Thread: Axle breakage

Hi there. If it is a rear axle, pulloff the grease cap on wheel bearings and slide broken axle out. You might have to fish around to get both pieces out. Then unbolt rear tailshaft and remove it. Put vehicle in 4wd and lock centre diff, and drive on front wheels only. If a permanent 4wd, remove broken axle and rear tailshaft and lock centre diff and drive on front wheels. If you do a front axle, remove front tailshaft, lock centre diff and use rear wheel drive. If you cant get broken pieces out you stand a chance of causing diff damage but sometimes you may have to risk it to get mobile. Jim

should be able to engage your CDL to get going.

that's as much as i know...

should he try and remove the broken axle before traveling too far?

I also would like to know

Hi again. I should add that to pull rear axle out, jack up the side that is broken and unbolt the drive flange from wheel hub. Then pull the broken axle out. Carry a tube of sealer, silastic is ok to reseal drive flange to prevent oil loss. Jim

is there a reason to remove the prop shaft.........

when i did a CV i left my prop shaft attached so that i still had drive to the other axle on the front

Minimise the risk of breakage - Maxidrive axles and flanges?

Originally Posted by weeds

is there a reason to remove the prop shaft.........

when i did a CV i left my prop shaft attached so that i still had drive to the other axle on the front

That is only possible if you have a locker. If you have an unlocked axle and remove one halfshaft, all drive will go to the side gear with no halfshaft connected. So you will only be wearing the diff by spinning the side gear and spider bearings (which only have crude thrust washers), and running the risk of any remaining metal bits doing damage (this latter is also true if you have a locker).

With a detroit or TT you run the risk of destroying your centre diff.

Originally Posted by weeds

is there a reason to remove the prop shaft.........

when i did a CV i left my prop shaft attached so that i still had drive to the other axle on the front

That only works with a locker

If its an axle broken, leave the thing in, don't touch it, lock centre diff and that's it

An axle makes a snapping clank, then nothing, if it pops up again, its a diff

If its a diff, remove axles and tailshaft

cv's make lunching noises, if this is the case, you really need to tear it doen and remove the nasty bits as there is every chance your steering will lock up with broken bits jamming the swivel hub, D2 or P32 not the case, open hubs

Originally Posted by rovercare

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If its an axle broken, leave the thing in, don't touch it, lock centre diff and that's it...

While most good quality axles fail neatly, I have had a 10-spliner break, where a 1" long section of axle "shattered" into 8 or so largish chunks of metal. I wouldn't want to have driven any distance with those bits floating around...