HELP!!! Any IRS experts out there? I need help ASAP!!!

wideglidejoe · #1 (**permalink**) 08-06-2011, 02:52 PM

OK, I'm at the track today (Sat a.m.), a road course. I've made several laps, all is good. In one of the straights, I wrap it out in 3rd, shift to 4th. Not a speed shift, but not a grandma shift either. Clutch out in 4th, back on the throttle......nothing!!! Clutch in/out, tried other gears, nothing. Just like the driveshaft was missing. Towed off of the track.

In the pits, jacked up the rear wheels. Tranny in neutral, driveshaft is OK. I rotated the right/pass rear tire, the left/driver tire doesn't turn. Great!! But......I notice the driver side, inboard CV boot is turning on the half shaft. The driver side half-shaft, outer CV boot and tire isn't turning. So, I think the IRS center section is OK, and my driver side inboard CV joint is bad.

Into the trailer, tow it home (65 miles), now torn apart in my garage.

Driver side half-shaft is removed. I remove the bands that hold the inner CV boot in place. Please pardon my terminology.........While carefully removing the outer shell that the inboard CV tri-lobe resides in, the shell that has the splined end that goes into the center section, I notice that the splined tri-lobe part has slid off of the splined end of my half-shaft.

Here's where I'm fuzzy......the inboard end of the half-shaft is splined, and there is a ring in a groove. If I slide the splined tri-lobe part over the half shaft, up to where it is against the ring in the groove, the other side of the tri-lobe is flush with the end of the splined half-shaft. Is there anything that supposed to keep this tri-lobe part on the half-shaft? What keeps it from sliding off while in service?

If I put the half-shaft all back together, new grease, new boot clamps, etc., and if I'm careful not to "over extend" the length of the half-shaft when I put it back into the center section, and into the outer IRS knuckle, is it going to come apart again?

I'd really like to get this together Sat p.m. and go back to the track again on Sunday. I've paid for two days, and I've got to use less than a fourth of it.

If anyone can talk me through this, rather than reply here, would you please call me at 918-857-7172. I would really appreciate it!!

Edit note; I've got a FFR MK3 #6143, pin width IRS, 8.8 Ford center section.

thanks is advance,
Joe

Tom Wells · #2 (**permalink**) 08-06-2011, 07:15 PM

Joe,

Not sure if a clip might be missing. Go here: Ford 8.8 Gear Swap and Rebuild

and look at this photo:

Not sure this is what you mean, but thought I'd see...

Tom

wideglidejoe · #3 (**permalink**) 08-07-2011, 05:37 PM

Tom,

Thank you!! That's exactly what I'm missing! I didn't find a broken one or a whole one. Now I'm thinking it was omitted when it was assembled. I went to several parts stores last night, no one had any, they all said it was a Ford dealer part. So, no track time today for me. I'll be going to a dealer tomorrow for the clips.

thanks for the reply and pic!

take care,
Joe