SNAP!

It all started with, “I’m going for a run.”
It seemed like such a simple idea. Just back out of the drive, get some distance under the tires so that the batteries could get topped off.
Then I let off the clutch and there was this awful loud crunch that shook The Rover a bit.

“What the hell was that?”

Shifting into reverse didn’t get me any movement, just a soft whirring noise from down below. The propeller shaft was spinning, but it never made it to the tires.

In a Series Rover that usually means a snapped axle shaft.

Just the other day I was asked, “Why that vehicle?”. That question led to the inevitable question about spare parts, which led the the exclamation: “Who carries spare axle shafts with them?!”

Answer: A Series Land Rover owner.

I’ve never snapped a shaft before, but Old Rovers are notorious for it, so the tool box has a set of them down in the bottom.

The right shaft was sheared just past the flange. After a little time and a lot of patience with a needle nosed vise grip, the broken shaft was out. From start to finish it took about an hour to get the truck moving again.

It would have been nice to have it happen when it was 70 degs & sunny, but it’s really hard to complain when something like that happens in the driveway.