What are the symptoms of a damaged half shaft?
2 Answers
The symptoms of a damaged half shaft are: 1. There is a sound of metal friction or metal hard collision; 2. There will be abnormal noise when the steering is fully turned to the left or right; 3. The car will shake violently when driving at high speed; 4. The car body will shake when driving; 5. It will cause tire wear. The half shaft, also called the drive shaft, is the shaft that transmits torque from the gearbox reducer to the drive wheel. There is a universal joint at each end of the shaft, which is connected to the reducer gear and the inner ring of the hub bearing through the splines on the universal joint. The function of the half shaft is to transmit the power from the differential to the drive wheel. The half shaft transmits a large torque and is usually made into a solid shaft. If the half shaft is broken, the car cannot start or drive.
Last time I drove, I experienced a damaged driveshaft. The car vibrated intensely when accelerating, especially when stepping on the gas pedal on the highway—the whole body seemed to shake. When taking turns, I could hear a rattling noise, like metal grinding, and sometimes there was a noticeable jerk during sudden turns. If you inspect underneath the car, you might find oil stains leaking, particularly near the universal joint. If left unrepaired, this issue can accelerate tire wear and even affect the transmission's normal operation. Don’t delay—I nearly had an accident because of it. Getting it checked at a repair shop as soon as possible is the right move. Driveshaft problems are quite common, especially in older cars or off-road vehicles that have seen heavy use. Having a mechanic inspect it during regular maintenance can save a lot of trouble.
