*SNAP* Rear Axle sheared off at 45mph and tire went for a ride!
04-15-2007, 06:44 PM
#1
Contributing Member
Thread Starter
*SNAP* Rear Axle sheared off at 45mph and tire went for a ride!
So on our way home today from helping a friend work on his celica, we were cruising at 45 mph when all of the sudden there was a jolt, and Tippy tipped driver side and we heard massive grinding. Troy was driving and he did a great job keeping Tippy in line while we coasted to a stop thinking at first we had a blow out... that is until we saw my rear driver side tire go flying past us with the 2 foot axle shaft sticking out of it. Once it got about 20 feet in front of us it hit a divot and careened across the front of us only to bounce into a Hyndai show lot. We were so lucky that:
A) We didn't get hurt
B) Another driver near us didn't get hit
c) The tire with 2 foot axle shaft didn't hit any of the new cars.
We had no for-warning. At this point we don't know what failed. Was it the detroit locker? Did the wheel bearing fail? I had slashed a tire 3 weeks ago and got a new spare but it was at 25% tread vs my newer 75% tread tires. Did running one tire on the rear with lower tread ultimately cause it? I am baffled. I had thought that Toyota's might have a rear axle shaft break, but I have never heard of the wheel coming loose and out of the axle housing.
Here she is after we came to a rest and retrieved the wayward tire.
The Tire
You can see the splines are stripped.
Inside the axle housing. Note the damage around the sides.
Poor Tippy! At least Troy and I managed a smile...
What a crazy day!
****
Update... After grinding the last 2 days I got the rear axle and suspention out
Here is the rear axle:
Look at how bent is is. Not sure if it was that bent before she lost the tire - but it might have been which would have weakened the bearing.
A) We didn't get hurt
B) Another driver near us didn't get hit
c) The tire with 2 foot axle shaft didn't hit any of the new cars.
We had no for-warning. At this point we don't know what failed. Was it the detroit locker? Did the wheel bearing fail? I had slashed a tire 3 weeks ago and got a new spare but it was at 25% tread vs my newer 75% tread tires. Did running one tire on the rear with lower tread ultimately cause it? I am baffled. I had thought that Toyota's might have a rear axle shaft break, but I have never heard of the wheel coming loose and out of the axle housing.
Here she is after we came to a rest and retrieved the wayward tire.
The Tire
You can see the splines are stripped.
Inside the axle housing. Note the damage around the sides.
Poor Tippy! At least Troy and I managed a smile...
What a crazy day!
****
Update... After grinding the last 2 days I got the rear axle and suspention out
Here is the rear axle:
Look at how bent is is. Not sure if it was that bent before she lost the tire - but it might have been which would have weakened the bearing.
Last edited by Lysmachia; 04-20-2007 at 07:52 PM.
04-15-2007, 06:56 PM
#5
Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Marietta GA
Posts: 309
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
This happened to my friend in his Tahoe after getting new axle shafts installed... NTB forgot to install some C-clips, and the axles stayed in for about 50 miles before they both dropped out and sped past the truck at about 40mph
Trending Topics
04-15-2007, 07:24 PM
#11
Basically, a full floating axle shaft doesn't carry the weight of the vehicle. The wheel would be held to the axle assembly, regardless of the condition of the axle shaft. I could be wrong, but I thought only Land Cruisers had full floaters
I can't explain it so well, but try this link.
http://www.off-roadweb.com/tech/0112...loating_axles/
I can't explain it so well, but try this link.
http://www.off-roadweb.com/tech/0112...loating_axles/
04-15-2007, 07:39 PM
#14
Contributing Member
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: NM
Posts: 1,843
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
looking at the pics again, it appears the inside of your axle tube is boogered up as well. Looks like its time for a D60 axle. Then you'll have a Full Floater, and lots of beef..
04-15-2007, 08:10 PM
#15
Contributing Member
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: vansterdam BC.
Posts: 1,427
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
...not to mention the width that tippy needs to umm...become untippy?
crappy deal on the axle...good thing nobody got hurt!
04-15-2007, 08:21 PM
#17
The rear is a semi-floater.....you didn't even break an axle...the splines tell the story.
What happened is somebody did not press the bearing assembly on right. They left off the safety sleeve and/or clip that prevents the bearing from walking off the shaft. As it starts to walk off, the spline engagement on the axle ends becomes "less" and the result is the spline damage you have there. The wheel comes off all the way when the bearing walks all the way off the surface. You had better remove the other side and check for the pressed on sleeve/clip.
What happened is somebody did not press the bearing assembly on right. They left off the safety sleeve and/or clip that prevents the bearing from walking off the shaft. As it starts to walk off, the spline engagement on the axle ends becomes "less" and the result is the spline damage you have there. The wheel comes off all the way when the bearing walks all the way off the surface. You had better remove the other side and check for the pressed on sleeve/clip.
Sorry Molly I find humorouis.
04-15-2007, 08:43 PM
#20
Registered User
The rear is a semi-floater.....you didn't even break an axle...the splines tell the story.
What happened is somebody did not press the bearing assembly on right. They left off the safety sleeve and/or clip that prevents the bearing from walking off the shaft. As it starts to walk off, the spline engagement on the axle ends becomes "less" and the result is the spline damage you have there. The wheel comes off all the way when the bearing walks all the way off the surface. You had better remove the other side and check for the pressed on sleeve/clip.
What happened is somebody did not press the bearing assembly on right. They left off the safety sleeve and/or clip that prevents the bearing from walking off the shaft. As it starts to walk off, the spline engagement on the axle ends becomes "less" and the result is the spline damage you have there. The wheel comes off all the way when the bearing walks all the way off the surface. You had better remove the other side and check for the pressed on sleeve/clip.
James
