Driveshaft popping out of out-drive!

[Sea]

Hi all. Newish MT410 owner here. I do love this truck, though I seem to be better at breaking it than anyone I've read about, lol.

My issue is that the last couple times out, my Passenger front driveshaft dog-bone end has popped out of the differential out-drive coupler.

The first time it happened, I didn't catch it right away, and it damaged the out-drive substantially, as well as tweaking the drive shaft.

I took the dif apart, and replaced the out-drive, put in a new drive shaft, and chalked it up to my proclivity for doing as many Areal rotations as possible on every jump I hit.

Problem is, it happened the next session as well. Being a little more observant, I caught it right away, and the damage was minimal. However, this caused me to study the assembly a bit closer, and I noticed that that driveshaft sits considerably further out (bigger gap between the end of the drive shaft and the dif), in the out-drive coupler than the other side, like an 1/8"!!!

The shaft just isn't sitting far enough into the out-drive.

I've checked everything I can think of, nothing is visibly out of place on the truck. I even cranked the camber links way in to see if that would allow me to at least drive it a bit, but despite the front of the car looking like a pyramid, it didn't alleviate the issue enough to make much of a difference.

Does anyone have any ideas?

Please help, thanks!!!!

 

[TBuggy]

try adjusting the droop so your arms aren't bottoming out the shocks. It could be that with whatever setup you are running, it allows the arms to drop too much (after a jump) and popping the drive shafts out.

Just a guess though.

 

[Nicochau]

Hi @Sea ,

So your saying your front right arm is 3 to 4mm longer than the front left arm? Any excessive slope detected?

Did you measure the left/right arms to compare them?

I would also check the pins in A and B blocks. Worst case, you could use these as a way to adjust the hinge pin position and bring it closer to the center of the truck.

 

[Sea]

try adjusting the droop so your arms aren't bottoming out the shocks. It could be that with whatever setup you are running, it allows the arms to drop too much (after a jump) and popping the drive shafts out.

Just a guess though.

Thanks for the suggestion. Unfortunately, I've already got it at the lowest setting. My issue also doesn't seem to change much with the position of the A-arm. A little, but not much.

 

[Sea]

Hi @Sea ,

So your saying your front right arm is 3 to 4mm longer than the front left arm? Any excessive slope detected?

Did you measure the left/right arms to compare them?

I would also check the pins in A and B blocks. Worst case, you could use these as a way to adjust the hinge pin position and bring it closer to the center of the truck.

I hadn't thought of the possibility that the shafts could be different lengths, since they're the same part left to right, but I just measured, and they're identical like they're supposed to be.

There's no slop that i can tell.

Your second suggestion is a good one. Since I put the truck together and put away the parts, I had forgotten about the variable pin holders! Hopefully I can figure out what's causing this issue, but if not, I may have to go that route.

Thanks!

 

[TBuggy]

Thanks for the suggestion. Unfortunately, I've already got it at the lowest setting. My issue also doesn't seem to change much with the position of the A-arm. A little, but not much.

You need to pos a pic of your rig (showing the problem) and your set up so we can figure this out. I think some important info is being missed that will help us get to the bottom of the issue.

 

[Firedragon]

My brother had the same problem on his EB48.3. After disassembling everything I found that the hinge-pin was bent. I changed it and problem solved. Hope that helps

 

[Sea]

You need to pos a pic of your rig (showing the problem) and your set up so we can figure this out. I think some important info is being missed that will help us get to the bottom of the issue.

Here is a pic when the wheels are turned all the way to the right:

You need to pos a pic of your rig (showing the problem) and your set up so we can figure this out. I think some important info is being missed that will help us get to the bottom of the issue.

Here it is with the wheels turned all the way left, things look pretty normal:

Next pic is wheels turned all the way left, major difference:

Camber and steering links were set to recommended lengths in the manual with a digital caliper. Should be a mirror image side to side, right?

 

[Sea]

My brother had the same problem on his EB48.3. After disassembling everything I found that the hinge-pin was bent. I changed it and problem solved. Hope that helps

This, I should have checked, but did not. Damn, just reassembled too! Thanks, I'll take a look

 

[TBuggy]

OK those pics show the issue but not the cause...just to make sure, you have verified that all the corresponding camber links are the same as their opposite?

Also if you could post a picture with the wheels off but showing all of the front end and not just the outdrives.

 

[Nicochau]

@Sea , for your reference. This is front of my ET48.3.

Full left:

Full right:

Wheels straight:

 

[Sea]

OK those pics show the issue but not the cause...just to make sure, you have verified that all the corresponding camber links are the same as their opposite?

Also if you could post a picture with the wheels off but showing all of the front end and not just the outdrives.

Yes, they started out identical. I've shortened the linkage on that side a bit, in an attempt to alleviate the issue, but it hasn't helped enough to prevent the shaft from popping out, unless I have my camber ridiculously negative.

I'll try to post some pics of the whole front end later tonight.

 

[Sea]

@Sea , for your reference. This is front of my ET48.3.

Full left:
View attachment 3809

Full right:
View attachment 3810

Wheels straight:
View attachment 3811

See, that's exactly what it should look like!

When my steering assembly is all the way right, it looks like yours when it's centered.

It's almost as if mine is shifted to the driver's side by several millimeters. I just can't figure out why!

 

[TBuggy]

Yes, they started out identical. I've shortened the linkage on that side a bit, in an attempt to alleviate the issue, but it hasn't helped enough to prevent the shaft from popping out, unless I have my camber ridiculously negative.

I'll try to post some pics of the whole front end later tonight.

I think seeing the entire front end will help. Also you should have the camber links identical. Have you checked your bearings and hubs?