Halfshaft Bolt Answers (all threads merged)

[Gulf GT]

For those who noticed a camera system suspended above the football players during the Super Bowl yesterday, I designed and built it.

That's pretty cool. Lots of very different interesting owners here! Nice design, I like it!:thumbsup

 

[Gimbal]

Do you work for Grass Valley Group?

Jay

No, but a couple of my employees use to work for them.

 

[analogdesigner]

No, but a couple of my employees use to work for them.

Nice work! That must give you a good feeling watching your hard work in action. Hmm, That's where the name Gimbal comes from, right?

Jay

 

[Gimbal]

Nice work! That must give you a good feeling watching your hard work in action. Hmm, That's where the name Gimbal comes from, right?

Jay

Yes indeed! Besides sporting events my cameras have been used also in commercials, TV news and movies like Domino, DejaVu, The Gaurdian, The Island and Transformers where high quality stabil aerial shots from helicopters are needed. Photo of the camera and helicopter used in "The Island" and cablecam rig for NFL

 

[isaakgt]

Your camera system has interested me from day one. Very neat. I see your a chopper pilot also.

 

[B O N Y]

got some really neat stuff, I am familar with the cameras on the whirly birds:cheers

 

[06fordgt]

!!!! NEWS FLASH !!!!!!

The person at the GT Hotline has spoken to the plant/ engineers and and I was told by them that car #1955 HAS the updated components for the half shalft / bolts INSTALLED!!
Hopefully I'm safe.
Some of you other folks should call with your transaxle number and see what response you get.

 

[Gulf GT]

I don't care what Ford says. I've got the replacement bolts and I am going to replace them in the next couple weekends anyway. Besides, if I remember right, some of the people with "upgraded bolts" noticed problems also. They still could have been over tightened. Just not worth it for so little money.

 

[Shadowman]

I don't care what Ford says. I've got the replacement bolts and I am going to replace them in the next couple weekends anyway. Besides, if I remember right, some of the people with "upgraded bolts" noticed problems also. They still could have been over tightened. Just not worth it for so little money.

I agree with your mindset and approach. Furthermore you will see upclose and personal how well (hopefully) the flange/couple fits on the splines during this process.

Takes care

Shadowman

 

[Gimbal]

Gulf GT, you are right. If you do it yourself you will know for sure the washer is hardened, the bolts are the best they can be, the bolts are not too tight or too loose, the bolts are loctited and saftey wired, etc, etc, etc. If someone else does it for you then you will never be as sure and that's for sure!

Since I have done mine, I now am waiting and hoping Ford or someone else comes out with a real, solid, true fix.

 

[06fordgt]

Gulf, Gimbal and Shadow I agree. My dealer already has the parts in his shop and waiting for the the snow to MELT to get it done. This was a reply to previous posts that other members wanted to know the response to me from the hotline when I inquired about this problem.

 

[Midnite Blu]

Just a small update. My dealer replaced washers and bolts on my Heritage #640. I was there during the work viewing everything. It had black hardened washers and the bolts seemed not too tight, but.......there was no sign off gasket sealing behind the washers and both sides were leaking trany oil. Do the work and make sure it's done right....George

 

[zim32]

Hi George..had mine done at Saleen last week...same results as yours minus the leak..good peace of mind. Now we gotta shake up Mr. Vinci to get his done....Mark

 

[Spirit]

Better Safe Than Sorry

Just a small update. My dealer replaced washers and bolts on my Heritage #640. I was there during the work viewing everything. It had black hardened washers and the bolts seemed not too tight, but.......there was no sign off gasket sealing behind the washers and both sides were leaking trany oil. Do the work and make sure it's done right....George

George,

Had my Heritage #630 done in November & I had the EXACT SAME FINDINGS as you.

Hardened washers, etc. - BUT - leaking on both sides of half shafts into the boots.

GT Guys fixed me up while I was there watching the entire process.

All appears to be good.

So for those of you that are on the fence, my suggestion is "Do It" - better safe than sorry.

Fred

 

[SYCO GT]

Yes. Just had mine done Monday by the dealer. Everything looked good, but the only piece of mind was to get the new part kit, and have it redone, properly torqued and loctited.

Definitely worth the piece of mind.

Thanks for all the advice gentlemen.


- Randy

 

[B O N Y]

Yes. Just had mine done Monday by the dealer. Everything looked good, but the only piece of mind was to get the new part kit, and have it redone, properly torqued and loctited.

Definitely worth the piece of mind.

Thanks for all the advice gentlemen.


- Randy

Randy, where the bolts safety wired? This is a must.

 

[B O N Y]

George,

Had my Heritage #630 done in November & I had the EXACT SAME FINDINGS as you.

Hardened washers, etc. - BUT - leaking on both sides of half shafts into the boots.

GT Guys fixed me up while I was there watching the entire process.

All appears to be good.

So for those of you that are on the fence, my suggestion is "Do It" - better safe than sorry.

Fred

aSS-X-actly! I had a concaved washer and one loose bolt. GT GUYS safety wired in replacement bolts...

 

[Midnite Blu]

Also had midnight blue 2005 #755 washers and bolts. Silver nonhardened washers, both concaved over tightened, bolts tight and in place with no leaks. Job done...Relax and drive......George

 

[Ripper 02]

Jay,

As you have pointed out previously, I think there's a big difference as to solutions I might try on my own car and ones that I could advocate to others. My opinion is that ARP has a very specific hardening process and I would would worry that turning any material off of the bolt may adversely effect the bolt (head) strength.

I assume that you may have ordered the ARP Stainless 300 fasteners. If so, they have a tensile strength of 170,000 psi whereas the factory bolts are a grade 12.9 with a tensile strength of 177,000 psi. Let's call it a push.

Further, the bolts you ordered may have shoulder that is too long for the applicaton we seek.

Excellent Post Kendall :thumbsup

Thanksfor taking the time for the research and pics !!!!!

A single digit number of cars have had a double failure. Of those, all but two were a case where a different side broke each time, which makes it pretty clear that the fix (i.e both sides!) wasn't properly done. The other two, it's not clear, but I'd make no assumptions on what happened yet.

Either way, the topic is now being actively addressed and we should have communication soon.

I personally know one car where the failure occurred at just over 1k miles, but that car now has over 20,000 hard miles since and the fix-bolts checked out fine upon inspection...

Dave, that sounds like some pretty great news....

It seems if the corrective "fix" is done properly there is good chance
that it will not happen again.....

Jerry..

 

[Gimbal]

My latest brainstorm is ordering 100 new flanges from Ford, picking out the two tightest and best fitting around my axles and return the other 98.