What do I do if my ATV axle breaks?

While regular maintenance and keeping your ATV out of wet weather are things you can do to lengthen the life of your axle, there are other things that could damage your axle that may be out of your control. Whether it’s an accident, bumps or accidentally overloading your ATV beyond its weight-bearing capacity, you may find yourself with a broken axle at the least opportune time, when you’re having fun on the trail. 

If you run over a large rock and your ATV suddenly starts vibrating excessively, you may have cracked or bent your axle. Inspect your axle to see if it’s bent or broken to figure out your next step. If it’s bent you may be able to carefully ride the ATV back in order to transport it to a shop to get your axle replaced. Or if you hear a loud clank or clunk when you shift your vehicle, or if you’re stepping on the gas and your engine is revving but the wheels aren’t turning, your axle could be broken.

If you’re in the worst case scenario and find yourself on the trail with a broken axle, you hopefully brought a spare axle with you. If you don’t have a spare, it may be possible to ride extra carefully, with your ATV hopefully able to utilize four-wheel drive enough to get you back to a safe place. However, when an axle breaks, you’re generally left stranded. If the ATV is completely unrideable and you’re stuck alone on the trail, see if you can call someone out for a tow. 

Before you have to deal with a broken axle, try to set aside some time to inspect your axles before heading out to the trails. Look for tears, rips, or leaking grease. Those are all sure signs that your axles are in need of attention. If water or mud gets inside the boot, the CV joint can wear down quickly, and a worn down joint is much easier to break under pressure.

 

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