Bad luck Brian - axle flange backs out of differential

B6/7 S4/RS4
#1

So Tuesday morning was record lows for the area. Headed off to work around 7:15am, jump on the highway and a couple minutes later the car is dropping speed, not accelerating, rpm’s rise, but car no go.

Pulled off to the side, and she just won’t move. It acts like it’s in neutral. I’m thinking the worst but also know it could just be simple. Lucky for me my cell phone stopped working the previous night so had to walk my ass to a near by hotel and use their phone to call the fiance.

Got the car towed home, and that’s when I noticed even when the car is in park, it moves like it’s in neutral, which in a way made me happy since it’s probably nothing major. At the time I didn’t have a lot of time to look at it, but did jack the car up, pulled the belly pan off and noticed the front passenger side axle flange appeared to be sticking out further than it should.

Fast forward to today, had some time after work, and sure enough the axle flange did back out of the front differential. Never heard of that happening before. None of the teeth appeared to have any damage. I took the clip off the flange, bent it out slightly and re-inserted the flange. Not sure what would of caused that to come out though.

Anyhow…stupid flanges. First time in 5+ years the car left me stranded.

#2

So it’s fine now?

I can’t even understand how that would happen or why the car would still move in neutral, or how that didn’t make a hell of a racket when whatever happened; actually happened.

#3

Did you get any pictures

#4

Seems to be fine now. Slightly paranoid it’ll pull out again. The car wouldn’t move on it’s own at all, but even when you put it in park (automatic) you could push the car like it was in neutral.

I should of, but didn’t. Was dark and was working in my driveway since the garage is full of a project.

#5

I think this happened to ny07rs4

Was you car on a lift for a while before it happened at all?

#6

I thought his was a CV joint pulled apart? Which is slightly more common.

It hasn’t been on a lift or jacked up in quite some time. No crazy noises either. I’m guessing I probably hit a bump/pot hole and the movement + cold grease pulled the flange out of the differential.

#7

Ah yes

#8

Stop being a pussy and come out to the track and break it!

Glad it was simple, sucks to be stranded. You getting ready to do timing shit soon.

#9

Yeah, I picked up sort of a beater b6 a4 avant a few weeks ago. Fixing some things on it so I can take my time doing the timing shit and whatever else the s4 needs.

#10

Well I may be moving to Philadelphia in the next 3 months, but if you need anything give me a holler. I may have some odds and ends I can ship out to you. Extra timing chain bolts for the guides and stuff, I have an extra tube of sealant too.

#11

You’re always ‘maybe moving’. Wait till you move before you post on the forums lol.

#12

Ok…lol I’m definitely moving this time, it just has a window. I could move in 3 weeks or 2 months to be honest.

Maybe I just like to talk about moving, I really don’t like it in NC.

and I did take a contract job in Maryland for a few months, but my wife stayed in NC…then she got a salary raise. It made too much sense to move back.

#13

Thanks, I’ll keep that in mind.

#14

How well does the ecoboost tow your house?

#15

Hopefully as good as the Tundra tows a space shuttle.