[Shadowrealmcutie]

I went through a deep puddle two days ago and blew my driver's side axle. I'll try and be as descriptive as possible because I have no clue what could cause this. We towed it to a friend's shop and put it on a lift, went to go buy a new axle from o'reileys, we took a look and they looked fine. I went to go back my car out from the shop, put the car in first and snapped that axle. this happened two more times. I've spent $400 on shit that keeps breaking and I'm about to push this 3 off a bridge. '07 MZ3, 2.3L 5spd

 

[CerealKiller]

How-To: CV axle / seal replacement.

Figured this is something that most of us will need to do at least once in the ownership of our cars, so I thought I'd throw up a how-to while doing it. My drivers side CV axle seal shot craps the other day thus causing my transmission to leak like niagra falls. And since replacing the axle...

www.mazda3forums.com

Full instructions on what to do. Make sure you are buying the correct part too.
CK

 

[RocketmanKarl]

Need a bit more information. When you say that you've "snapped" three new axles, you've got to be a bit more specific. Did the shaft shear, the inner joint pop out of the cage, the axle pop out of the transmission, or what? Did all three fail in the same way?

I see from online sources that the manual and automatic cars use different axle part numbers, though the inner spline counts are the same. But the overall length of the shaft is different, the automatic is shorter than the manual. Could they have sold you the automatic version instead of the manual?

 

[RocketmanKarl]

BTW, never, ever, EVER trust the auto parts store flunkie to sell you the right part. This is especially true on a part like this, where the spline counts are the same and it would be easy for this mistake to be made.

I've been burned so many times by this (especially on CV axles) that I do my own research before I go to the parts store. First I go to an OEM parts seller online and look up the factory part number so that I can cross-reference it to the aftermarket parts that the parts store sells. Then I usually also check the compatibility with my car for that 3rd party part on the part manufacturer's website. Once I know what part number I need, then I go to the parts store and let them look up the parts by year/make/model/trim/engine/etc. Once they tell you what part you need, then cross-check the part number with the one you researched online. If the part number is different than the one you researched, then dig in with them and figure out why you came to a different part than they did. If at all possible, I also bring the busted part with me to the store so that we can visually compare the old and new part. Yes it's a pain in the ass, but I have to do it that way, because the nearest auto parts store is 30+ miles from home. If I get home with a part that doesn't fit, it sets me back not just hours, but days.

 

[hatch06]

Provided the hub/wheel bearing spins freely and isn't seized, is your friend not spinning the wheel while it's on the lift, in neutral?

If it's the same person installing a CV axle that looks identical to the OEM, I'm wary that the installer is inadvertently pulling a joint apart when getting it into the steering knuckle or back on the ball joint. That would presumably cause binding that would snap the axle when driven.

Edit: also have a look at your motor mounts. If you've got a mount that's allowing excess shifting of the motor and transmission, you'll put undue stress on the axle.