Mods, plz feel free to sticky this for a while.
(Users, if you've answered this at v8rx7forums.com or fc3s.org, plz don't answer again)

This thread comes in poll form to record operating conditions and conduct failure analysis on TII output shafts. Any and all info will help understand and possibly aid in determining a prevention process for further failures. My group and I at the University of Texas at El Paso will be conducting hardness testing, magnetic particle testing, and scanning electron microscopy to determine the likely cause of failure.

At this point, the likely culprit is of course Torque overload. However, from the sample we are analyzing (kindly provided by andrew (adreweb70)), there seems to exist some fatigue evidence.

So if possible provide the following information about your tII failed shaft. NA's are welcome to provide the information as well, but please be kind to note that your failed shaft is NA. We are only conducting TII analysis!

1. Mileage (if known) of failed component.
2. Mileage pre-swap/ post-swap (advice which engine used)
3. Tranny/engine combo
4. Final ratio (if other than OEM) and differential type (vlsd vs clsd)
5. Torque/horsepower output of engine at time of failure(estimates are fine
but dyno's are better)
6. wheel diameter
7. tire type (slick or other)
8. rpm at failure (estimates are fine)
9. gear at failure (specify gear ratios if other than mazda or t-56)
10. failure conditions (at launch, normal driving, hard 3rd gear pull, etc)
11. experience pre-failure and during failure... (no noise prior to failure, pop
and that's it? That kind of stuff).
12. Photos if possible (fracture surface photo and side view).
13. Average driving conditions (pre/post swap with tii rear only)
Any and all other info you feel is pertinent may be posted.

Thanks for all the help you guys can offer.
PS: If anyone can post this at nopistons.com I'd appreciate it. (Don't have an account yet). I'll open one if this info is posted over.

 

Just wondering if anything came of this study?