CAUSES OF PUMP SHAFT BROKEN
What cause a power steering pump shaft to break on a 2004 GMC envoy. This question always arise. Why Does the Pump Shaft Keep Breaking? It seems that most pump owners/operators immediately blame the manufacturer if the pump shaft breaks. Yet in most cases, it is not the manufacturers’ fault. This article explores the issue and the potential causes. While many of these points are specific to centrifugal pumps, several apply to all rotating machinery, including turbines, compressors and motors. Credible pump manufacturers design their machine shafts for normal startup and operational factors, but some have higher margins for upset conditions and safety margins (think torque). The main reason that shafts break can often be traced to operational and system reasons. Fatigue failure (also known as failure due to reversed bending fatigue with rotation) is the most common cause of pump shaft fractures/failures. Pump Shaft Design The shaft’s purpose is to transmit the rotational motion and...