowance for each type of tires. On both those videos I was on RE71R. I've used, nittos NT01, Toyos R888R, Maxxis RC1, Yokohamas A052, Continental Sports DW and Nankang AR1.