Axle Shafts Repair in Naples, FL
Drive axles also serve by bearing the weight of the vehicle, its passengers and other cargo. They help provide power and propel your vehicle wheels to move. Axles are built to be tough; keep in mind that an overloaded vehicle can at times crack or break an axle. Bad bearings or hitting potholes are other common causes of axle problems.
You will not get far, or anywhere in your vehicle with a damaged drive axle. Drive axles are rods or shafts that connect to the wheel housing. The purpose of a drive axle is to transfer power from the transmission to the wheels. As the axles turn, they make your wheels go forward or backward but with a nonfunctioning drive axle nothing will move.
There are a few ways to tell if your car’s axles need repair. The best assessment will always be made by your technician, as professionals thy can check your vehicle if you encounter one of following indicators of drive axle problems:
Axle shafts are forged in a way so that the exterior is hardened steel with a softer metal core for flexibility. If improper heat treatment during shaft production can result in a brittle product that might snap or fracture under stress.
In some vehicle drive axle shafts are unequal in length in order to accommodate a slightly offset engine and/or transmission. But the shorter the shaft the more susceptible in sharp turn angles it is to break. An axle does not need to snap to actually fail. Sometimes internal or external components other than the metal shaft will weaken or break.
Axles have Constant Velocity Joints which are an important part of the axle system, they are attaching the drive shafts from the transmission to the wheels. CV joints are constantly under incredible amounts of stress as they transfer consistent torque while adapting to the constant up and down motion of the vehicle's suspension.
CV joints are protected by rubber boots at each end, these boots help keep the lubricant-laden CV joint enclosed and keep out foreign material. A cracked boot lets grease leak while allowing water and dirt to enter. Lack of lubrication and habitual corrosion harm the entire CV joint causing wear out over time gradually, or suddenly disintegrating the joint under certain circumstances.
Fortunately, worn axles can present signs that they are beginning to fail giving you time to get your axle shafts checked out and repaired.
If you notice your car handles differently when you drive at certain speeds especially when going faster. Your vehicle CV joints can slightly vibrate indicating that they are operating in less than ideal conditions. Vibrations when accelerating or driving at higher speeds becomes more noticeable since your wheels’ rotations are off-balance.
Your car also might make a certain noise when you speed up or turn. Loose CV joints make an audible click or pop noise especially during certain turns. In some cases, the steering wheel may feel more difficult to turn.