Axle & Drivetrain Repair

Axles are extremely important to your car. They are on par with brakes and tires when it comes to the safety of your vehicle. Axles connect to the wheels and they bear the weight of your entire vehicle. They also may help drive your vehicle, and in most cars are an integral part of the steering system.

Most of us think of an axle as a bar between two wheels, or a straight axle, like you find on a train car or a little red wagon. The truth is, most axles are far more complex. Today, most axles are split axles, which means the wheel on each side is attached to a separate shaft. This allows independent suspension of the left and right wheels, and therefore a smoother ride. It also permits the left and right wheels to rotate at different speeds as the automobile turns, improving traction and extending tire life. This is what’s known as the differential.

Many cars combine the transmission and the axle to create the transaxle. In rear-wheel vehicles, the engine is connected to a driveshaft which turns the drive axle in the back of the car. The axle is connected by the wheel to the CV joint. This is covered by a CV joint boot, a protective flexible covering. It’s important to make sure the boot is not cracked or leaking. This can cause brake fluid to leak out, possibly resulting in serious damage to the CV joints. DC Dynamics will check your joint boots whenever he has your car up on the lift.

DC Dynamics are experts at maintaining all of types of axles, on all types of vehicles—SUVs, light trucks and foreign and domestic automobiles.