Halfshaft Bolt Answers (all threads merged)

[Empty Pockets]

FYI for the group. I drove my 2006 Heritage to the dealer and left it for them to do tomorrow, as the VIN number showed in Ford's database that it too needed the recall performed.

Okaaaaaaaay, Tim ... WHO was the Guru YOU talked to who was able to give you that info?????!!!! Ford tells ME (SVT & "Coldline" both) that there IS NO DATABASE of VIN numbers showing which cars need the update!!!!!!!! But YOU obviously found out otherwise!!!!! You ain't makin' it up!

This whole situation is just plain NUTS!:bang :bang :bang

Please advise the rest of us as to who this one, LONE person is back there at Ford who knows this stuff and what their phone # is! That info will save us all a lot of "wheel spinning".

THANKEE, SIR!!!!

E.P.

 

[abolfaz]

This whole situation is just plain NUTS!:bang :bang :bang

Really?

 

[Empty Pockets]

Really?

Would I lie to you, 'faz?:willy

E.P.

 

[abolfaz]

Would I lie to you, 'faz?:willy

E.P.

I've heard about these failures before...

 

[Empty Pockets]

I've heard about these failures before...

And a few others as well if I recall correctly, Sir...

E.P.

 

[fjpikul]

Tim, that's cause white/blue cars are so slow to begin with. Cyclenirvana was tracking, but not by color. What is the VIN of the '05? Thanx, Frank

 

[B O N Y]

Frank, by now you have to agree vin numbers mean nothing as it relates to this issue.

 

[Cyclenirvana]

I agree bony...as you can see from the following VIN numbers with KNOWN failures, I don't see how anyone can assume that their car is NOT affected based solely on VIN#.
Summary of 8 known failures:
2005 VIN 991, 1245, 1575, and 1641
2006 VIN 765, 812, 1166
and BlackGT (don't know his VIN number yet).
I have not had this repair done yet. My car is 2006 VIN#657. The local Ford mechanic and I looked at the areas affected and decided to watch and wait. I have 2100 miles and 3 track days on my car.

 

[Spirit]

..............I drove my 2006 Heritage to the dealer and left it for them to do tomorrow, as the VIN number showed in Ford's database that it too needed the recall performed. I'll see tomorrow afternoon what they found. Perhaps the bolts/washers are fine because I drive like a little old lady! I found it interesting that Ford states the reason for the recall as a "Possible oil leak". That is the party line for their system and service description.

Tim,

My Heritage [0630] is one number higher than yours.

Mine DID have the hardened washers.

However; it HAD the trans-axel spline leak discribed in TBS 05-10-13 [see attached].

Also See: http://www.fordgtforum.com/forums/showthread.php?p=45724#post45724

Worth the effort to have peace of mind.

Fred

 

[quick time]

FWIW: When I called the Ford Hot Line awhile back about the "half shaft" issue they asked me to give them the tranxaxel serial number. They called back and reported that I had the "improved" washers. They did the same for my 2nd GT. Both cars have the "improved washers". MY GT's have build dates of April 30 06 and July 2006. From the recent report of a failure of a late production 06 with a Vin in the 1800 area it is clear that the absolute cause of these failures is more than whether you have the improved parts (washers) or not as those cars with the improved washers have had the failure. The improper torquing of the bolts may also play a big part and, if so, there is no way to know if your car is affected without taking all the parts out, bolts and washers, and redoing the job with all new bolts and washers.
The one bit of good news is that, so far, no one who has done this has reported a repeat of the failure. This suggests to me that improper torquing may really be the main culprit.
Finally, the dealer told me that Ford is aware of this and something may be coming from Ford in January to address this issue. We shall see.

 

[B O N Y]

FWIW: When I called the Ford Hot Line awhile back about the "half shaft" issue they asked me to give them the tranxaxel serial number. They called back and reported that I had the "improved" washers. They did the same for my 2nd GT. Both cars have the "improved washers". MY GT's have build dates of April 30 06 and July 2006. From the recent report of a failure of a late production 06 with a Vin in the 1800 area it is clear that the absolute cause of these failures is more than whether you have the improved parts (washers) or not as those cars with the improved washers have had the failure. The improper torquing of the bolts may also play a big part and, if so, there is no way to know if your car is affected without taking all the parts out, bolts and washers, and redoing the job with all new bolts and washers.
The one bit of good news is that, so far, no one who has done this has reported a repeat of the failure. This suggests to me that improper torquing may really be the main culprit.
Finally, the dealer told me that Ford is aware of this and something may be coming from Ford in January to address this issue. We shall see.

Clearly if the new washers are installed you should not have a problem. Oh by the way every car has a build book, the factory knows the serial numbers of all the transaxles.

I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR THE SAME STORY TWICE. The truth seems to be that Ford honestly doesn't know. Just follow these posts and draw your own conclusions.

 

[Empty Pockets]

FWIW:
The one bit of good news is that, so far, no one who has done this has reported a repeat of the failure.

If I remember correctly, ONE Forum member's car DID puke 'bolts twice (albofaz?).

So, the "GT GUY's" safety wire bolt kit is the way I'm going to go.

Might as well just do the darn replacement once!

E.P.

 

[dbk]

If I remember correctly, ONE Forum member's car DID puke 'bolts twice (albofaz?).

That was because the dealer didn't fix it correctly.

 

[Empty Pockets]

That was because the dealer didn't fix it correctly.

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!

Well. Nuts. I'm STILL gunna go the saftey wire route!:banana My dealer might screw up MY replacement!

Thanks, big "D".

E.P.

 

[quick time]

My recollection on abolfaz car was that he had a failure on one side, one half shaft. They repaired that side but did not do the other side at the same time as they should have. Shortly thereafter the other side failed.
Several cars with the "improved washers" have had the failures so improved washers alone is obviously not the answer.

 

[fjpikul]

I just wanted to see how close Tim's VIN was to mine without going to the registry. I agree, no rhyme or reason as to failure patterns. I'm still waiting for a replacement GT tech here in St. Louis. I may just have to wait for good weather and go back to Detroit to the GT Guys.

 

[B O N Y]

I am 1153 and I have concaved washers and loose bolts... no failure, but it was just a matter of time.

 

[Hammer]

I agree with Quick Time. The washers which were removed from my car (after bolt failure on the passenger side) looked exactly like the blackish "hardened" washers they were replaced with. The washers that were removed did not appear to be concaved. The heads of the bolts sheared off (see previous post and picture). Maybe this was because they loosened, or maybe it was because they were over-torqued to begin with. Either way, having the "hardened" washers did not seem to prevent the problem. My car is an 06, with build date of April 25 06, #1166. This entire thread suggests that everyone should have the fix done. In reviewing the posts, I have not seen one repeat failure after a replacement has been done (on both sides). Ford, if you're listening -- when are you going to issue that recall? Or at least officially authorize every dealer who sold one of these great cars to do the fix under warranty?

 

[BlackICE]

I got the GT Guys to replace my bolts and both washers were of the old type and concaved. I think this is the 2nd post with failed bolts with the new black washers. So it is not clear what causes the failure.

Possible causes that are not mutually exclusive:

1. Soft (silver washers)
2. Over torqued bolts.
3. Under torqued bolts.
4. Lack of locktight when installing the bolts.
5. Lack of safety wiring.
6. A design flaw!

I have all of the bases covered except for number 6! Let us all hope it is not that one.

Now just because all of the cars with repaired or replaced new style washers haven't failed, doesn't mean that they won't in some time in the future. The sample of these cars is too small and the time on the road is lower than the other cars.

The spines take up all of the engine torque so that the bolts are to just to hold the cup solidly to the transaxle during rear suspension movement that causes the half shafts to pull and push on the cups. The halfshafts should be sliding on spines so they don't exert a lot of force on the bolts. However as the rear wheel torque increases, the spines don't slide as well and the forces are greater on the bolts. That suggests that heavy accelerations on bumpy roads will cause the most stress on the bolts. The GT Guys believe that once the bolts work loose enough to disengage the spines, the bolts take all of the engine torque and will break immediately. That is a very reasonable explaination. Another reason could be even if the bolts are only slightly loose the suspension movement will act like a slide hammer and fatigues the bolts until the ultimately fail.

BlackICE

 

[Black GT]

Ok guys here is my Vin for you guys had my axle fall out. 05 vin is 5Y401172