Trail Axle Breakage Question
07-29-2014, 04:45 PM
#1
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Trail Axle Breakage Question
I like to be prepared for trail day - maybe the boy scout in me... I drive a distance to trails here in Maine (up to 3 hours) and have been wondering about axles as my weak point...... Thinking to myself - what do i do if I break an axle..
Say I'm on the trail and break a rear axle... Can I pull the axle out, put the wheel back on, and limp home with power to one rear wheel??? Then replace the axle when I get home?
Other option.... Pull the rear driveline and drive home in 4 high on the front wheels? Feel like this could burn up my T case....
Any of you guys been in situations like this and need to limp home??? What did you do?
Really just looking for option other than carrying a spare axle with me and doing a trail repair at this point... I would love to have extra axles laying around but I don't... Maybe chromoly's in the future, never know
Thanks
Say I'm on the trail and break a rear axle... Can I pull the axle out, put the wheel back on, and limp home with power to one rear wheel??? Then replace the axle when I get home?
Other option.... Pull the rear driveline and drive home in 4 high on the front wheels? Feel like this could burn up my T case....
Any of you guys been in situations like this and need to limp home??? What did you do?
Really just looking for option other than carrying a spare axle with me and doing a trail repair at this point... I would love to have extra axles laying around but I don't... Maybe chromoly's in the future, never know
Thanks
07-29-2014, 04:57 PM
#2
JK Jedi Master
The rear axle shaft and the wheel flange are all one piece, so you will have nothing to bolt the wheel to if you remove the rear shaft.
Once the rear shaft is broken, no power will be routed to the other side unless you have a locker. A limited slip will route some power but not much.
Leaving the axle in the housing will make the outer bearing run out of alignment. And the broken ends will be free to flop around in the housing.
The front is a different story. Break an axle shaft there and you can remove it and still have a wheel on the unit bearing.
Once the rear shaft is broken, no power will be routed to the other side unless you have a locker. A limited slip will route some power but not much.
Leaving the axle in the housing will make the outer bearing run out of alignment. And the broken ends will be free to flop around in the housing.
The front is a different story. Break an axle shaft there and you can remove it and still have a wheel on the unit bearing.
Last edited by ronjenx; 07-29-2014 at 05:00 PM.
07-29-2014, 05:02 PM
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The rear axle shaft and the wheel flange are all one piece, so you will have nothing to bolt the wheel to if you remove the rear shaft.
Once the rear shaft is broken, no power will be routed to the other side unless you have a locker. A limited slip will route some power but not much.
The front is a different story. Break an axle shaft there and you can remove it and still have a wheel on the unit bearing.
Once the rear shaft is broken, no power will be routed to the other side unless you have a locker. A limited slip will route some power but not much.
The front is a different story. Break an axle shaft there and you can remove it and still have a wheel on the unit bearing.
As always excellent information.
To the OP your best bet is to get a spare axle shaft with the tone ring and bearings pressed on. This way if it breaks just make a quick swap and you are good to go. If you are considering upgrading the rear shafts we suggest doing just that and saving the original as trail spares.
The front shafts you can just pull and you are good to go.
PM us if you would like pricing on anything.
07-30-2014, 01:10 AM
#4
JK Jedi Master
Call for a trailer if it's this bad ...
I believe that Dennis from Teraflex shot the above picture while visiting here in Oklahoma a couple days ago.
Back to what Ron wrote: If you want to truly Be Prepared (As a Boy Scout leader, I approve!), make sure you carry the tools to pull an axle. A couple you might not think of are the axle nut socket (35 or 36 mm, check boths sides of your Jeep since I know of at least one case where the owner had one of each), and a 13-mm 12-point socket or wrench to loosen the three bolts holding the unit bearing to the axle shaft. A good practice is to use the tools that you carry on the trail and run through removing your axle, without resorting to your shop tools. Then you'll know you have exactly what you need.
Also, if you want to go one step further and be prepared to change a broken U-joint on the trail, one of these would come in handy ...
Trail D-Vise - a portable vise for use anywhere
On the early model JKs (without the screw storage area in the cubby), if you remove the OEM scissor jack, this fits exactly in that hole. If you never expect to use the OEM jack, then this is a much better use than just ignoring the OEM jack in that valuable storage space.
I believe that Dennis from Teraflex shot the above picture while visiting here in Oklahoma a couple days ago.
Back to what Ron wrote: If you want to truly Be Prepared (As a Boy Scout leader, I approve!), make sure you carry the tools to pull an axle. A couple you might not think of are the axle nut socket (35 or 36 mm, check boths sides of your Jeep since I know of at least one case where the owner had one of each), and a 13-mm 12-point socket or wrench to loosen the three bolts holding the unit bearing to the axle shaft. A good practice is to use the tools that you carry on the trail and run through removing your axle, without resorting to your shop tools. Then you'll know you have exactly what you need.
Also, if you want to go one step further and be prepared to change a broken U-joint on the trail, one of these would come in handy ...
Trail D-Vise - a portable vise for use anywhere
On the early model JKs (without the screw storage area in the cubby), if you remove the OEM scissor jack, this fits exactly in that hole. If you never expect to use the OEM jack, then this is a much better use than just ignoring the OEM jack in that valuable storage space.
07-30-2014, 01:59 AM
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i agree with these guys, upgrade to better off roading axles, and save the stocks for spares. and like Mark said, bring every tool you need to change them along, that way if you break a rear you can swap it and make it home without a tow. 
07-30-2014, 12:45 PM
#6
JK Junkie
Call for a trailer if it's this bad ... I believe that Dennis from Teraflex shot the above picture while visiting here in Oklahoma a couple days ago. Back to what Ron wrote: If you want to truly Be Prepared (As a Boy Scout leader, I approve!), make sure you carry the tools to pull an axle. A couple you might not think of are the axle nut socket (35 or 36 mm, check boths sides of your Jeep since I know of at least one case where the owner had one of each), and a 13-mm 12-point socket or wrench to loosen the three bolts holding the unit bearing to the axle shaft. A good practice is to use the tools that you carry on the trail and run through removing your axle, without resorting to your shop tools. Then you'll know you have exactly what you need. Also, if you want to go one step further and be prepared to change a broken U-joint on the trail, one of these would come in handy ... Trail D-Vise - a portable vise for use anywhere On the early model JKs (without the screw storage area in the cubby), if you remove the OEM scissor jack, this fits exactly in that hole. If you never expect to use the OEM jack, then this is a much better use than just ignoring the OEM jack in that valuable storage space.
