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Comparative Fatigue Failure Analysis of Axle Shafts in Two Front Wheel Drive Vehicles

Emin Çengelci , Arif Hakan Yalçın , Ercan Şimşir , Murat Baraz , İbrahim Yavuz

Published
August 25, 2026

Vol. 9 No. 2 (2026)
Pages 630-643

DOI

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Abstract

Axle shafts are critical components of vehicle powertrain systems, providing torque and load transfer between the differential system and the wheels. Common causes of axle shaft failures include manufacturing and design defects, lack of maintenance, raw material-related problems, material processing errors, and user-induced effects. In this study, damage and fracture analyses were performed on broken front axle shafts from two different automobiles. It was determined that the examined axle shafts separated into two pieces under service conditions. The aim of the study is to determine the failure mechanism of the broken front axle shafts and to reveal the factors contributing to the damage through detailed fracture analyses. In this context, chemical composition analysis, metallographic examinations, hardness measurements, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) analyses were performed. The results obtained showed that axle shaft fractures are primarily related to fatigue damage developing under cyclic loads, and that cross-sectional changes and notch effects play a significant role in crack initiation and propagation.

Keywords

Powertrain; AISI 4140; Fatigue fracture; Drive shaft failure; SEM fractography

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Published August 25, 2026
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Copyright Copyright (c) 2026 Emin Çengelci, Arif Hakan Yalçın, Ercan Şimşir, Murat Baraz, İbrahim Yavuz
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Keywords
  • Powertrain
  • AISI 4140
  • Fatigue fracture
  • Drive shaft failure
  • SEM fractography