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Drive Shaft Pole Vault

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The Myth

THIS MYTH WAS FEATURED IN...
Episode 27: Exploding Port-a-Potty

ORIGINAL AIR DATE: 3/02/2005
Myth Title: ---- Drive shaft pole volt


Myth Description: ---- Can a broken drive shaft pole volt your car into the air if introduced into a pot hole?


MythBusters on the bust: ----Adam and Jamie


Hypothesis: ----


Procedure/Experimental Design: ---- To find an old car figure out how to cause the drive shaft to brake on command, rig a remote control system to the car so that it can accelerate steer and shift gears at a flip of a switch.


Results: ---- Success


Conclusion: ---- When the broken drive shaft enters the hole the back tires of the car leave the ground.


Busted or Not Busted: ----Plausible

Fan Feedback

Highlights of the bust:

  • seeing a full sized car driven by remote control




Best quotes by the MythBusters:






Your Scientific Method

Did the MythBusters get it right? How would you have busted this myth differently? Share your experiment design for how you would prove/disprove this myth:

  • yes, but on a more high powered car (muscle car) from the era '65-'72 the driveshaft/ suspension is stronger so more pole vaulting action


  • They have it somewhat correct. But are they aware a driveshaft loop (a continuous steel circle around the driveshaft attached to the cars frame) is required in sanctioned drag racing for cars that use racing slicks (treadless racing tires) or go faster than 9 seconds in the quarter mile? This was done in the 60's after tire manufacturers started making slicks that stuck to race tracks instead of spinning and causing stress to the driveshaft. This stress resulted in the driveshaft joints failing after the damaged driveshaft was spun to a high rpm during the race and the driveshaft broke and struck the racing surface while the car was in excess of 100 mph and causing it to overturn.






See Also

Related myths: ----

Related resources and reference pages: ----


Latest page update: made by joebogey , Jan 29 2008, 2:44 PM EST (about this update About This Update joebogey reason for driveshaft loop in racing - joebogey

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Keyword tags: adam savage byron kari byron kari mythbusters chapman scottie Discovery Channel discovery channel myth busters grant imahara jamie hyneman myth busters mythbuster mythbusters myths urban legends urban myths
More Info: links to this page

Threads

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Started By Thread Subject Replies Last Post
prostock426 Re: Drive Shaft Pole Vault 0 Aug 21 2008, 12:16 AM EDT by prostock426
Thread started: Aug 21 2008, 12:16 AM EDT  Watch
One documented instance of this occurred in early '74 (feb if memory serves) on Beeline Dragway. A prostock 74 pinto driven by Irv Beringhaus had a catastrophic rear axle failure most likely attributed to a dropped driveshaft at 150mph while racing. I have seen the photo of the accident with the car in the air crossing the finish line, yes, he died on that run. I have also known a few people who reffered to driveshaft loops as Beringhaus loops. I know first hand what it is like to be driving while dropping a front u-joint as well...( and so has my father, racing is a family pastime) and neither of us even came close to launching our cars but it sure felt like it...this myth should not be expected to be duplicated in a normal passenger vehicle.
1  out of 1 found this valuable. Do you?    
Keyword tags: axle driveshaft myth busters mythbusters myths u-joint ujoint universal joint urban legends urban myths
estruiz GOUGE MARK ON ASPHALT 0 Dec 10 2007, 3:50 PM EST by estruiz
Thread started: Dec 10 2007, 3:50 PM EST  Watch
WHEN TWO VEHICLES STRIKE AT A FRONTAL OFFSET COLLISION (40% HEAD ON) AND BOTH VEHICLES PUSH DOWN (1998 DODGE RAM 4X4 AND 2004 PONTIAC GRAND AM SE). IN WHICH DIRECTION WILL THE GOUGE MARK BE MADE IF THE FRONT DRIVE SHAFT OF THE 1998 DODGE RAM 4X4 WHEN IT SEPERATES FROM THE AXEL. WOULD THE GOUGE START FROM A DEEP HOLE AND SLIDE OUT CREATING AN UPWARD RAMP, OR WOULD IT START SHALLOW AT THE BEGINING AND END UP AT A HOLE AT MAXIMUM ENDGAGEMENT?

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