Hello all-
I searched and found only one thread referring to this, and it was for a new install.
About a year ago, I replaced both CV axles on my 1997 Grand Prix. They were Autozone parts- looked really well made. I think they might have even been new, instead of reman.
Everything was fine, up until a couple days ago. I was coming around an expressway flyover ramp when I heard a "thunk" and the speedometer pegged itself at about 120 mph. Revvs stayed about the same. I pulled over, and once I stopped, the speedometer still said something like 30 mph. I put it into park and the speedo went down, and I heard a "wizzz, clink" as it went to zero.
Went around and looked under the car, and saw that the axle has fallen out of the transmission. The boot was torn and grease was everywhere, but the axle still looked to be intact. Everything else looks more or less right- the engine is still in its mounts, the tie rod isn't broken, the ball joint is still intact, etc.
Luckily, I have AAA and they were amazingly fast (15 minutes!) and towed me home. I haven't really looked at it since, because it has been really cold out, and I've been busy with other things.
Anyway, my question is: how can an axle fall out?? From looking at diagrams and just how hard it is to install one, the parts are sort of locked into place. There is what seems to be about 4 inches of play before the parts can separate. Since when you jack up a car, the axle extends pretty far and still doesn't separate. So how in the heck can this happen when the car is sitting on all four wheels? AND when the part has functioned fine for all this time??
EDIT: forgot to mention. When I got it home, I jacked it up to try and pop the axle back into place. I couldn't do it, so I dropped it back down. In doing that, the axle did pop back in. At least enough for me to be able to pull up a couple feet in the driveway. So it is still at least marginally intact.
(I'll report back with pictures if I see anything interesting when I look at it this weekend.)
I searched and found only one thread referring to this, and it was for a new install.
About a year ago, I replaced both CV axles on my 1997 Grand Prix. They were Autozone parts- looked really well made. I think they might have even been new, instead of reman.
Everything was fine, up until a couple days ago. I was coming around an expressway flyover ramp when I heard a "thunk" and the speedometer pegged itself at about 120 mph. Revvs stayed about the same. I pulled over, and once I stopped, the speedometer still said something like 30 mph. I put it into park and the speedo went down, and I heard a "wizzz, clink" as it went to zero.
Went around and looked under the car, and saw that the axle has fallen out of the transmission. The boot was torn and grease was everywhere, but the axle still looked to be intact. Everything else looks more or less right- the engine is still in its mounts, the tie rod isn't broken, the ball joint is still intact, etc.
Luckily, I have AAA and they were amazingly fast (15 minutes!) and towed me home. I haven't really looked at it since, because it has been really cold out, and I've been busy with other things.
Anyway, my question is: how can an axle fall out?? From looking at diagrams and just how hard it is to install one, the parts are sort of locked into place. There is what seems to be about 4 inches of play before the parts can separate. Since when you jack up a car, the axle extends pretty far and still doesn't separate. So how in the heck can this happen when the car is sitting on all four wheels? AND when the part has functioned fine for all this time??
EDIT: forgot to mention. When I got it home, I jacked it up to try and pop the axle back into place. I couldn't do it, so I dropped it back down. In doing that, the axle did pop back in. At least enough for me to be able to pull up a couple feet in the driveway. So it is still at least marginally intact.
(I'll report back with pictures if I see anything interesting when I look at it this weekend.)
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