97 Caravan with broken axle-is tranny still good

[printprocc]

Here is an issue I have gotten pretty much no good news for as of yet. Over the winter I pulled to the end of my road, waiting to turn. I must have been on a small patch of ice at this stop because when I started to pull out, the wheels spun a bit (not crazy, not a lead foot) then hooked up on bare pavement. The moment it did hook up there was a loud bang after which I had to coast to a stop across the street because I had no power even though the engine was still running. While I was waitng for AAA to get there for a tow, I looked under the drivers side where the bang came fom and say the axle on that side broke in two. The bar in between the CV joint and the inner tripod joint was snapped in half.
Ok so finally my question is...If I replace the axle, will the van run once again? The axle on the passenger side appears just fine but like I said when I tried to give it the gas, after the big bang, she went nowhere. Not forward or reverse. I know how week these trannies are (been there, done that) so is it worthe trying to repair or send her to the boneyard?

[ricebike]

you can always source out a salvage-yard unit if the price is cheaper than the remanufactured units in a local parts store... because in a parts store, they usually want a rebuildable driveshaft in return

give it a go if that's the only problem w/ the vehicle

but wow, never heard of the actual shaft being broken; usually the joint fails 1st... didn't the abs system worked to keep it from spinning too fast??? weird that it didn't...

[printprocc]

Weird is so right. I never would have thought the shaft would go but it did. Must have been weak in the first place. I am told Autozone wants $60 for theirs. I can get a salvage part for $45 but is it wierd that the van go nowhere? The axle on the passenger side is still intact. Or does that shaft not provide power?

[Airjer_]

Is is not uncommon for the drivers side to break in the area of the rubber insulator about mid shaft. We see a couple a year at least. There was one time that the axle welded itself to the differential when it broke. Other wise there has never been an issue with replacing them or the transmission being damage as a result of the breakage.

Originally Posted by printprocc

but is it weird that the van go nowhere? The axle on the passenger side is still intact. Or does that shaft not provide power?

The van went no where because the differential in the transmission was doing what it is supposed to do. It supplies power to the wheel with the least amount of resistance. That is why the tire on the ice was spinning and the other one was not. It sounds backwards because it is but thats just the way they work.

As far as the ABS not working correctly it has nothing to do with the tires spinning unless the vehicle is equipped with traction control. Many of these are not equipped with ABS to begin with so there would also be no traction control as well!

[printprocc]

Now that is the first GOOD news I have received regarding this. But I want to clear something up that is still confusing me a bit. It wasn't so much that the passenger tire did not spin on or off the ice prior to breaking, it is that after the drivers side axle broke, I had to coast to a stop because I had no power at all. There was nothing coming from the passenger side after the break. Is that to be expected?

[Airjer_]

Originally Posted by printprocc

There was nothing coming from the passenger side after the break. Is that to be expected?

Yes. Once the drive axle broke the drivers side is now the side with the least resistance so the differential was turning the drivers side which wasn't doing anything because of the broken drive axle. The only way the van would move is if you could keep the broken end that was still in the transmission on the drivers side from turning. Since that one would have the most resistance it would allow the passenger side to turn.

Just like when you get stuck and only one wheel spins. The spinning wheel has the least amount of traction. The wheel with the most traction is the one that doesn't spin. So the broken side is like the side that is spinning when yoou are stuck and the passenger side is the side that is not spinning.

[printprocc]

...and once again leave it too the folks who use Automotive Forums to solve your car issues. I don't think there is a way for that to have been explained better than that. Thanks so much for taking the time to help me out.
And before the end of my shift too. You are awesome.

[ricebike]

good luck w/ that salvage part; because w/ autozone, you won't have the "core" to return since it's un-re-buildable and they'll charge you ~$30 extra for it.

ya, i know that the ABS is nothing to do w/ what happened; just that a parts person is going to ask if it does have the abs sensor ring on the axle or not... so they can give the OP the corresponding driveshalft.

ahh the case of the Open differential; so it should work if you replace the part

keep us updated

[tempfixit]

Why not check out Oreillys or Napa for a new halfshaft, that way you do not need a core and are not much more expesive.

www.oreily's,com

www.napaonline.com

[autotech234]

I had this happen to my caravan as well. seems like a commen problem. I put a new axle in and every thing was fine.

[Airjer_]

Funny story, I had one in the shop that had a peculiar misfire under load. I took it for a test drive to get a better idea of what was going one. On the way back I pulled up to a stop light and decided to give it a little power brake to see if I could duplicate the symptom at a stop. Sure enough the driver side drive axle snaps. Try to explain that one to the customer!

After getting it out and taking a loser look you could see that half of the break was rusted and the other half was shiny from the fresh break. The break as usual was right at the rubber insulator thingy.

[ricebike]

wow, seems like chrysler had a crappy supplier of driveaxle parts in those model years... no wonder they're going bankrupt as well!

[printprocc]

Thanks everyone. Now I just have to get thru prom week with my son and I'll git er dun. I will let you guys know in a week or so how I made out.

[printprocc]

Ok so its been quite a bit longer than a week but it is finally done and thenks to everyones help here....IT WORKS.

Thanks again for all the help

[tilda]

I have a 2005 Dodge Grand Caravan I bought new with 39,000 miles now. I do not use it much but have it serviced like clock work at the dealership. Had to have front brakes replaced within the first year because of a crunching sound and weak breaking. Had them worked on again still made crunching sound. I do not ride the brakes. Electrical problem after one year less then 10,000 miles all instruments went out dealership fixed. Needed 4 new tires at 20,000 miles because of wear. Have had grinding noise in front wheel when turning for last year and a half, when it started dealership told me they could not replicate it, they didn't think it was a problem first time I had it checked. Had it checked again same answer. In December 2009 had it serviced crunching was bad enough that the dealership replaced front sway bar bushing and bushing stabilizer for the grinding noise. Immediately after this service the noise returned, car was not used but a half dozen times mostly sat in garage for next 4 months. Took car in exactly 4 1/2 months after last service for routine service, inspection and to fix crunching sound again. Car passed inspection was given an estimate of $566.18 for struts and mounts for crunching sound in front wheel. Was told that it was safe to drive, no big deal and work could be done in a few days because parts needed to be ordered. Forty eight hours later making a turn out of parking lot the car made a metal grinding sound like the muffler had fallen and was dragging but it wasn't. The breaks, drive, park, neutral and reverse stopped working and was making a horrible metal grinding noise. Had to use emergency brake to stop car. Was told by tow truck driver these Dodge minivans are horrible. Dealership told me axle broke, even though I had been told car was safe to drive and grinding sound was no big deal. This car has only 39,000 miles on it, isn't driven much or very hard. Why would an axle break? Is this car safe after axle is replaced or could my other axles break?