SNAP Rear Axle sheared off at 45mph and tire went for a ride!

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Apr 30, 2007 | 09:22 PM

#121

SacRunner

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Joined: Oct 2005

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From: Auburn/Sacramento, CA

Quote:

Originally Posted by drew303

ouch on the grinder accident. I've had mine buck a few times and one night when i shouldnt of been working on the truck anymore i went to change the blade and mistaked the ON buttom for the button that locks the wheel so you can unscrew it. I was a centimeter away from having my fingers on the blade.. ugh i got lucky. I went to bed afterthat. =)

oh and im STILL curious: Is it just me or wouldnt that really messed up housing be somehow linked to why the axle came out?

I'm no expert but if the axle housing wasn't bent before the axle snapped and the tire came off, I would imagine that having a large % of the 4Runner's weight sitting on that brake drum while slowing down from 45 mph may have had something to do with it being bent.

and Troy, I wish you the best, but that's going to be one nice scar.

Last edited by SacRunner; Apr 30, 2007 at 09:23 PM.

Apr 30, 2007 | 09:30 PM

#122

YotaJunky

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Joined: Feb 2005

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From: Vancouver BC

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lysmachia

So today while finishing up our grinding on Tippy - The grinder troy was using bucked up into his face. He had eye protection on but it hit his cheek and nose. We waited 2 hours in the ER waiting room. Then another 2 hours for a Dr. And finally 2 more hours for a plastic surgeon to come and stitch him up....

Lesson learned... wear lots of PPE!

Before they stitched it...

OUCH..... I was just using my grinder yesterday and had contemplated using the full face mask, but instead only used my safety glasses. After seeing what happened to you, it's a no brainer for me now.... full face mask it is from now on.

Get well,

From Troy to Troy

Apr 30, 2007 | 10:06 PM

#123

Lysmachia

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From: Clear Lake City, TX

Troys stiches came out today - I need to get a pic so you can see how well it has healed - but it looks like he will have a scar on his cheek!

Oh and we pulled my 3rd member and had a look. It looks good! THANK GOD!!!

May 3, 2007 | 06:13 PM

#124

80W90

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Joined: Apr 2007

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From: Cascade Mountains, SW-WA

Quote:

Originally Posted by waskillywabbit

Stock axle housing - remove all the junk to the 4 bolt flange
FROR Adapter - RTV to the axle housing w/ the 4 bolts and attach caliper to adapter
Custom chromoly axles
SFA spindle and wheel hub onto adapter w/ OEM seals

The rest should be easy to figure out.

that makes much more sense now

May 3, 2007 | 07:25 PM

#125

Lysmachia

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From: Clear Lake City, TX

I stopped by and saw my new leaf springs. They look Awesome. I hope to have pics up tomorrow!

May 3, 2007 | 07:58 PM

#126

ewong

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From: Philly PA

Nice thread... - informative

Glad to hear everyone is OK.

BTW - Drew303 pointed out in the pic... at least it looks to me... that the "C" clip or cir clip or snap ring... is still in the axle tube...

And IMHO the loss of the wheel didnt bend that axle tube - something else did.

Also - the bent axle tube would tend to break axles... ask NASCAR (they bend the axle tubes to get "camber" at the rear).

BTW - I did the same thing on a VW Golf

http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=1877243

IMHO - yer lucky as the detroit locker would tend to "spin" the car around on the one driven wheel... good driving saved ya there (as well as the axle dragging)

One more reason for me to finish the FF project (I have the hubs and spindles)

May 3, 2007 | 08:42 PM

#127

Lysmachia

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From: Clear Lake City, TX

I wasn't the awesome driver that saved us on this one. All that credit goes to Troy!

May 5, 2007 | 09:15 PM

#128

Lysmachia

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From: Clear Lake City, TX

Well I picked Tippy up Friday and took her out today to test the new leaf springs.... I am not sure they are as flexy as the coils were - but the jury is still out till I can compare it in Carnage and Moab. It did feel more stable. I think we got her more tippy (past 37 degrees) than I would have on the Coils without flopping!

Yup Tippy meter is almost maxed out at 37 degrees!

I start working on the Moab Camo tomorrow... All I do is slave away for this Tippy Brat

May 6, 2007 | 05:16 AM

#129

mt_goat

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From: Oklahoma State

Looks great Molly, where did you get that nice little inclinometer/tilt gauge thingy?

May 6, 2007 | 09:10 AM

#130

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From: Longmont, CO

They sell them at 4WP and most other offroad shops.

For comparison, here it is with the coils on a similar obstacle:

May 13, 2007 | 10:45 AM

#131

drew303

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Joined: Dec 2006

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From: Olympia, WA

Trailer axle comes off and kills someone:

http://www.komotv.com/news/7478932.html

Thought I'd post it up here. Not everyone who loses an axle gets as lucky =(