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General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: Peter from Sch'dy on August 20, 2015, 06:32:47 AM

Title: NGC F150 driveshaft broke
Post by: Peter from Sch'dy on August 20, 2015, 06:32:47 AM
The driveshaft on my 2005 F150 broke apart at the differential end just ahead of the universal joint. I have had a new shaft built locally and I've seen that some people recommend discarding the flange bolts and replacing with new. Anybody have any info on this?

Best,
Peter
Title: Re: NGC F150 driveshaft broke
Post by: acogoff on August 20, 2015, 09:09:44 AM
     The robot must have missed the proper spot with the weld?  I've seem that happen on a Peterbilt once.  I see no reason to replace the bolts if the threads are still in good shape. After all it is just a pickup.
Title: Re: NGC F150 driveshaft broke
Post by: ken farr on August 20, 2015, 09:41:03 AM
So you have a new drive shaft, how much could new bolts be ????


kjf
Title: Re: NGC F150 driveshaft broke
Post by: Peter from Sch'dy on August 20, 2015, 10:28:19 AM
So you have a new drive shaft, how much could new bolts be ????


kjf

$40 on a $400 shaft
Title: Re: NGC F150 driveshaft broke
Post by: cj750 on August 20, 2015, 11:57:02 AM
Understand that this is third-hand information, so take it for what its worth... but, I have a friend with a Ford truck of this era, and he ran into the same shop-manual instruction to discard and replace the flange bolts. He questioned a mechanic friend about it, and was told that the factory-supplied bolts come with a thread-lock/sealer applied. The coating has a one-time use, but the bolts themselves, if they're not physically damaged, should be fine. So long as they're thoroughly cleaned and new thread-lock compound properly applied, they're OK to re-use. In a commercial shop setting, its often not worth the mechanic's time to do that, so they typically use new, pre-coated bolts when available. But for an owner-performed repair, the calculus is probably different.
Again, its third-hand information which I have no way to independently verify, and standard disclaimers apply. But it sounded like a reasonable explanation to me.
Title: Re: NGC F150 driveshaft broke
Post by: Rough Edge racing on August 20, 2015, 01:39:35 PM
 The answer above about the sealer/thread locker bolts sounds true....  Was the drive shaft aluminum? Some late Mustangs have had drive shaft breakage....
 
Title: Re: NGC F150 driveshaft broke
Post by: Peter from Sch'dy on August 20, 2015, 02:34:39 PM
Thanks. Shaft was .065 wall steel. Seems to be common. Will re-use bolts.

Best,
Peter
Title: Re: NGC F150 driveshaft broke
Post by: rodekyll on August 20, 2015, 04:18:10 PM
Those should be some high-grade bolts.  I'd check for stretching and shearing (bent shafts), and reuse if they check out.

$0.02
Title: Re: NGC F150 driveshaft broke
Post by: RayB on August 20, 2015, 05:12:51 PM
Ford tells us to discard the front caliper bolts for my 03 Taurus too. First time I changed the brakes I wnet to the dealership thinking the bolts were torqued to yield. Ford wanted about $10 apiece for those bolts too. They are pre-coated with that yellow dried snot. Still have my original bolts cleaned and used LocTite blue every pad change. BTW the torque specified for the caliper bolts could in no way take the bolts to yield.
Title: Re: NGC F150 driveshaft broke
Post by: Peter from Sch'dy on August 20, 2015, 07:28:10 PM
Those should be some high-grade bolts.  I'd check for stretching and shearing (bent shafts), and reuse if they check out.

$0.02

That's the plan, yes

Best,
Peter