Tom Wood driveshaft lost a weight

[97TJNM]

I was under my jeep this morning checking my Johnny Joints, and I saw this.

Anyone ever seen this before? I'm not blaming Tom Wood, I know they make great parts and take pride in their work, but this has happened since I last checked the driveshaft, and I haven't done ANY wheeling since then. I have driven about 600 road miles since I last inspected it though, so it could have came off anywhere. I haven't noticed any vibrations, but I haven't gotten it up over 45mph since Saturday, so if it recently came off, I wouldn't know.

I seriously have no idea how it happened though. Haven't hit anything with my DS or rear diff since this driveshaft has gone in.🤔

 

[jjvw]

You're being targeted. That's how they mark you.

 

[rasband]

I wonder how often @Shawn at Tom Wood's sees this, but I doubt it's often! 👏👏

 

[97TJNM]

I wonder how often @Shawn at Tom Wood's sees this, but I doubt it's often! 👏👏

Right? I can't think it's common.

 

[5632]

Have it rebalanced.

 

[97TJNM]

Have it rebalanced.

Yeah, that's probably in the very near future for me.

 

[TKFX]

That weight most likely fatigued off. That chunk missing off that last weight was definitely a crack that propagated from cyclic loading. What's interesting is that you can see paint between the spot welds and the weight. its likely those spots welds didn't penetrate the weight well enough and over time fatigued.

 

[97TJNM]

That weight most likely fatigued off. That chunk missing off that last weight was definitely a crack that propagated from cyclic loading. What's interesting is that you can see paint between the spot welds and the weight. its likely those spots welds didn't penetrate the weight well enough and over time fatigued.

Yeah, I saw that as well. I'm not an experienced welder/fabricator though, so I hesitated making a judgement call as to what the issue was that caused it.

 

[hosejockey61]

My driveshaft has many scrapes that go all around the driveshaft. That can happen in the rocks any given time. I don't see scratch marks on yours though...

 

[97TJNM]

My driveshaft has many scrapes that go all around the driveshaft. That can happen in the rocks any given time. I don't see scratch marks on yours though...

That's a 100% fair point. It's possible I hit something and didn't realise it. But I'm not aware of hitting anything and as you said, there's no scratches around it.🤷‍♂️

 

[Shawn at Tom Wood's]

I wonder how often @Shawn at Tom Wood's sees this, but I doubt it's often! 👏👏

More often than I would like but not often if you take into account the number of shafts we produce. It is frankly quite difficult to get a good weld on the balance weights. Because we are welding dissimilar materials and because we gotta keep the welds small so we don't throw off the balance with big heavy welds. I used to work full time as a welder (not welding drive shafts) and I know that tack welds are not structural welds. It takes a second for the weld to get hot enough to really get a good weld. We crank our machines up real hot so we can get a little better penetration with our tack welds but it still isn't as good as I'd like to see. Not making excuses, just acknowledging that we aren't able to achieve as good of welds on these weights as I'd like.

All that being said, the weights should not come off without taking an angle grinder to them. To the OP: please give us a call, ask for me if you'd like, we can send you a shipping label so we can get that shaft back here and re-balanced. For free of course.

 

[97TJNM]

More often than I would like but not often if you take into account the number of shafts we produce. It is frankly quite difficult to get a good weld on the balance weights. Because we are welding dissimilar materials and because we gotta keep the welds small so we don't throw off the balance with big heavy welds. I used to work full time as a welder (not welding drive shafts) and I know that tack welds are not structural welds. It takes a second for the weld to get hot enough to really get a good weld. We crank our machines up real hot so we can get a little better penetration with our tack welds but it still isn't as good as I'd like to see. Not making excuses, just acknowledging that we aren't able to achieve as good of welds on these weights as I'd like.

All that being said, the weights should not come off without taking an angle grinder to them. To the OP: please give us a call, ask for me if you'd like, we can send you a shipping label so we can get that shaft back here and re-balanced. For free of course.

Shawn, you are a gentleman and I sincerely appreciate your products and customer service. I'll give you a call.

 

[97TJNM]

So I just called and spoke with Shawn. He gave me instructions on how to get the shaft packaged for shipping and said he'd get a label out to me ASAP for sending it back to be rebalanced.


Not that Tom Wood's needs any more testimonials from members here, but they have hands down the best customer service I've EVER dealt with in anything related to the automotive industry. They are the only driveshaft company I will EVER recommend.

 

[P man]

So I just called and spoke with Shawn. He gave me instructions on how to get the shaft packaged for shipping and said he'd get a label out to me ASAP for sending it back to be rebalanced.


Not that Tom Wood's needs any more testimonials from members here, but they have hands down the best customer service I've EVER dealt with in anything related to the automotive industry. They are the only driveshaft company I will EVER recommend.

Agreed

 

[Zorba]

So I just called and spoke with Shawn. He gave me instructions on how to get the shaft packaged for shipping and said he'd get a label out to me ASAP for sending it back to be rebalanced.


Not that Tom Wood's needs any more testimonials from members here, but they have hands down the best customer service I've EVER dealt with in anything related to the automotive industry. They are the only driveshaft company I will EVER recommend.

Customer service like this is how you win customers for life. And those customers bring in more.

 

[97TJNM]

Customer service like this is how you win customers for life. And those customers bring in more.

Exactly. My brother back in Louisiana is in the planning stages of building an offroad 4-linked behemoth based around a 351 Windsor. Even thought it's likely a year out before he will be at that stage, I just texted him and told him to be sure to consider TW for his drive shaft needs!🤣

 

[Blackjack]

More often than I would like but not often if you take into account the number of shafts we produce. It is frankly quite difficult to get a good weld on the balance weights. Because we are welding dissimilar materials and because we gotta keep the welds small so we don't throw off the balance with big heavy welds. I used to work full time as a welder (not welding drive shafts) and I know that tack welds are not structural welds. It takes a second for the weld to get hot enough to really get a good weld. We crank our machines up real hot so we can get a little better penetration with our tack welds but it still isn't as good as I'd like to see. Not making excuses, just acknowledging that we aren't able to achieve as good of welds on these weights as I'd like.

All that being said, the weights should not come off without taking an angle grinder to them. To the OP: please give us a call, ask for me if you'd like, we can send you a shipping label so we can get that shaft back here and re-balanced. For free of course.

Yep it happens. Welding weights on the slip yoke is the hardest as it is the most dissimilar of the materials a driveshaft is produced with and add to that you do not want too much heat where it can reach the glidecoat.

 

[5632]

So I just called and spoke with Shawn. He gave me instructions on how to get the shaft packaged for shipping and said he'd get a label out to me ASAP for sending it back to be rebalanced.


Not that Tom Wood's needs any more testimonials from members here, but they have hands down the best customer service I've EVER dealt with in anything related to the automotive industry. They are the only driveshaft company I will EVER recommend.

Tom Wood's is the only drive shafts to use.

 

[TheBoogieman]

Customer service like this is how you win customers for life. And those customers bring in more.

The best customer service I've ever had was from RC. It's their products that turn me off. 🤫

 

[Kenneth G Zinis]

Great service step-up Shawn/Tom Woods, congrats!