Another Broken Axle / CV Joint

[Ford Motor Company]

I also broke front passenger axle at the CV joint. Big Bend. 35inch tires, 2 inch Rough Country lift. I was in my driveway on a course gravel parking pad. I was backing up, passenger rear wheel spun. Thought, perfect time to try 4W options. I wanted to crawl out of hole, so did not use much pedal. I could not get out of the hole under any 4w modes. Gas'ed it and spun out. Gave the keys back to my wife (her ride) and said, your 4wd sucks. I am very seasoned 4wd guy. The next day she calls me on the way home from work and said there is a noise coming from the front end. Looked at the axle and boot twisted. Yes broken axle. Towed to dealership 5 days ago and still don't think they pulled it into the shop. I know it's broken, service dept wont know until they actually put eye on it. Today, I called parts dept to make sure they had new axle in stock, if not I would order. I was told that there are 8 axles on back order and should be at the parts hub on 1/14. That is all I know to date 1/10/22. Lots of posting here and didn't get through them all. I think there were two other reports of broken axles. Did I miss any. Picture: x represents rear tire and 0 the front. i filled in the divot for rear but realize after the front wheel barely spun if any at all.

Update: Dealership short staffed, another Week+ to get it pulled into the shop. Ford agreed to tow it to another dealership today, 1/13. They called my wife to tell her Rough Country lift had changed the geometry and it will happen again. Here we go!!!........ trying to explain that geometry hasn't changed and the 2 inch spacers are a cheaper way to achieve the same lift as the stock 2 inch longer coil-overs. They will get back to me regarding warranty. I said fix it and I'll fight warranty later. The estimate for changing 1 CV axle is $1,100. Let's see where this ends up.

Any predictions?
Maybe, just maybe, they do the right thing. Although the tech knows nothing about lift geometry, he does admit Ford intended this vehicle to be modified. To be continued............

Hi there! Can you send us a private message with your VIN and dealership info? I can look into things on my end. Thanks!

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[EveryDayBronco]

Did you watch the video? The fix they talk about is a larger bushing used to keep the steering rack engaged and prevent stripping. The other product on their website reinforces the inner tie-rods. Neither prevent cv axles from breaking due to increased angles.

Oops, wrong video! The bushing prevents the rack from separating.

For people that want big fat heavy tires, order the right build from the factory. These are too expensive to void the warranty this early!

 

[BlueBronco]

The bushing prevents the axle from separating.

For people that want big fat heavy tires, order the right build from the factory. These are too expensive to void the warranty this early!

Again, did you watch the video? The bushing has nothing to do with the cv axle.

 

[Lurker B6G]

For everyone looking at this objectively:

1) The OP added a RC 2 inch lift kit. This kit has a 1.6 inch front spacer, and a 1.6 inch rear spacer (we will only look at the front).
2) The net effect of the front of the vehicle was to push it up 1.6 inches x 1.47 (my take on the front arm ratio). This raised the front end by 2.35 inches.
3) The first 0.55 inches of lift would have put the CV angle in line with a stock BL.
4) The first 1.15 inches of lift would have put the CV angle in line with a SAS/WT.
5) The OP added 1.2 inches of lift to what the SAS/WT has. No 210 front end, and added 35" tires.

If that last 1.2 inches of droop is what buggered his system, then the tolerances are very tight with regard to any kind of standard lifting. Something like 1.2 inch max for Base, BB, BD, OBX. Perhaps the 210 can handle more CV angle, but I doubt it - just more abuse.

However, there are more dead 2.7 liter engine stories than busted CV stories, and engines are made with excellent failure metrics, so this gives me some hope...Fingers crossed that this was pre-existing or operator error (no offence to the OP).

 

[King Luis]

0.78 inch difference in the m210 axles. also the m210 has 1500nm more torque capacity.

i know the pic shows the m220 but you can see theres a difference. and 1500nm of torque is about 1100ft lbs of torque which is quite a difference.

https://www.therangerstation.com/ranger-tech/dana-advantek-axles-ford-ranger/

now i'm not saying the OP's axle should have broke so easily, but a reason why the larger wheels and tires get a larger axle.

 

[Jim Walter]

Just one of the many reasons I went with Badlands and Sasquatch package. No warranty issues with after market lifts. However it is very disconcerting to hear about any axle failures on a lifted Bronco. I have installed after market lift kits on all my Jeeps, mostly long arm, without any axle failures on a solid axle. Guess IFS really is a different bird.

 

[Stage 3 Motorsports]

 

[EveryDayBronco]

Again, did you watch the video? The bushing has nothing to do with the cv axle.

I know, that’s why I wrote oops wrong video. Read man read!

 

[Efthreeoh]

What if... the axle was just defective from the and... broke?

 

[Pilsner]

As all of you know, there are many ways to make a vehicle taller. Bigger Tires, Body Lift, Coil-over spacer, the deluxe, most expensive is to drop the driveline. This method changes the CV angle and needs correction. For all but the driveline drop, CV and steering link angles will be exactly the same at the new ride height. That said, at full drop on a trail, the tire will drop 2" further and will change the angle. (assuming nothing else is limiting the drop, such as stops on the upper control arm, as is the case with GM 3/4 ton)

With all due respect, you clearly have no idea what you are taking about.

 

[Pilsner]

Part of cheap spacer lifts, and any lift in general, is reduced lifespan of CVs. It just is. Don’t expect Ford to replace at their expense, even if there was an issue from the factory. You pay to play. Either upgrade CVs or pay for direct replacements. Personally I’d upgrade myself instead of paying Ford to put the same ones in there.

this is nothing a very seasoned 4wd person doesn’t already know.

Yep. More angle, more stress. More droop can over extend them and pull them apart. Diff drop is not ideal either. Best solution is suspension lift, possibly UCA's, and upgraded CV's. That's not counting steering/ tie rods.

 

[ryridesmotox]

Hi there! Can you send us a private message with your VIN and dealership info? I can look into things on my end. Thanks!

Need you over on the 2.7L grenade thread: https://www.bronco6g.com/forum/threads/2-7l-blown-engine-fail-list-28-so-far-jan-19-update.31951/

 

[FifthCard]

If you couldn’t get a Bronco out of gravel driveway hole, it was broke before you started trying. And this is why I went SAS from the get-go. Warranties for 35’s. I’ll likely do the same with the Ford Performance tune. It’s a $50k+, very capable warrantied vehicle out the door. It becomes a toy once the warranty is up and it has 70k miles on it. Patience is a virtue.

Good luck though, I’ve seen some crazy stuff fixed on manufacturer’s dimes after non-factory mods.

Yup.. Like you I got the badlands with SaS and plan to do what I can in the stock configuration. I will add things to it like air compressor and swap out rock sliders per haps and then even add in Broncbuster tie-rod and steering improvements but aside from that I have already had a blast wheelin the way it is.

 

[Bing]

Interesting thread, I just came back from an off-road weekend in Northern MIchigan this afternoon.

Similar experience. I backed out of some mud and snow in 4WD - seriously, absolutely nothing extensive here. Then click, click, click’. Had my buddy trailer me back home 2hrs as I had a cyclical clank on the driver side, 30 mins into the weekend. Big bummer.

I’m guessing CV Axle is def busted. I’ve also added 34.5 tires and a 2” spring lift - 3,330 miles. I’m sure I’ll lose the warranty argument.

Sorry to hear about the issues…you’re not alone.

 

[rtazz17]

Interesting thread, I just came back from an off-road weekend in Northern MIchigan this afternoon.

Similar experience. I backed out of some mud and snow in 4WD - seriously, absolutely nothing extensive here. Then click, click, click’. Had my buddy trailer me back home 2hrs as I had a cyclical clank on the driver side, 30 mins into the weekend. Big bummer.

I’m guessing CV Axle is def busted. I’ve also added 34.5 tires and a 2” spring lift - 3,330 miles. I’m sure I’ll lose the warranty argument.

Sorry to hear about the issues…you’re not alone.

Its a very doable replacement in your garage if your dealer says no. Took me 4 hours. Not a hard job at all… but if its your diff then thats above my pay grade without a lift in my garage. Pia without.

im always worried when in reverse in 4wd. Bad things seem to happen. Idk why

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