Soooooo... I broke an axle today... and I'm not really sure how.

I was just cruising along the interstate NORMALLY when my wheel started shaking violently like a wheel was out of balance... so I pull over. There is grease all over my driver's side wheel and I can see that the Axle Boot closest to the wheel has torn apart from the shaft. DAMN IT!

Sooo... being 100 miles away from home, I try and make it to the next exit. Nope. After about 5 miles... the car just stops moving and I hear a weird, sort of grinding noise.

The part of the axle shaft had popped out of the part that bolts into the wheel hub. ****. So, I got it towed back. It took me less than 5 minutes to tear the car down enough to find out how fucked I was.

Notice the cracks right around where the splines are...


See the grease... everywhere! My wheel was literally BLACK on the inside.


The very tip of the splines are rounded off... fucked from what I could tell.


Yep. The part that bolts into the Wheel hub is cracked in like 4 spots.

So I need a new axle. I'm contemplating just getting a new OEM one and selling the bitch... or getting Stg2 axles... and going all out.

Also... I painted my S/C Wrinkle Black (the flash makes it look like it has sparkles or white flakes)...





SO, my first question... are axles covered under the Powertrain Warranty.

Second Question... anyone have stock axles lying around or Stg2 axles that they wanna donate/sell?

 

damn dude, that sucks hardcore.

if you can prove it wasn't abuse, they'll cover it, but they'll probably claim abuse/racing and there's not much you can do about it.

it looks like the c-clip that holds the axle into the cv-joint is gone, and if that's the case, that may have caused it. mine fell out, but luckily it did it 2 seconds from my house, and i was able to get it back in, and drive to a shop where they replaced the clip and boot. hopefully saving me from what just happened to you. or the CV cup just failed, and in that cace, that's a cerious bummer.

 

wow just from normal cruising too...thats absolutely shitty sorry to hear dude

 

did it kind of make a sound like really rough marbles? a grinding/whirring?

 

Grinding. It was the sound of the splines of the shaft... grinding against the splines of the Joint.

$304 is retail for the Left Axle...

GMPartsDirect.com has it listed for $180.

I'm gonna check with CrateEngineDepot and then with my local Dealer (Warranty wise and purchase wise).

 

I have had 2 warrantied. Both drivers side. Never hurts to try.

 

When were your's warrantied though... I don't have my Bumper to Bumper warranty anymore... all I have is my powertrain.

You would THINK that the Powertrain warranty would cover them... but we ARE talking about GM here.

 

wow now thats weird. i would try and take it in. you were obviously not drag racing it, so i would try

 

Man that sucks!!!!

 

True that. I'm gonna give them a call tomorrow and find out.

We sat on the side of the interstate for 4 or 5 hours yesterday waiting... and its funny to watch how many people just drive on by... no one helps anyone out these days. I chuckled about it to myself. Hell, there were PLENTY of people that wouldn't even get over into the far lane.

2 Indiana State Police cars cruised past to. Then right before the tow truck showed up... an unmarked police car pulled up and asked what was going on.

 

if i saw a fellow cobalt owner broken down, i would stop by and help.

 

I was hoping a fellow SS/SC owner would stop by so I could knock them out and steal their axle...

 

Bummer man! I know you were trying to get rid of it. Seems like you're in a fork in the road.

 

it sucks that your axle is history but i guess its good that if you can get the parts its a pretty easy fix.....

 

True... it could have been worse.

 

well thats different.

 

i'd hit up the yards before trying to buy one new...

 

They are very rare around here to be found in junk yards.

But I sent an email to a GM Junk Yard in Cleveland, and if the dealer doesn't warranty it, then I'll see what they can get me from their junk yard connections.

 

Bought/Picked up an Axle this morning... going to install it now.

 

Hooray!

whered you get it?

 

The same place that I bought my LSD Trans... my friend 45 miles to the north that totaled his Cobalt - $60

 

60 for the axle? not to bad at all. now i need an LSD trans...

 

Sooo... that axle was broken too. Haha...

...but I called my dealer and axles are covered under the powertrain warranty... so I should have a new one in a day or two, hopefully.

 

Hey good to hear that you're getting it fixed and that it didn't cost you an arm and a leg.

Yeah, unfortunately one of the downsides of our balts (at least a known problem) are the weak axles... Well it's a downside of any high powered FWD car at that... But yeah at least they aren't super expensive to fix or get replaced...

Good luck getting your baby all fixed and good as new!

 

yea i think the dealer would have caught on after i broke my 4th. oh well