The romp was completed despite the visitors at one stage being reduced to 12 players after three yellow cards in as many minutes just before halftime for prop Nepo Laulala, centre Kieron Fonotia and winger Nemani Nadolo.
But that advantage for the home side was blown out the water when Sharks flanker Jan Deysel intentionally put his knee into the head of a Crusaders player on the ground and was red-carded before the break with his side trailing 28-3.
The Crusaders were incisive and clinical and scored two tries inside the first four minutes as scrumhalf Andy Ellis, fullback Israel Dagg, Fonotia, centre Ryan Crotty, flyhalf Colin Slade, winger David Kaetau Havili, flanker Matt Todd and replacement number 10 Tom Taylor all bagged tries.
Slade converted five of those and Taylor his own score. The Sharks were never in the game, their lack of bite resulting in consecutive home losses, with their only try coming from winger Odwa Ndungane.
That was converted by replacement flyhalf Fred Zeilinga, while the man he replaced, Pat Lambie, booted a penalty.
The Crusaders narrowly missed out on creating unwanted history for the home side with their 42-point margin of victory. That was one short of the Sharks' record loss in Super Rugby, which was a 77-34 mauling by the Crusaders in 2005.
(Reporting by Nick Said, editing by Ed Osmond)
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