When To Replace Your Equipment’s Drive Shaft

The drive shaft is responsible for delivering torque in vehicles and certain types of equipment, and once it fails, the whole system can cease functioning. Losing the ability to transfer power with your drive shaft can completely stop progress on whatever project you may be working on, whether that drive shaft is in a locomotive, a personal vehicle, or an oil pump.

Luckily, some signs warn you when to replace your equipment’s drive shaft. Pay attention to those symptoms to avoid unnecessary project slowdown.

Is There a Set Lifespan?

Because of the wide variety of drive shafts that exist, there is no average life expectancy that you can refer to for them. However, you can obtain a rough estimate for personal vehicles’ drive shafts, which is about 75,000 miles. Because you can’t accurately determine the stability of a drive shaft by its age, you must rely on symptoms to diagnose its condition.

Noises Originating From the Drive Shaft

When your drive shaft is in use, you may hear high-pitched squealing noises as it runs. This noise can start intermittently, but it may eventually increase in frequency to the point where it’s constant.

The Cause of the Noises

The noise can occur when the bearings losing their lubrication and become dry, resulting in metal-to-metal contact of components.

A Clunking Sound

Be aware that the high-pitched squeaking noises may not be the only sounds you hear. When your drive shaft accelerates in speed, you may notice a deep clunking noise. Often, this is most noticeable in cars. Though this sound is different, it’s just as bad as hearing the squeaking.

Vibrations Resulting From the Drive Shaft

When active, the drive shaft should rotate without causing excess vibrations. But once you observe shuddering in the shaft while it’s in motion, you know that it’s beginning to fail. Like the previously mentioned noises, the vibrations will become worse over time if you don’t address them immediately.

The Cause of the Vibrations

The drive shaft fails and shudders when the U-joints wear out, some components are out of balance, or the yokes are misaligned.

Get Shafts Fixed Immediately

Because of how critical they are to your equipment, you need to have drive shafts serviced as soon as possible. Know when to replace your drive shaft and seek out drive shaft specialists to handle the delicate repair work to ensure complete functionality.