family stranded

I was driving to see my family for christmas, and I heard a clunk then the van started swerving. I pulled off the interstate, and while I was going about 5mph when it clunked again. the engine revs up, but the van won't move. the things that throw me are: the front brakes don't work, and both wheels seem to still be aligned straight.

Sounds like an axle broke to me.

it's the drivers side cv joint. how do I get the control arm to drop down from the strut? I took the cotter pin and castle nut off the ball joint but the arm still won't drop down.

it's the drivers side cv joint. how do I get the control arm to drop down from the strut? I took the cotter pin and castle nut off the ball joint but the arm still won't drop down.

Afraid it's gonna take a lot more than just removing those two items to get the cv shaft out. Your going to need a pry bar to bust the lower ball joint loose, then you will have to take the outer tie rod off and swing out of the way, after that a big mallet or sledge/block of wood to loosen the cv shaft, then something to break loose the internal snap ring on the inside half of the cv shaft. But, before that, you will need to take the brake caliper off and then the brake disc.

I am at a loss though as to why the brakes quit, they should not have been affected, unless something got damaged when the cv shaft broke?

must have broke the brake line. yeah if you take the tierod and the bottom ball joint loose the strut should move out of the way after you drive the cv shaft thru the hub to let you get to the cv shaft to pry it out of the transaxle.the bottom control arm should pry away from the bottom ball joint and pry back in place.when taking the tierod loose puul the cotter pin ,take the nut off .now take a hammer and pop the tierod on the side of the steering knuckle .do not hit the part that the nut goes on .about three good pops and the tierod should pop loose.