axle broke inside differential

[AtacamaR]

hey there! this is my first post here so bare with me as I learn how to use this.

Background Info
I have a 2004 S60 R M66, I had a busted outer CV boot on the driver side. I replaced both of my axles just for safe measure since I’m at 160k miles. both of them came out and went in perfect! I replaced them with TrakMotive V0-8035 ( Driver side) and VO-8041 (pass side) as seen on a lot of other forums these seem to be the closest direct OEM fit.

Here’s my issue!
Drove the car 3-400 miles, axles felt good etc. I let the clutch out after normal driving conditions, I heard a loud bang and lost all gears. I securely got the car in a parking lot and confirmed the axle popped out. I tore the car down today, pulled the axle out to see if I installed incorrectly and discovered I snapped the driver side axle off just after the CirClip inside of the differential. The CirClip is still intact but the remaining splines are stuck inside of the housing.

88007FF5-9E34-4C3F-9BDC-6C2C6ECC903B.png (2.43 MiB) Viewed 894 times

88007FF5-9E34-4C3F-9BDC-6C2C6ECC903B.png (2.43 MiB) Viewed 894 times

BBB06B26-66A6-417C-A9CB-080875971666.png (2.31 MiB) Viewed 894 times

Has anybody experienced this before or have any helpful tips to get it out? I’ve read probably a dozen forums about this to not find any concrete solution.

Here’s my question
1. Is the pass & driver side differential straight thru?
a. Can I take the passenger side axle out and get a long chisel/ punch and push the Circlip and the remaining axle spline fragments on the driver side out?
b. do I have to drill and tap a bolt and use a slide hammer to extract it?
c. am I pulling the Transmission, Differential and angle gear out to even knock this thing out?
2. scale of 1-10, will this repair make me fully willing to scrap the car
3. Can somebody please recommend me an alternative axle brand.

If anybody has the slightest idea or recommendation please comment, I’m truly lost and have 0 clue how to proceed.

[br0dy519]

Strictly posting to express emotional support. This looks nightmareish and I hope someone has an easy solution. There has been a massive slew of bad aftermarket axles, even I got one that was dead about a month after install. This failure looks exceptionally bad though. Good luck my friend.

[jonesg]

I believe it is straight through but theres a pin partly blocking the view so to speak.
a drift can be made from a huge nail with a curve in the middle to get around the pin.
OTC sells a drift with a slot to go around the pin, $40, I've seen it used on a ford tranny. Here


Another option is mig weld something to the remnant that can be used to pull it out.

Drill and tap might not be possible, depending how hard the metal is, try drilling the end you have in your hand, see if its possible.
If you snap a tap off trying to thread a hole you'll be back to the other two options.

I would also try just inserting a 90 deg sharp pick, see if you can snag the open ends of the lock ring.
https://www.amazon.com/WORKPRO-W000846A ... 7597&psc=1

[xHeart]

This may help a little viewtopic.php?t=62641

[firstv70volvo]

hey there! this is my first post here so bare with me as I learn how to use this.

Background Info
I have a 2004 S60 R M66, I had a busted outer CV boot on the driver side. I replaced both of my axles just for safe measure since I’m at 160k miles. both of them came out and went in perfect! I replaced them with TrakMotive V0-8035 ( Driver side) and VO-8041 (pass side) as seen on a lot of other forums these seem to be the closest direct OEM fit.

Here’s my issue!
Drove the car 3-400 miles, axles felt good etc. I let the clutch out after normal driving conditions, I heard a loud bang and lost all gears. I securely got the car in a parking lot and confirmed the axle popped out. I tore the car down today, pulled the axle out to see if I installed incorrectly and discovered I snapped the driver side axle off just after the CirClip inside of the differential. The CirClip is still intact but the remaining splines are stuck inside of the housing.


88007FF5-9E34-4C3F-9BDC-6C2C6ECC903B.png88007FF5-9E34-4C3F-9BDC-6C2C6ECC903B.png


BBB06B26-66A6-417C-A9CB-080875971666.png

Has anybody experienced this before or have any helpful tips to get it out? I’ve read probably a dozen forums about this to not find any concrete solution.

Here’s my question
1. Is the pass & driver side differential straight thru?
a. Can I take the passenger side axle out and get a long chisel/ punch and push the Circlip and the remaining axle spline fragments on the driver side out?
b. do I have to drill and tap a bolt and use a slide hammer to extract it?
c. am I pulling the Transmission, Differential and angle gear out to even knock this thing out?
2. scale of 1-10, will this repair make me fully willing to scrap the car
3. Can somebody please recommend me an alternative axle brand.

If anybody has the slightest idea or recommendation please comment, I’m truly lost and have 0 clue how to proceed.

I don't know if the manual transmission is the same but my automatic has sealing end caps in the pinion gears so there's not a way to get straight through from the passenger side.
I can't tell from the photo but if you can pry the circlip out and the spines aren't damaged the remaining piece should slide out without a lot of effort. Maybe use a magnet or some good quality double-sided tape to get some grip on the piece, this may be enough to slide it out.

[erikv11]

I agree with the suggestions to fist try to get the circlip out from the broken side. If you can get that, the stub should be pretty easy.

[Blacklab467]

Another good example of aftermarket part quality. Let’s hope you kept your original axles when you put in those Trakmotive ones, you’ll want to insist on OEM quality after this experience. The original ones last a REALLY REALLY long time and were likely serviceable when they were removed.
I would approach removal of the broken axle end with a welder and dowel rod, once you have a dowel welded to the stub you’ll need a slide hammer action to extract it. These often don’t come out easy when there’s an axle shaft attached. Bon Chance!

[br0dy519]

Good idea blacklab. Perhaps threaded rod with a jamnut setup that you could fasten the slidehammer to.

[vtl]

Here’s my question
1. Is the pass & driver side differential straight thru?
a. Can I take the passenger side axle out and get a long chisel/ punch and push the Circlip and the remaining axle spline fragments on the driver side out?
b. do I have to drill and tap a bolt and use a slide hammer to extract it?
c. am I pulling the Transmission, Differential and angle gear out to even knock this thing out?
2. scale of 1-10, will this repair make me fully willing to scrap the car
3. Can somebody please recommend me an alternative axle brand.

If anybody has the slightest idea or recommendation please comment, I’m truly lost and have 0 clue how to proceed.

1. No.
a. No.
b. Not enough material in the axle shaft's remnants
c. Yes. And taking the differential fully apart.
2. Depends on your skills. It takes me a 3-kids-father day to drop the transmission and 1.5 days to get it back. Having a table jack helps tremendously to drop and raise back the subframe. I hate the subframe removal/installation with two regular floor jacks on a pair of wheels the most. Recently got a table jack, what a relief.

I use Harbor Freight cherry picker to lower and raise the transmission.

GKN/Loebre is OE, but you may get a remanufactured part, which proved to suck often. Us, lucky XC70 guys with AW55, can install XC90 axles, which have no tripod joints and virtually run forever. Manual axles, as far as I know, also have no tripod, so they could be serviced like every 10 years and run forever, too.

[vtl]

Oh, while you're there... Replace the rear main seal.