Headed out to do the Mojave Road last weekend from east to west. After a great first day on the trail we were scouting campsites in Caruthers Canyon. I stopped, put it in park, and when I went to drive again, it revved, but wouldn't move and there was an ominous clanking. One of the guys in our group crawled underneath and delivered the bad news - front right axle failure. With the center diff lock on, I was able to move again, albeit with more thunking.
Since it was the end of the day, we stayed put for the night. We headed out cautiously the next morning, making it from the trail back to pavement. I increased the speed gradually, and above 40 mph the rattling disappeared. We made it all the way back to Baker, and from there, decided to drive home another 200 miles. I kept it under 60 mph. Needless to say, I breathed a huge sigh of relief and said a prayer of thanks when I rolled into the driveway.
I have no idea what caused the axle to fail.
And, I'm thankful for the wisdom on this forum! The price of an aftermarket axle was tempting, but a little research here quickly convinced me to pay the difference for a Toyota replacement. My local dealer had one significantly discounted if I ordered online. It arrived the next day, I delivered it to my mechanic, and I'm back on the road.
Since it was the end of the day, we stayed put for the night. We headed out cautiously the next morning, making it from the trail back to pavement. I increased the speed gradually, and above 40 mph the rattling disappeared. We made it all the way back to Baker, and from there, decided to drive home another 200 miles. I kept it under 60 mph. Needless to say, I breathed a huge sigh of relief and said a prayer of thanks when I rolled into the driveway.
I have no idea what caused the axle to fail.
- Old age? I've got 164k miles, and I'm assuming the axle was original.
- Where I stopped was significantly off camber.
- Suspension is stock - no lift.
- And I wasn't driving crazy. Loaded with 3 people and a weekend full of gear, I was definitely taking it easy.
And, I'm thankful for the wisdom on this forum! The price of an aftermarket axle was tempting, but a little research here quickly convinced me to pay the difference for a Toyota replacement. My local dealer had one significantly discounted if I ordered online. It arrived the next day, I delivered it to my mechanic, and I'm back on the road.