Is it safe to drive with a bent axle?

The axles of your car are important components. They transfer power from the transmission or differential to the drive wheels. Although they are designed to be very strong and last a long time, they can be damaged. It may…

The axles of your car are important components. They transfer power from the transmission or differential to the drive wheels. Although they are designed to be very strong and last a long time, they can be damaged. This can happen during a car accident, hitting a curb, or even hitting a particularly deep pothole at high speed. The result is a bent axle. Is it safe to drive with a bent axle?

• Heaviness: A lot will depend on how much the axle is bent. If the turn is small, you can drive at least for a while. However, be aware that you will likely feel a lot of vibration, and since the kink prevents the axle from rotating smoothly, it will eventually damage other components such as the CV joint.

• Bent axle or damaged wheel: Often the only sign of a bent axle is one wheel wobble. If you were injured in an accident or hit by road debris and the wheel was damaged, your wobble may be caused by either a damaged wheel or a bent axle (or both). Only an experienced mechanic will be able to determine what is true in your case.

• strong bendA: If the bend is severe (more than a quarter of an inch or so), you need to replace the axle immediately. A severely bent axle will quickly damage the CV joints and possibly damage wheel hubs, bearings and other components. It can also damage the mounting flange where it attaches to the differential (in rear wheel drive vehicles) and possibly cause internal damage to the differential gear.

If you're experiencing one wheel wobble, or you've recently been in an accident or hit a curb and your car behaves differently, you should call a certified mechanic, such as AvtoTachki, to diagnose the problem. and safely back on the road.