Jim,
I'm afraid my mechanical inexperience may be showing.
Thanks for the information.
I commute to Los Angeles during the week, so won't be able to post a photo until I'm home on the weekend. However, it is the round bar that runs across the width of the car that looks like an axle. It is lower than the cross-brace that holds the VIN and is positioned forward of it. I guess that it may be the steering rack?
If you lean over the front of your car and look straight down you will be looking right at it.
Chuck