I have seen both the axles and the stub shafts on the transmission break. Very rare for an automatic. A CV that fails by jamming can do that instantly. Keep in mind these components are still the same size and basic design from 1968 with barley 60 hp and much lighter vehicles.

Dennis,
From my phone.
________________________________
From: KIM BRENNAN<mailto:kimbrennan@MAC.COM>
Sent: ‎5/‎26/‎2014 5:23 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM<mailto:vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Subject: Re: Rear axle replacement advice

(I got the pic also), yes, rather strange break. I’ve had an axle break at the groove for the circlip (sheared right off), but this one looks like a metalurgical failure (not a stress fracture, but one in the crystaline metal make up.).

The ones I replaced todayt were much less interesting.

On May 26, 2014, at 5:17 PM, Jim Arnott <jrasite@EONI.COM> wrote:

> Geneva just sent me a pic.  Broke axle.  I ain’t never seen one before…
>
> Jim