The Axles, Shafts and Components are responsible for putting the power down After being produced by the engine, power runs through the transmission and into the axles and onto the wheels to move the car. The axles are responsible for turning the wheels.

Axle types vary but the they do the same thing, just in different manners: the power comes into the ax... Read More

Axels, Shafts & Components Information

Why are Axels, Shafts & Components Part Important

The Axles, Shafts and Components are responsible for putting the power down After being produced by the engine, power runs through the transmission and into the axles and onto the wheels to move the car. The axles are responsible for turning the wheels.

Axle types vary but the they do the same thing, just in different manners: the power comes into the axle hub and is then distributed to both wheels. Solid Axles (also called live axles) are one solid unit; this has large (and usually negative) effects on the handling and the ride quality of the car. The upshot of the solid axle is strength which is why they're commonly found on trucks and SUVs. Front wheel drive cars and cars with Independent Rear Suspensions use CV Joints to send the power to each wheel. But because they are not connected by a large metal axle, each wheel is free to move on its own without effecting the other wheel. They are favored in passenger cars because of their better handling characteristics as well as being less bulky. The CV Joint, CV Shafts, and CV Boots are all commonly replaced parts.

Regardless of whether a car uses CV Joints or a solid axle, if the rear wheels are powered, the driveshaft is responsible for delivering power from the transmission down the length of the car. Bearings and U-Joints keep the driveshaft spinning and allow smooth operation when the axle moves from hitting bumps in the road.

Very simply, when these axles break down, the wheel attached to it will cease to be powered. In some cases, depending on how the axle is damaged, the resulting failure can take out other suspension parts or even the differential. CV Joints offer a nice warning before they suddenly stop working: when the weight of the car shifts onto that joint (usually in a turn) listen for a loud clicking sound. In the later stages of CV Joint failure, there will be a slip in power to that wheel. As you might expect, this can be particularly terrifying as it is not a subtle event.

At the first sign of axle wear, we cannot stress how important it is to replace what needs to be fixed; an ounce of prevention is truly worth a pound of cure. In many cases, ignoring a small problem can quickly cause the cost of repairs to multiply exponentially. What could be a 50 dollar fix could easily turn into several hundred dollars.

Brands

A1 Cardone	Auto7	BBK Performance	BD Diesel	Beck/Arnley
Daystar	Dorman	Firestone	Mile Marker	Moog
Motive Gear Performance	Omix-ADA	Outland	Precision U-Joints	Prothane
Rancho	Raybestos	Rugged Ridge	Stainless Steel Brakes	Warn