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Broken driveshaft

Discussion in 'Trucks [ Eighteen Wheelers ]' started by SwervyMervyn99, Dec 23, 2012.

Page 1 of 2
  1. Dec 23, 2012 #1
    SwervyMervyn99

    SwervyMervyn99 Light Load Member

    103
    18
    Jul 21, 2009
    Madison, WI
    0
    Howdy, the other night I was trying to get under a trailer ( it was 0nly 17,000#), I got the 5th wheel under the trailer but not much farther, all it would do is slide the trailer back in the snow, I tried to get out from under it and went forward just a bit, then went back again just making the trailer slide back more, so I tried once more to get out from under and after I put it in first and let out the clutch the driveshaft broke.

    Will the driveshaft breaking like that do damage to the transmission? And do companies typically come down hard on drivers who break a driveshaft. I have 2 witnesses that were there who couldn't believe it broke due to how I was hardly on it to try and get unstuck.

    Also, this truck was in a major wreck before, the body and much of the interior is new, but everything else is original....thanks for any replies.
     
    SwervyMervyn99, Dec 23, 2012
    SwervyMervyn99, Dec 23, 2012
    #1
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  3. Dec 23, 2012 #2
    rwdfinch50

    rwdfinch50 Medium Load Member

    527
    595
    Nov 6, 2007
    Leesburg, Fl.
    0
    Generally, when the drive shaft breaks, it doesn't do any damage to the trans or rear end. The drive shaft is, by design, the weakest link in the drive train for that reason. I don't know of anybody who got in trouble for breaking one drive shaft, including me. Just learn from what happened, and be more careful in the future. It sounds like what happened was the wheels were spinning, and suddenly found some grip, snapping it.
    Hope this helps.
     
    rwdfinch50, Dec 23, 2012
    rwdfinch50, Dec 23, 2012
    #2
    SwervyMervyn99 Thanks this.
  4. Dec 24, 2012 #3
    WitchingHour

    WitchingHour Road Train Member

    3,424
    2,143
    Apr 1, 2011
    Broomfield, CO
    0
    ^ His assessment seems pretty accurate. Plus it's possible that the driveshaft was already damaged from the major accident it was in... usually you'd want to magnaflux these things to determine if any fractures formed after the incident, but a lot of time that won't be done unless the repairs after an accident are already being done to components of the drivetrain. A drive shaft sees a good amount of stress as is, and a major accident can put it in a situation where the stress is increased exponentially. If you did anything, it was final just the final straw of a process which had already begun, and the end result was likely bound to happen. So long as you don't have a history of needing repairs done to your truck of the sort most commonly attributed to abusive driving, you should be alright.
     
    WitchingHour, Dec 24, 2012
    WitchingHour, Dec 24, 2012
    #3
    SwervyMervyn99 Thanks this.
  5. Dec 24, 2012 #4
    belltransit

    belltransit Light Load Member

    271
    27
    Jun 28, 2010
    oak grove, mo
    0
    if ur company throws a huge fit and fires u for that then they r not a good company and they r doin u a favor. i drove for a guy who had me in an old junky gmc general dump truck with a gutless 300 hp cummins. it was a gallon and a half low on oil and he got pissed and fired me...i wound up gettin a better job. so dont sweat it...there r allot of companies needing drivers.
     
    belltransit, Dec 24, 2012
    belltransit, Dec 24, 2012
    #4
    SwervyMervyn99 Thanks this.
  7. Dec 24, 2012 #5
    SwervyMervyn99

    SwervyMervyn99 Light Load Member

    103
    18
    Jul 21, 2009
    Madison, WI
    0
    thanks for the replies......the mechanic that towed it kinda put the doubt in my mind about how the company would react......and even if they don't boot me, they are not a good fit for me and I want to leave anyways....just want it to be on my terms...again thanks for the replies
     
    SwervyMervyn99, Dec 24, 2012
    SwervyMervyn99, Dec 24, 2012
    #5
  8. Dec 27, 2012 #6
    SwervyMervyn99

    SwervyMervyn99 Light Load Member

    103
    18
    Jul 21, 2009
    Madison, WI
    0
    just an update.......they informed me my truck was done and there wasn't any questions asked by them....my only issue now is waiting for dispatch to figure out how they are going to get me back to Ohio to my truck ( I'm in Wisconsin ).......probably the way I got home, another driver coming through and headed that way...again thanks for the replies...be safe out there everyone and happy new year
     
    SwervyMervyn99, Dec 27, 2012
    SwervyMervyn99, Dec 27, 2012
    #6
  9. Dec 27, 2012 #7
    Bent Wrench

    Bent Wrench Medium Load Member

    588
    205
    Aug 11, 2009
    Cornholio, OR
    0
    They may just be being nice, til you turn in your paperwork....

    You're not out of the woods til you get a new load dispatched.

    Hoping things work out for you....
     
    Bent Wrench, Dec 27, 2012
    Bent Wrench, Dec 27, 2012
    #7
  10. Dec 27, 2012 #8
    morehp

    morehp Medium Load Member

    699
    206
    Jun 18, 2012
    0
    Did it look like this? if you tried to do this i bet ya could'nt

    IMG_0694.jpg
     
    Last edited: Dec 27, 2012
    morehp, Dec 27, 2012
    morehp, Dec 27, 2012
    #8
  11. Dec 31, 2012 #9
    55_cans

    55_cans Light Load Member

    98
    19
    Sep 14, 2012
    Alberta
    0
    Lol, is that the start of a lava lamp?
     
    55_cans, Dec 31, 2012
    55_cans, Dec 31, 2012
    #9
  12. Dec 31, 2012 #10
    55_cans

    55_cans Light Load Member

    98
    19
    Sep 14, 2012
    Alberta
    0
    Any chance your brakes locked from going backward/forward while cold? Wheels would not slip but torque load could be large?
     
    55_cans, Dec 31, 2012
    55_cans, Dec 31, 2012
    #10
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