Car axle repair

An axle is an integral part of each car. It is a rod-like tube which your car’s wheels fit onto, and it helps rotate the wheels and supports the weight of the car. All cars have axles, since they are there to conduct power which turns the wheels, so no matter what kind of vehicle you drive, axles are need for it to operate properly. 

Between the wheels and the axle is a 'bearing'. As well as supporting the car's weight, the axle absorbs braking and cornering forces.

Axle repair and replacement average costs

The average cost of a axle repair booked via WhoCanFixMyCar is £134.64.

The exact cost of an axle repair will depend on a few factors, such as car make and model, the garage you take your car to, and the fault at hand. 

The table below gives you a general idea of the costs for common car makes.

Top warning signs that you need your car axle repaired

Axles play a critical role in vehicle function. Their main purpose is to shift the power created by the engine and the torque from the transmission to the wheels. Take notice to these signs that you need axle repair and if you spot any warning signs be sure to book your car in with a garage to have the axle repaired.

• Clunking sound

• Unusual vibrations or an uncommon rumbling sensation coming from the area of one wheel

• If you ever spot dark grease gathering on the inside of your car wheel rim, there is likely to be a leak in the CV joint

• The vehicle may start well, as it goes into gear fine, and has the normal engine sound, but it will not go anywhere, which indicates a broken axle at the universal joint. 

Any of the above symptoms indicate that you need to have an axle specialist take a look and inspect the problem so that it can be repaired.

Which axle repair service do you need?

The axle itself is tremendously robust and not likely to break easily. However associated components are more likely to wear down, including the CV (constant-velocity) joints, regulating wheel speed as you turn a corner and bearings, which allow smooth rotation of wheels around an axle.

Axle bearing repair

After a certain time, the bearing in the middle of your car's axle and wheels (which runs by using a set of rollers between the two components for effortless rotation) can wear out. A repair bearing is the replacement for the worn bearing component.

Bent or broken axle repair

If an axle gets bent, which can happen when a car undergoes an impact, it will cause the car to bump and vibrate. If this happens, the problem will get worse as the car moves faster. An axle repair is necessary to fix the problem.

Front axle repair

Your car’s CV axles play a big role in its ability to accelerate and drive normally, so ignoring a potential problem can have disastrous results.

CV Joint replacement

CV joints are highly robust and it would not be uncommon to see a car run for over 300,000 miles without a problem. The most likely reason for one to cause problems would be an impact cracking the part and causing grease to leak out.

The CV joint is cased inside a protective boot which retains the grease which allows the joint to rotate smoothly and without friction, however, if the protective boot is damaged and a crack opens up, the grease is likely to leak out.

This will inevitably cause problems as moisture and dirt can get at the CV joint and wear the part down.

The cost of a CV joint repair will depend on the severity of the damage, like almost every type of car problem. If you need to replace the CV joint, the part itself is not too expensive, however, because the work to remove it is so intensive, the cost of labour will most likely represent the largest percentage of the final bill.

I don’t know

Unsure of whether your car needs an axle repair? Book your car for a diagnostic and the mechanic will be able to tell you whether the axle is damaged and what needs to be repaired to get it working optimally again.

Common axle problems

An axle can fail for different reasons, and the axle shaft can even suddenly break under certain conditions.

To summarise the function and the problem of a non-working axle, it can be seen like this: The main aim of axles is to transfer power from the transmission to the wheels. As the axle turns, the wheels go around, and without a working axle, wheels will not move.

A secondary purpose of axles is to bear the weight of the vehicle and its passengers and cargo. Even though axles are built to be strong, an overburdened vehicle can occasionally crack or break an axle. Bad carrier bearings or serious potholes are other common causes of axle problems.

What impacts the cost of axle repairs?

Costs for axle repairs vary depending on the type of vehicle, brand, make, and model you drive. Garage labour charges also vary depending on the length of time the job takes for the model of your vehicle and their own charges.  

You can compare average prices for axle repairs or replacements by car using the table above.

Is an axle repair necessary?

If an axle starts to break while driving, your car will begin to pull to one side as one wheel loses power. When the axle breaks entirely its parallel wheel will no longer turn and even though the engine may still run, the car won't move. That is why an axle repair is necessary.

Find axle repair and replacement specialists near you

We can help you find local axle repair specialist garages so they can diagnose and repair any faults, to keep you safe whilst driving. 

If you have identified that your axle mechanism is indeed faulty, the next step is to find a trustworthy garage or axle repair specialist to carry out the repair or replacement.

Here at WhoCanFixMyCar, our large network of over 15,000 garages and mobile mechanics is complete with trusted axle repair specialists, so you can find and compare quotes from reputable axle repair and replacement garages.