Why would you buy heavy duty half shafts?

[SteveBCloud9]

O.k. Here's my thinking on the subject. Dodge designed the half shafts on the viper to be the part that breaks if any part of the powertrain would "give way" due to continueous hard driving (I was told). So why would someone buy heavy duty half shafts so that they don't break? I would think you would want to risk a $400 part (one half-shaft) instead of a $5,500 part (tranny), bent driveshaft, motor issue, etc, etc. Am I missing something here......

 

[Richard K]

Steve, Jon B responded to a similar question in another forum. Here's the thread, sorry you'll have to copy and paste it.
http://vca1.viperclub.org/ubb/Forum24/HTML/000188.html

 

[JonB]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by steveb:
......... Dodge designed the half shafts on the viper to be the part that breaks if any part of the powertrain would "give way" due to continueous hard driving (I was told) <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

False premise....false conclusion.

D-C Lawyers would go berserk if this were true.

A broken half-shaft is far more serious than a popped driveshaft contained in a belly-pan. A Half-shaft breaking 'by design' could do a lot of underside damage, as wel as kill you and other traffic and spectators.

Not true

 

[SteveBCloud9]

I guess my question boils down to what IS the weakest link then, if that is not the case? What does everyone break at the track the most?

 

[pauls]

With HD half shafts the u joint is the weakest link. Much better to pop a u joint than shear a stock half shaft. Rear suspension has a built in loop that contains a broken shaft that is complete. HD Half Shafts live to race another day with a new joint.
The key is just replace half shaft related pieces on a regular basis, then nothing breaks.

 

[Ulysses]

Kickers said:
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Hope this helps you guys...<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Help!?! SHEESH! You and Rick have scared the begeezers out of me. Sufficiently enough to make HD half shafts my next mod.