aTOMic

I sorta "hoon" both my A8s through the wet grass of our yards, chasing deer (I cut my own grass as well as my parents', so I can provide a pretty thrilling, yet smooth, bump-and-stump-avoiding ride through the yards). It is truly bizarre how impossible it is to even get the A8s the least bit sideways despite the two-week rainy season, the 6" tall grass, and the fact our yard slopes away from the house enough that a basketball turned loose can potentially roll 100 meters. Anyway, I recently broke the main driveshaft cause I hit a stick (OK, a log), dented the shaft, ruining its structural rigidity, and a couple days later I was doing a little full-throttle reverse (on the lawn) and BLAMBLAMBLAMBLAM the damn thing broke. Hint: If the main driveshaft breaks, there is no friggin' way the car is going anywhere without some dollies (which do not work on soggy grass BTW) or sheets of plastic and plenty of lube...(TWSSLN)... and another A8 to pull it.

Ben was pissed... (look at that scowl) because he lost several of his twin brothers, because of my mistake... (Really, my thought was to show Ben for scale, and I happened to have a nice new Ben - unusual because I hate cash - it's so filthy and gauche, but how else does one tip the service advisors in order to assure a loaner?).

This is exactly how I found it immediately after the break...

I did not run over it or step on it; it folded itself up like this.

Don't tell anyone, but it's steel, and like a 5" diameter (though thin-walled) tube... luckily it broke right where the sticker is, making procurement of another one... no less easy. (NLA from dealer, but shows $1600 list, shipping this 12' long thing that cannot be bent (it has a CV joint/support in the middle)... is probably only like buying a first-class plane ticket to UAE... well, you get it).




My neat new ebay "Rosemeyer" Maisto model. I highly recommend it if you have the means... ($36). Seriously, I love the design of this car, and have been wanting to buy one ever since it debuted on Audi's site for like $169. Getting divorced and it seemed a necessary expense; she's trying to take all my assets and I have been living like an ascetic monk for 10 years. (I bought one for my son, too, but she intercepted it and won't let him have it).
If you're not married, one word: PRENUP. Don't worry that it costs $500 and that you will, of course, never use it (haha)... she will spend >10 times that on completely disposable bullcrape - flowers, dress, caterer, band, photog; the list is endless. Buy the prenup, or pay lawyers $60k later - and as far a I can tell their main duty is to create stress, and fund their own retirement before their eternity in Hades (Some calls it hades...).






It shat out this piece of the shaft ~20 feet, and it probably would've impaled any bystanders... Wish the wife had been... never mind.

So that's what's up here.

-Tom

03_AR_CO

Tom that is one sad (thinking about the drive shaft) and quite humorous story. Hope things start to get better for you ...... seriously though a well written tragic story. You have a lot of talent, good things are bound to start happening for you.

Mister Bally

Whenever you see a driveshaft spinning on a heavy truck tractor or large straight truck next to you; either accelerate or hit the brakes. Those types of driveshafts are hollow as they'd weigh 500# or more if solid. When torque stressed, such as when pulling a fully loaded trailer or box and the driver is trying to get unstuck such as when on ice or mud and they drop the clutch in frustration AND they somehow gain traction.... BAM! the driveshaft grows from 5" in diameter to 24-30" before shearing away and resembling a sardine can lid of yesteryear. An incredible sight. It can happen on dry pavement when popping the clutch on a manual transmission with full load as well.

Think how that $1600.00 driveshaft would fare with no clearance. New exhaust and probably a totalled floor pan that is part of the UniBody. Better hope no passengers were in the back seat.

For heavy trucks, composite drive shafts prevent that type of catastrophic failure....

Mister Bally

Tom,

Sorry to hear about the divorce. Hope all goes well for you and your children, no matter what their age is.

dvs_dave

Ugly all round. But be thankful you don't have a D2. Those rigs have a carbon fiber driveshaft, yes that's right, carbon fiber. Makes your $1600 "fine" look like pocket change.

ltooz_a6_a8_q7

is when it rains, it pours... I've learned my lesson (lesson of life) and the rest was history. You'll get back on your good self in no time when you find it again. Everything can be replaced as long as money is involved, positive mind you need, every good thing will come back and in 10 fold.

Cheers,

Louis

Panelhead

Tom,
Hate to hear this. Hang in there. I got the beers next trip up.
I have an idea. You cannot drive both A8's. Move the drive shaft from car to car.