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Employee Benefit Plans Defined Contribution Plans (Narrative) (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009
Defined Contribution Plans, ARC, Hourly Associates, Contributions Made to During Period	$ 1.9	$ 1.8	$ 1.8
Defined Contribution Plans, Hourly Voluntary Savings Plan, Matching Contributions During the Period	0.2	0.2	0.4
Defined Contribution Plans, Maximum Company Match, Hourly Voluntary Savings Plan	25.00%
Defined Contribution Plans, Salaried Voluntary Savings Plan, Matching Contributions During the Period	3.2	3.1	3.3
Defined Contribution Plans, Maximum Company Match, Salaried Voluntary Savings Plan	50.00%
Defined Contribution Plan, Maximum Percentage of Salaried Associate Contributions Eligible for Match	10.00%
Defined Contribution Plans, ARC, Range of Percentage of Salary Eligible for Contribution, Low End of Range	3.00%
Defined Contribution Plans, ARC, Range of Percentage of Salary Eligible for Contribution, High End of Range	5.00%
Defined Contribution Plans, ARC, Contributions Made During Period	$ 3.6	$ 3.5	$ 2.9
Defined Contribution Plan, Maximum Percentage of Hourly Associate Contributions Eligible for Match	6.00%
Defined Contribution Plans, ARC, Maximum Percentage of Hourly Wages Eligible for Contribution	5.00%

X

- Definition

Represents the maximum percentage that an hourly associate can contribute to the Voluntary Savings Plan that is eligible to be matched by AAM.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	axl_DefinedContributionPlanMaximumPercentageOfHourlyAssociateContributionsEligibleForMatch
Namespace Prefix:	axl_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

Represents the maximum percentage that a salaried associate can contribute to the Voluntary Savings Plan that is eligible to be matched by AAM.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	axl_DefinedContributionPlanMaximumPercentageOfSalariedAssociateContributionsEligibleForMatch
Namespace Prefix:	axl_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

Represents the total amount of contributions made by AAM during the period associated with the Annual Retirement Contribution (ARC).

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	axl_DefinedContributionPlansArcContributionsMadeDuringPeriod
Namespace Prefix:	axl_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

Represents the total amount of contributions made by AAM during the period to retirement accounts of hourly employees associated with the Annual Retirement Contribution (ARC).

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	axl_DefinedContributionPlansArcHourlyAssociatesContributionsMadeToDuringPeriod
Namespace Prefix:	axl_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

Represents the maximum percentage of an hourly associates' wages that are eligible for contributions made by AAM as part of the Annual Retirement Contribution (ARC).

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	axl_DefinedContributionPlansArcMaximumPercentageOfHourlyWagesEligibleForContribution
Namespace Prefix:	axl_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

Represents the high end of the percentage range of associates' salaries eligible for contributions made by AAM as part of the Annual Retirement Contribution (ARC).

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	axl_DefinedContributionPlansArcRangeOfPercentageOfSalaryEligibleForContributionHighEndOfRange
Namespace Prefix:	axl_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

Represents the low end of the percentage range of associates' salaries eligible for contributions made by AAM as part of the Annual Retirement Contribution (ARC).

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	axl_DefinedContributionPlansArcRangeOfPercentageOfSalaryEligibleForContributionLowEndOfRange
Namespace Prefix:	axl_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

Represents the total amount of matching contributions made by AAM during the period associated with the Hourly Voluntary Savings Plan.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	axl_DefinedContributionPlansHourlyVoluntarySavingsPlanMatchingContributionsDuringPeriod
Namespace Prefix:	axl_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

Represents the maximum percentage match by AAM of the contributions of hourly associates to the voluntary savings plan, a defined contribution plan.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	axl_DefinedContributionPlansMaximumCompanyMatchHourlyVoluntarySavingsPlan
Namespace Prefix:	axl_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

Represents the maximum percentage match by AAM of the contributions of a salaried associate to the voluntary savings plan, a defined contribution plan.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	axl_DefinedContributionPlansMaximumCompanyMatchSalariedVoluntarySavingsPlan
Namespace Prefix:	axl_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

Represents the total amount of matching contributions made by AAM during the period associated with the Salaried Voluntary Savings Plan.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	axl_DefinedContributionPlansSalariedVoluntarySavingsPlanMatchingContributionsDuringPeriod
Namespace Prefix:	axl_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration