Busted Axle. Opinions / suggestions please.

I have a 2019 1500 with the 5.7, Crew cab, 6'4" box. Added the 3.92 rear end and locking rear. Not sure this is relevant to the failure but just in case. Running the stock AT tires that come with the "off road" package.

I was trying to pull a 17' wheel house (5050 lbs.) off the lake and busted the left intermediate front axle just at the differential and this tore up the spline and damaged the differential. I have pulled this and other shacks MANY other times with previous trucks, RAM's and Fords and never had this problem. Not sure how this happened. RAM will not cover warranty as the truck only has 9K miles on it and they indicated that it MUST have been damaged due to "off road" mis use.

Truck was on snow covered ice. Flat surface with no obstructions. Snow about 2- 1/2 inches deep. All 4 wheels had equal traction. We tried to pull away in 4 low but all 4 wheels spun. Got out and cleared away snow that built in front of tires. Tried again and still spinning. Tried back and forth but no luck. It was after this time that my friends advised that the front tires were not spinning. Tried again and now I was seeing "4WD overheated / performance degraded" messages from truck. Could never get drive from the front wheels again. Assumed sensor but found out later from the dealer this was due to the busted axle.

Trucks break and I accept that. This easily? I can understand an axle problem with high speed and one wheel suddenly grabbing while another is spinning, or losing traction and jamming a wheel into a curb at speed or something like that.

Looking for someone that may have had similar experience or can maybe explain a scenario that would make this possible. FYI. I was not revving the spinning wheels trying to speed my way to better traction. 40+ years of driving in snow conditions has taught me the futility in that.

Thanks for listening and for any potential advice. I will entertain the possibility of me having done something wrong and take no offense in people suggesting that I may have. Just can't look back and know what I would have done and neither could the other 5 guys standing there waiting on me and eventually pulling me out with another 1/2 ton truck.......

I am leaning toward bad axle from manufacturing given the damage appears in center of axle. See attached pics and provide opinions please.

Bad luck, Wait until you have to replace the intermediate shaft on the other side and need to drop the entire diff... ..lol...

Escalate this through @RamCares for some help in getting a case opened.

That should not have broken although the conditions were a bit extreme. Having both shafts replaced and the differential fully inspected would be a good action.

Never tell the dealer anything, it just gives them an excuse (FCA) not to cover it under warranty. "I don't know what happen, I put in 4x4 the other day and it didn't work."

May not be worth the trouble but, if you can find a metallurgist you could have them test the broken axle. Could be an issue with the the stock used to make the axle. If that’s the case there may well be other axles with the same defect. I would think Ram would be interested in knowing that.

Looks like bad metal to me. I don't think it should like that if if was a good solid piece.

There's no way that should have failed while on snow/ice no matter what you did.

Have them explain exactly what kind of off road abuse could cause that break on a truck with an "off road" package.

There just isn't any way for it to break like that other than bad metal - the 5.7 doesn't make enough torque to snap that shaft and where it is located, it isn't possible to hit it externally.

Can you get better zoom of the end? I will have a friend of mine look at it, a materials expert.

But in my opinion, like others have said, the metal looks bad.

Well this is concerning to say the least. Hopefully if it’s bad metal it is limited to a group and not the whole lot of trucks.

I broke an axle exactly like that in my '69 Mach 1, pretty sure it was caused by a mismatch between the engine speed, clutch, rear axle, and tires.

I was watching a fabrication video the other day where they were drilling out the end and they mentioned that axle shafts are typically hardened on the ends and outside not the core. The core is softer metal so that may be normal. You would need someone who has broken or seen many broken shafts to give that opinion. Try taking it to a local 4x4 shop and get their opinion. Could be like that for the same reason driveshafts are hollow. Since rotational the strength comes from the outside of the axle not the center.

2019 Ram 1500 Laramie 4x4 - Crew Cab/5.7 Bed - 5.7 Hemi - 3.92 - Anti Spin - Level 1 Options - RamBox - BUG

jawzs2 said:

I broke an axle exactly like that in my '69 Mach 1, pretty sure it was caused by a mismatch between the engine speed, clutch, rear axle, and tires.

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On ice and snow?

Neutral drops on pavement can be a bit tough on things, especially with gobs of torque - like a 429 or even the 428 would have.

pacofortacos said:

On ice and snow?

Neutral drops on pavement can be a bit tough on things, especially with gobs of torque - like a 429 or even the 428 would have.

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Actually the middle of June, and yeah, totally my fault, high RPM and side step the clutch at a dead stop does tend to be a little rough, although I had the baby 351W, wish I had one of the big boys.

I noticed the description of the event included "Tried back and forth but no luck. It was after this time that my friends advised that the front tires were not spinning." The rocking back and forth maneuver can put considerable shock load on drive line parts. The fracture lines radiating out from the center on the hardened (outer) portion of the shaft could have been caused by such a shock load. Once the hardened portion of the shaft fractured the softer inner portion looks like it twisted and sheared.

Except it is virtually impossible to really rock the new vehicles with the electronic transmission - they just don't engage fast enough - I have tried. Lol

I also don't believe it would be possible to get enough traction to even come close to shearing an internal part like that - I don't know if it is possible on pavement let alone ice.

jawzs2 said:

Actually the middle of June, and yeah, totally my fault, high RPM and side step the clutch at a dead stop does tend to be a little rough, although I had the baby 351W, wish I had one of the big boys.

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My 440 Cuda 4 speed did many a burnout and hard launches - the drivetrain was pretty solid on street tires, never broke anything.
It was always funny watching the gm guys mouths drop when you idle by in 2nd gear doing about 10-15 mph and just floor it (no funny clutch stuff) and the tires just went up in smoke and almost to 7000 rpms in just a couple of seconds. They were about the widest tire ( L60-15, tells you how long ago lol) at the time but just didn't grab like todays street slicks would.

Now my 69 GTO Judge, yeah it didn't like hard hole shots - the muncie just couldn't handle it and exploded into a mess.

chri5k said:

I noticed the description of the event included "Tried back and forth but no luck. It was after this time that my friends advised that the front tires were not spinning." The rocking back and forth maneuver can put considerable shock load on drive line parts. The fracture lines radiating out from the center on the hardened (outer) portion of the shaft could have been caused by such a shock load. Once the hardened portion of the shaft fractured the softer inner portion looks like it twisted and sheared.

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The metal between the center and the outer looks a bit off to me, almost like there was a pocket there.
Often you can see the difference by eye when metal shears, I have seen many parts that were pretty obvious that the metal wasn't all there or there was a fracture in the metal.

pacofortacos said:

My 440 Cuda 4 speed did many a burnout and hard launches - the drivetrain was pretty solid on street tires, never broke anything.
It was always funny watching the gm guys mouths drop when you idle by in 2nd gear doing about 10-15 mph and just floor it (no funny clutch stuff) and the tires just went up in smoke and almost to 7000 rpms in just a couple of seconds. They were about the widest tire ( L60-15, tells you how long ago lol) at the time but just didn't grab like todays street slicks would.

Now my 69 GTO Judge, yeah it didn't like hard hole shots - the muncie just couldn't handle it and exploded into a mess.

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LOL - I had a '71 'Cuda 440-6 4 speed also, sold my Mach 1 to by it. Best friend in high school had a '69 goat, not a Judge though. I still miss my 'Cuda to this day

I'd argue that's what traction control should prevent. Take it to the dealer and let Ram fix it as long as the load didn't exceed Ram's capacity. I'd take some "proof" of that with me.

jawzs2 said:

LOL - I had a '71 'Cuda 440-6 4 speed also, sold my Mach 1 to by it. Best friend in high school had a '69 goat, not a Judge though. I still miss my 'Cuda to this day

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Where are the gills in the fenders? Or is it just due to the glare that I can't see them?

Mine is a 71 Cuda also - was a 383 4 speed but that has been long gone. The 383 not the Cuda

I didn't like the gills so actually traded fenders with my sister, she had a '70 383 4 spd, same original Ivy green color as mine, swapped them with her's when I had mine painted.

You still have yours? If so - good for you, I am extremely jealous.