For a car axle to break, the vehicle must have an overload of weight pulling down on the axle, metal fatigue on the axle causing wear and tear or severe damage to the axle due to off-road driving conditions. As the axle wears down, the components are unable to support the vehicle's weight, thus affecting the ability to turn the wheels.
- Carry too much weight in the vehicle
To break an axle, a vehicle needs to carry or haul more weight than the axle can handle. Hauling or towing more than the recommend weight for a vehicle will cause the axle to be weighed down and ultimately crack in half, because it cannot support the extra weight within or behind the vehicle.
- Neglect routine car maintenance
Neglect the proper maintenance for gears, shafts and components of an axle, and the wear and tear causes metal fatigue that leads to malfunction and ultimately, a broken axle. Rusted parts that have not been cared for are one of the primary causes of metal fatigue that leads to an axle break, especially in older vehicles.
- Drive in hazardous conditions
Race through potholes, harsh off-road conditions and bumpy roads to break a vehicle's axle. The stress on the vehicle when driving through hazardous road conditions or rough terrains puts weight on the axle and inhibits the vehicle's ability to rotate or turn.
