wheel drag then the axle shaft pushed the cap off the hub

[Barrman]

Thanks for posting the pictures Randy. I read through all the above post thinking of how to describe that the u-joint couldn't have moved out and the entire assembly still be on the truck. Your picture did it.

While thinking about causes, what about "wind up?" Those of you with air shift don't have to worry about it, but the rest of us know if the truck is in 1st and it rolls back just a little with the clutch in, everything gets bound up. If you are on pavement, it doesn't get better. Then, if you push or pull the truck around, it will get really, really bad. Eventually so bad that the truck won't move. I can see GL pushing the truck around and with no thought to that. It could lead to the end of the axle getting broken. If the break is at an angle, the angle could act like a ramp and push the stub out the end of the flange.

Another long shot idea is grease or gear oil. Say soldier C was told to put the hub flange back on the last time it was apart. He filled it full of grease or gear oil and used the bolts to get it all the way on. The truck doesn't get driven much if at all after that. SETOYOTA gets in, drive it around and the axle shaft pushed in all the way to the inner seal on the axle tube "self clearances" itself back out. The grease pushes the end off the flange as a result.

Just random ideas. Let us know what you find.

 

[SETOYOTA]

The outer axle is busted. Passenger wheel spins freely and while spinning the front drive shaft turns. The dif is full of clean oil. The driver side wheel now spins freely but offcourse the drive shaft does not spin. The truck has an airshift front axle. Here is a pic of the busted half shaft.

 

[randyscycle]

Yep, climbed up on the broken portion and forced its way out the cap.....now, what caused it?

 

[DanMartin]

YOWZA!

I'd love to see the rest of the axle...and the U-joints on the axle.

Agreed...what caused this?

 

[Offroadfabworks]

well most time its caused by to much HP and tire in a bind. but only seen it caused in big 4x4s. this is first i seen it in a stock deuce

 

[SETOYOTA]

would like to know . The boots are new and everthing looks ok from the outside. I will have to take it down next week.

 

[saddamsnightmare]

September 28th, 2008.

Gentlemen:

Just food for thought, as it were.
Please note the condition of the metal in the broken stub shaft.... Such chrystalization will likely be due to: 1. Improper heat treating or defects in manufacture, 2. Old age and strain changing the composition of the metal, 3. excessives strain or load thrown on the piece for a long time, 4. excessive vibration. I can't see the air shift failing, unless it was locked in when it failed, and just shoving the truck around with the front air shift engaged should've popped the tire before the axle gave out.
What should concern us here is the condition of the axle stub shaft that permitted such a failure..... Most of our deuces are approaching their fortieth or fiftieth birthdays, and while rebuilt, they were rarely rebuilt with all new components (except for the ESP's and AF program M35A2/3's), so any potential of actual failure on the running gear of one truck should be the cause for concern in the running gears of all sister trucks. Someone should run this one by Randy Ouverson and his engineers, as they may not have seen this before on a stock deuce, but in collaboration with the great minds here, perhaps the reason can be teased out, and in the long run, a source for new parts created for the deuce, either states-side or overseas, given the numbers of these trucks still running in service today.
Just my worth,

Sincerely,

Kyle F. McGrogan

1971 Kaiser Jeep M35A2 Wo/W "Saddam's Nightmare" Desert Storm and Vietnam Veteran Deuce
1968 Johnson Corp M105A2 Cargo Trailer
1963 Swiss Army Cargo Unimog S.404.114 MB
1967 Hercules MEP023A gas Gen Set APU

 

[randyscycle]

Saddamsnightmare, actually as we speak, SETOYOTA is removing the broken axle in question and having a metalurgical sample removed to send to the word renowned "Axle Failure Institute" in Switzerland.

It is supected that the forging process in the plant where this truck was manufactured was indeed at fault and the employee working the forge that day had a head cold, sneezed in the die and weakened an already suspect forging. This coupled with the method used by SETOYOTA to load it on his trailer caused the failure at that exact moment, angle of approach and tire load/speed. If the tire pressure had been at the correct setting prior to this, and the axis of the earth was not as inclined as it is right now approaching the autumnal equinox, this may not have occurred. Again until confirmation from the institue, this is all a hypothesis.

Results are expected in two to four weeks, with a full printed readout of all analysis under the powerful electron microscope now in use at the Institute. Also note that the Institute has access to the new Hadron Super Collider which may also be used if the results here are inconclusive.......

 

[Recovry4x4]

Chuck, did you find an axle yet? I have an extra long side axle!

 

[doghead]

Ah, the Swiss, reknown for fine Hot chocolate, Wonderful Chesse and The Study of Broken Axles!

 

[gringeltaube]

....renowned "Axle Failure Institute" in Switzerland.....

Oh yeah! And a friend of mine has a friend there, he's the only one who knows how to operate that brand new HSC. Those in-depth electron splitting analysis aren't cheap, so maybe I should contact him first to see if he can persuade them for a little discount, despite the high value of that small piece of steel.....!

 

[SETOYOTA]

On a sierous note I have never seen a broken shaft with the crystalization. I thnk its quite odd. Kenny, I have not found the parts I need yet. Have not looked yet but I may need both the long and short shaft. I would like to understand what caused the problem.

Thanks

Chuck

 

[randyscycle]

I am by no stretch a metalurgist, but I figure it probably just broke due to either being really stuck badly, or some other failure down the line......I doubt much more than that.

You have to remember that a young low-ranking member of the armed forces operated this truck and without much experience, they tend to abuse knowingly or unknowingly the equipment pretty hard.

Heck, they may have even engaged the front axle at highway speed, or had the front tire spinning on ice or snow then caught traction......

 

[Big Mike's Motor Pool]

all them 2.5 ton axles break like that. way back when, the metal technology wasnt as good as it is now. they are a very brittle shaft and shatter like that when they let loose. i broke a back in my deuce rolling backwards down a hill. heres a pic of several broken fronts. the one broke in the similar fashion as setoyota axle did. you can also see a few twisted ones at the splines. what you wont ever see is a busted universal in the front axle. these are so strong that randy puts them in his 2 inch shafts. you can see the one axle has a busted ear where the joint went. we stuck the joint from that one in to another axle we made from what good parts were layin aroud

 

[SETOYOTA]

Ok until I get a new shaft can I operate this truck on the road? I can't see any reason why not but I wanted to see what you guys had to say. I have had no more binding issues. Seems to me to be just like a freewheeling hub. I do not plan on engaging the front axle. What do you think?

Chuck

 

[tiger422]

I would pull diff to find root problem if any before driving you could have many more broken parts.

 

[dangerfieldinc]

I had a similar event happen today. Some back ground on the truck it is a 1953 Studebaker M35A2 recently rebuilt the entire brake system I have taken the truck on several 50 -100 mile trips since then. The truck has been working perfect. Drove it in some mild off road situations the front air shift works great. Yesterday drove it on 75 mile road trip no issues. Took it on 1.5 mile trip today going 20 MPH downpaved road front tire locks up leaving 30 foot black mark on road and into ditch. I back out of ditch about 25 ft truck won’t turn back up again about 25 ft the it turns fine get out look it over see nothing wrong go back to house give it another look over and notice axel sticking out. Take hub cap off and find axel sheared off. Bummer
Jack tires up off ground both spin free no grinding clicking or anything . weather has turned nasty trying to get more info before I tear it apart

 

[clinto]

I had a similar event happen today.

Dangerfield-Bravo! You are working your search karma.

Everbody else-follow this man's lead. He knows where he's going.

 

[SETOYOTA]

I replaced the axle and never had any more problems.

 

[dangerfieldinc]

Found more of the problem today now on to see what caused the failure.

Any ideas on what to look at.