Dont know how accurate this information is, just saying what my friend told me over the phone, I didn't get a chance to look at the car, but I thought id post to get some replys on this situation for my friend.

He drives an auto 95 max, was on a light sitting, he claims he just went to accelerate kinda hard (i suspect brake torque), and he heard like clunking noises for a while and the car wasnt going, the car didnt even move an inch off the light. Said he pushed it to a parking lot, looked around and noticed a rod was snapped that connected to the drivers side wheel by the boot. I told him he just snapped his CV joint? Was I right? I dont think it is the tranny or nuttin as the car shifted pretty flawless last time I was in it.

Anyway please if anyone knows what im talkin about let me know what it is, and how severe of a problem this may have caused. How much for a replacement part and installation? Could something else have gone bad also?

Thanks for any input in advance,
Matt

 

Well u got 2 "rods" going to the wheel, you got the CV axle itself from the trans and u got the tie rod coming from the rack and pinion. If he sees the CV boot and nothign coming out (like the axle itself) then its snapped axle, if he sees the boot in tact with the axle itself, then its the tie rod. Either way, try Raxles.com thats where i got my driver side one for........a lil over 175, and i did it myself at work. Hope it helps, kinda hung over

 

Its the CV axle from the trans. Is it common for it to just snap off?
Im going to take a look at it later as its raining right now, and my moms having idle problems on her pathfinder.

 

clean her tb!!

but seriously, all kidding aside, you should clean that TB.

 

No, axles just dont snap off. Your buddy must have been doing some massive neutral drops or brake torques for some time for it to snap. That or he's got ungodly amounts of HP and torque.

 

Yes, axles do just snap off. I have bent a couple (2) , and just recently snapped the driver's side (where the C-Clip mounts). I have gotten tired of O-Rielly's Auto Parts life-time warranty *****y axles and have know replaced them with Raxles. No problems so far.

Do I possess "unGodly amount of HP and torque?" Just enough to snap axles. Neutral drops? Plenty.

 

nice keep neutral dropping your trans you have about 100 in your trans before it blows. and axles dont just snap

 

It could be the joint itself seperated, most of the time caused by a very worn joint (not replacing a torn boot for a extened time)

 

Every single member in this forum that drag races "drops/dumps" the clutch. Even our most respected members (Mardigramax) will tell you that he drops his clutch at 6,000 rpm (with racing slicks, plus spraying off the line). This is how you make 1.7 60'.

I personally had my trans input shaft, gears, bearings, and differential knife-edged and cryo treated so that it doesn't blow to pieces. When playing rough, the weakest link will yield. In my case, a couple of axles. No biggie, I'd rather replace my initial invested $70 life-time warrantied axles than my tranny.

So YES, axles do snap. In my case with my KAAZ limited slip differential, the driver's side axle will have a brittle fragile right where the c-clip mounts. Axles may not snap with 190 hp, but about twice as much as that will do the trick.

 

u obviously have none of the above that is stated because a neutral drop and dumping the clutch are two completely different things. and with ur diff why would just the drivers side axle snap? a diff usually makes both wheels spin....u can keep dreamin buddy. and btw what do u have done to ur car that u are putting down 380 whp? Oh yea i forgot to mention Kaaz doesnt even make a diff for a maxima, altima or any fwd application for nissan. nice try

 

When replying to the post, I was talking to a buddy of mine about Kaaz unit. I have a Phantom Grip limited slip unit in my differential. I don't have space to host any pictures right now, but give me an e-mail address and I will prove to you with a picture of my SNAPPED axle. The picture will show you part of the broken axle sitting close to the carrier pin. The phantom grip unit can be seen in that picture as well.

Why did the driver's side break? It's my experience that the driver's side is weaker or receives more of the load since it is shorter than the passenger. I have bent (resulting in a powertrain/chassis vibration) two driver's side axles. On a third occasion, I snapped the axle. Nissan must have realized this considering that their factory LSD (Anniversary Edition) have are double splined at the differential for the driver’s side axle.

I NEVER said that I had 380whp. I said it takes a lot more than 190hp to do the trick. Do I have 380whp? No, but I do have more than enough to snap axles, and that I have proof of.

 

WHOA WHOA WHOA, you guys gotta take it easy, UDIENOW buddy, if the axle snapped go to raxles.com get a price quote for ur friend, and tell him to take it easy with the drops. Plain and simple, about the ungodly amounts of HP and Torque out of our trans/motors it was a metaphor to help u and ur buddy to see that they just dont "snap" cuz of normal wear and tear, you have to put alot of strain on them. Hope it helps.

 

liek i said kaaz doesnt make and has never made an lsd for a fwd application i even called them today because if they did make one i would purchase it cause im happy with my deft force on my 240

 

Sorry for jacking, but Meximax, how do you rate the phantom grip? is it good piece? How long have you had it?

 

I had the phanton grip on my trans for about 2 years. I personally think that its a great piece. I never lost its locking ability.

I thought I had broken my cryod treated tranns this last time that I snapped the axle. I bought a 2001 VLSD tranny without even inspecting the failure of the old one. Since I already had it and Raxles axles, I went ahead and kept it.

Limited slip perfomance comparo: In sharp turn, the the 2001 VLSD performs better than my old phantom grip equipped trans. It seems to be better at distributing the torque to the wheel on the inner side of the turn. However, in a straight line, they both lay a pair of solid rubber lines.

I have made no suspension changes or motor mount changes since this new tranny install. Interestingly though, the VLSD trans seems to plant the power with a whole lot LESS wheel hop than my old phantom grip LSD.

 

so in short the VLSD wins. Gotcha, thanks.

 

I am not sure what your definition of WIN means. I had a "GOLD" level phantom grip LSD. I am sure that the "Xtreme" level would really lock our differentials and perhaps out perform the VLSD in the twisites.

As far as performance/$ is concerned:

Phantom Grip unit: ~$300,
AE VLSD & Axles: ~$1300

You be the judge and see if that extra $1000 worth the small disparity in performance.

 

the reason ur axles did snap is because of ur phantom grip its not a true lsd. it puts a ton of stress on the trans. vlsd blows if ur gunna spend 1300 find a quaiffe

 

I looked for a Quaife differential, but Cattman stopped selling them awhile ago. I e-mailed the company in the UK, but they said that would only make them in "batches." From what I understand, the Maxima community did have enough of a demand for these units. I didn't wan't to be Max-less for too long, so I opted for the VLSD. Its holding up fine so far.

I am not sure that I can agree with you on blaming the phantom grip for snapping the axle. There is no mechanical interaction between the Phantom Grip LSD "block" and the splines on the axle. The axle male spline mate with the spyder gear's female splines. The only thing that the Phantom Grip LSD Block could damage would be the carrier pin and/or spyder gears on that open diff; those are fine.

 

i was the guy who tried to put together that GD lol...ya not enough peeps were interested or serious in modding their maximas effectively, theyre WAY more into tailights y pipes intakes and all that other fluffy stuff. that quaife is sure pretty

 

dang. All that typin, and for what? The guy just asked for some direction and price quotes. I basicaly skipped most of this forum just to get to the short and sweet answers.
I think my Max has the same faith

 

Just for your info, i got a rebuild pass side CV for 60$ plus 30 core, from autozone, with a lifetime gurantee, seemed cheap to me