Defective drive axle

A defective drive axle, the axle that is delivering the power, can cause a the vehicle to drift to one side or create excess vibration over smooth roads.

Table of Contents

• 1. Symptoms
  • 1.1 Vehicle Pulls to One Side
  • 1.2 Vehicle Vibration
  • 1.3 Abnormal Tire Wear

Symptoms

See bent axle for more information.

Vehicle Pulls to One Side

An axle that is damaged or worn will pull the vehicle to one side during driving. For example, a bent axle will cause the wheel to wobble rather than rotate. This will cause the wheels to make make different contact with the road. The rotating wheel will tend to move in a straight line. The wobbling wheel will make sporadic contact with the road. This will cause a very slight lean in the vehicle, pulling it to that side.

Vehicle Vibration

If your vehicle is shaking on a smooth road, and the shakes are increased with the speed of the vehicle, the axle may be to blame. As with pulling to one side, an axle that causes a wheel to wobble will usually also cause vibration.

Abnormal Tire Wear

All tires wear during normal usage. However, if one tire is wearing unevenly or faster than the others, the axle it sits on maybe bent. The wobble created would cause more pressure on the tire in some areas and less in others. This would result in wear different than rotating wheels.