Halfshaft Bolt Answers (all threads merged)

[fjpikul]

Whoa, take '05 1297 off that list. Nothing's happened to my car yet! 4.5K miles so far.

 

[Tungsten]

Bolts

0314, 12/05 build date. New style washers and bolts. The kit only had the two washers and four bolts. Mine had the new style, but we replaced them anyway since we had it apart. The dealer had to order the other bolts and they just arrived.
Don

 

[Cyclenirvana]

Ok, so the ones that we know actually had a failure (eg. broke) not necessarily loose or caved in are as follows:
2005 VIN 1575 and 1641
2006 VIN 765 and 812
If others are within these 2 narrow ranges, then we may have some isolated "clusters"??

 

[GT350H]

I just got off the phone with Karen from the GT Hotline. She informed me that my 2006 GT #936, with a build date of 03/29/06, has the upgraded bolts and washers. Karen also informed me that the hotline is no longer responding to new inquiries from owners on this issue.

 

[Specracer]

I Karen also informed me that the hotline is no longer responding to new inquiries from owners on this issue.

Errr, then what is the number for?

 

[gtjoey]

I LOVE YOU GUYS BUT ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
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[bugsy]

I just had Tasca Ford in R.I. replace the half shaft bolts for peace of mind. I dropped it off at 8:00a.m. with a loaner car waiting and picked it up at 4:00 p.m. They also replaced the power steering pump even though it looked like it may have just been a leak at the O-ring. The service tech, Dennis Gomes, went over the repair work with me and had the car safely stored in a service bay. If you are worried about the bolts failing replace them. The way I look at it, I'd rather be safe than sorry, i.e., stranded on the side of the road at midnight a 100 miles from home. Make sure your service tech knows what he's doing.

 

[DLKGT]

Add another to the "list"! Mine failed yesterday. Fortunately, I smelled the tranny oil and pulled into a parking lot to take a look and saw the left side axle had moved away from the trans. and was leaking oil. When moving the car another 10 feet to a safer spot it totally disengaged.

"05 #1245 (4,900 miles)

 

[fjpikul]

Well, I guess my '05 #1297 will have to be checked. Thanks for the update. FJP

 

[AtomicGT]

DLKGT

Tell me it isn't so? Not the famous Yellow no stripes, no side panel decal GT? Glad you were in a safe place, and not like on the PCH north of Pointe Dume, on your way to a Santa Barbara GT Rally! Get it fixed soon, we have Temecula in 2 weeks. This is not what one likes to hear! See you in Temecula! Sorry but at least it sounds likle you were okay.

 

[nota4re]

Dennis,

Let me know if you already have it somewhere getting fixed or if I need to drive South tomorrow morning. I'd be happy to fix both sides. Also, I have the repair kit so let me know if you need it as I have heard they can be hard to get.

I have '05 #1350 sitting in the shop right now. If you don't use the repair kit, maybe I'll just put it on that one.

Best regards, Kendall

 

[Cyclenirvana]

Summary of failures:
2005 VIN 1245, 1575, and 1641
2006 VIN 765 and 812

 

[DLKGT]

Axle repair

AtomicGT (Eric)

Yes, the famous all yellow beast is at Ken Grody Ford in Buena Park dripping tranny fluid out of the hole where the half shaft used to be attached. Fortunately it happened in a parking lot only about 1 mile from my home - could have been worse - like mid-way between Temecula and Palm Springs on our drive in 2 weeks! Hope to have it back in time.

Nota4re (Kendall)

Thanks for the offer - see the PM I sent to you

Dennis

 

[DLKGT]

half shaft bolt failure

Another data point!

Heard from a friend of mine that his '05 #991 also experienced the bolt/washer failure.

 

[gtracer]

half shaft bolts

I just got off the phone with my Ford tech. He advised that he was currently working on another bolt failure on an early 2006 GT. It's taking a week for replacement parts and this is in the Chicago market. What would the lead time be in a more rural area?

His comment was that contrary to general consenus, the bolts that are giving away are too hard and not too soft. He indicated that the original spec was for an "8" hardness (i'm not totally sure what this refers to), but that at the 11th hour someone decided that due to the performance of the car, a 12 hardness should be used. He claims that the hardness of the bolt doesn't allow for flex and they subsequently snap.

In any event, I think it's a damn shame that Ford dosn't initiate a recall. Is there anything we can do as a group to push this?

 

[nota4re]

He claims that the hardness of the bolt doesn't allow for flex and they subsequently snap.

I don't see that as being a likely scenario that's contributing to the failure - although I guess anything is possible.

As I understand....

The hubs (one per side) are each held to the transaxle with these two bolts and with a single oblong washer. The hub itself is splined matching the splined shaft that it slides over. As such, there is absolutely no torque or shear forces acting on the bolts during normal operation. Additional, I can't imagine why there would be any pulling forces on the bolts. The bolts are simply securing two components together. The leading theory is that somehow the bolts are loosening - both of them. As the bolts loosen, the hub will begin moving back and will eventually come off of the splines. The nano-second that the splines are disengaged and all of the wheel torque is applied to the bolts, they will shear off instantly. So, I think in all cases you have either one or two sheared bolts. However, I think the shearing is an after-the-fact, not what is starting the whole failure.

Again, this is my understanding of the failure. I could be wrong.

 

[Neilda]

Nota, that's my understanding too. The bolts and, critically, the washers, were too soft. The washers did not retain torque, also they may have caused the head of the bolt to flex as they (the washers) crushed to one side when being torqued.

It was not expensive to have mine replaced (I didn't bother with trying to get it done for free) and I had the job done as soon as folk on this Forum started discussing the issue and identifying the probably cause (and fix).

 

[dbtgt]

I heard it from a little "Birdie" that there were instances of the bolts backing out and shearing off as well as instances of bolt heads breaking off without backing out first (due to over torque) :eek

 

[BlackICE]

I heard it from a little "Birdie" that there were instances of the bolts backing out and shearing off as well as instances of bolt heads breaking off without backing out first (due to over torque) :eek

If the bolts heads broke how can you tell if they were loose or not.

BlackICE

 

[Cyclenirvana]

Summary of known failures:
2005 VIN 991, 1245, 1575, and 1641
2006 VIN 765 and 812