Broken axle!!

[NotAnF150]

Hey guys. Looking for some input and advice. Was up in the snow this weekend. Truck parked on a steep driveway. Put it in 4 with slippery mode. Drove halfway up the hill, 5mph max. Parked to shovel out the parking area. Jumped back in the truck to move it further up the hill, and heard a LOUD snap. Dash lights on for service vehicle, 4wd system error etc. Upon inspection, found that my passenger front axle had snapped off. Has anyone ever heard of this before? Had it towed to a dealership, and I’m being told that axles are on back order, no ETA. I read that on another axle related post as well. My questions are;

1. Why did this break? No off-roading, jumping, etc. I commute in this truck, and rarely if ever does it touch dirt (I know…)

2. From what I can glean, should not drive in this manner, even if only in 2wd. Is that correct? (Side note: dealer drove it around without realizing the axle was snapped, and told me my truck wasn’t broken, but that’s another story)

3. Are there any aftermarket axles that I should be looking at in the interest of time/quality?

4. Ford should provide a rental for the duration, correct?

5. I tried ford roadside, but they weren’t able to get a tow lined up within an hours time and needed to go, so I found my own tow. It was a blizzard, with mandatory chains, so it ended up being $1,500.00. Does or should ford reimburse for this?

6. I am going to either drive 6-7 hours back to get the truck, or fly 2 hours. Any chance ford covers that?

Any insight or info would be greatly appreciated.

 

[DFS]

Were the tires able to slip? If you had any amount of relative traction and attempted to turn in 4H you could have stressed the axle into snapping.

 

[Keith88]

1. Why did this break? No off-roading, jumping, etc. I commute in this truck, and rarely if ever does it touch dirt (I know…)

2. From what I can glean, should not drive in this manner, even if only in 2wd. Is that correct? (Side note: dealer drove it around without realizing the axle was snapped, and told me my truck wasn’t broken, but that’s another story)

3. Are there any aftermarket axles that I should be looking at in the interest of time/quality?

4. Ford should provide a rental for the duration, correct?

5. I tried ford roadside, but they weren’t able to get a tow lined up within an hours time and needed to go, so I found my own tow. It was a blizzard, with mandatory chains, so it ended up being $1,500.00. Does or should ford reimburse for this?

6. I am going to either drive 6-7 hours back to get the truck, or fly 2 hours. Any chance ford covers that?

Any insight or info would be greatly appreciated.

1.) Could be a bad axle... wheel wasn't able to turn.. the torsion diff could be to blame. Not 100% sure.

2.) You would know you had a broken front axle even in 2wd. (IMO) And if the dealer sold you a truck with broken front axle knowing so.... get a lawyer. But.... how could you prove it?

3.) No aftermarket axles that I know of.

4.) Yes Ford/Dealer should provide a rental if one is available.

5.) I wouldn't count on Ford reimbursing this unfortunately. They cant control the weather or if their preferred tow company is operating, too busy or choosing not to take the job in a time that worked for you.

6.) I wouldn't count on Ford covering travel expenses.

Ford will fix the truck under warranty. Ford/Dealer SHOULD provide a rental or rental reimbursement as long as you are not traveling out of state with a dealer supplied car. Sorry you had a bad day bud.

 

[The Car Stereo Company]

you unfortunately wont get reimbursment from ford for the tow, insurance however might. you wont get anything for the flight or drive to pick it up either. as far as parts go, seems ford warranty will cover this, unless you go the aftermarket route, then they are washed clean of the repair. lookig at the pic, were your front tires turned all the way in one direction? thats a no no in 4wd.

i grew up in aptos. has sant cruz area washed into the sea yet?

 

[NJ2020]

Wow that's pretty crazy, certainly a manufacturing defect. The "4x4 temporarily locked" happens when 4a detects high slip and turns on 4h. Maybe there is something up with your diff.

 

[Bluu]

In the slow/slippery mode the truck is grossly de-tuned (for traction purposes), and at the rate of speed that you were going it had to have been something else locking up that caused the issue. Does the truck roll freely in neutral? (i.e. there isn't a caliper that is locked up, or a hub that is siezed?)

 

[NotAnF150]

Were the tires able to slip? If you had any amount of relative traction and attempted to turn in 4H you could have stressed the axle into snapping.

Driveway was covered in ice. Plenty of slip.

 

[NotAnF150]

In the slow/slippery mode the truck is grossly de-tuned (for traction purposes), and at the rate of speed that you were going it had to have been something else locking up that caused the issue. Does the truck roll freely in neutral? (i.e. there isn't a caliper that is locked up, or a hub that is siezed?)

It had moved easily 5 minutes prior to the snap. I haven’t seen/driven the vehicle since the break. Unfortunately it’s in another state now.

 

[NotAnF150]

you unfortunately wont get reimbursment from ford for the tow, insurance however might. you wont get anything for the flight or drive to pick it up either. as far as parts go, seems ford warranty will cover this, unless you go the aftermarket route, then they are washed clean of the repair. lookig at the pic, were your front tires turned all the way in one direction? thats a no no in 4wd.

i grew up in aptos. has sant cruz area washed into the sea yet?

Driveway is dead straight, and I wasn’t really turning. May have turned after the break.

Born and raised in deep boulder creek, so no stranger to 4wd.

Storms are doing their best, the pier at the cement ship is gone. Capitola wharf falling apart. West cliff washed out. It’s been a crazy set of storms.

 

[NotAnF150]

Wow that's pretty crazy, certainly a manufacturing defect. The "4x4 temporarily locked" happens when 4a detects high slip and turns on 4h. Maybe there is something up with your diff.

This light came up after the break. So guessing that side/sensor felt that there was no traction.