Caring for your car axles

When it comes to the overall maintenance of a vehicle, your average driver typically knows a handful of things. They likely know how to fix a flat tire, how to check their oil and their coolant levels, and should know when they need to take the car to the shop. Those people that are a bit more proficient may be able to change various parts on their cars, but one aspect of a car that people tend to not understand or pay attention too much to, is cars axles. The axles on an automobile serve a very crucial function, so if you do not know much about your cars axles, it is a very good idea to at least have a general idea of how they work and why they are important.

What Axles Do on a Vehicle

You can kind of think of the axles of a vehicle as the foundation of the car. The car sits on the axles and they essentially take the power that is coming from the engine and transfer it to the wheels. They are basically the connector between the wheels and the engine, making the axles one of the most vital parts of a car. However, the fact that axles do not get broken nearly as often as other parts on a car, people do not have to deal with them on very many occasions. 

Preventative Maintenance

While there is not a whole lot that the average person can do to prevent a major problem from developing on their car axles, a driver can provide the best preventative maintenance by simply having the car checked out every now and then. Many people neglect to take their car into the auto shop for a checkup, but this is something that should be done every six months or so. It does not cost too much money to take a car in to get checked out and a good game plan is when you get your oil and filter changed, to also get the brakes, rotors and drums inspected. An auto mechanic will be able to detect if there is something going wrong with your axles, which may save you from a costly repair down the line.

Broken Axles

If you have a broken axle, or you think you have a broken axle, you should take your car in, or have it towed to a shop as soon as you can. If the axle is not fully broken, it is not a good idea to drive the car and it is a far better idea to either call a mechanic to come out to your residence and check the car out, or to have the car towed to the shop. The last thing you want is for the axle to break while you are driving. Keep in mind, if it turns out that you have in fact broken your axle, based on the fact that the axle is such a large and major part of the car, there is a very good chance that you will need a new axle. It is generally not a good idea to try to get an axle repaired and if you do, it is likely going to cost a great deal of money, but your mechanic will advise you on your individual situation.