AXL American Axle and Manufacturing Holdings Inc

CUSIP No. 024061103 13G Page 2 of 7

1. NAME OF REPORTING PERSONS

 TIAA-CREF Investment Management, LLC

2. CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP (a) ( )
 (b) ( )

3. SEC USE ONLY

4. CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION

 Delaware

NUMBER OF SHARES BENEFICIALLY OWNED
BY EACH REPORTING PERSON WITH:

 5. SOLE VOTING POWER 3,699,938

 6. SHARED VOTING POWER 0

 7. SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER 3,699,938

 8. SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER 0

9. AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
 3,699,938

10. CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN
 SHARES ( )

11. PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW 9
 5.18%

12. TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON
 IA

CUSIP No. 024061103 13G Page 3 of 7

1. NAME OF REPORTING PERSONS

 Teachers Advisors, Inc.

2. CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP (a) ( )
 (b) ( )

3. SEC USE ONLY

4. CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION

 Delaware

NUMBER OF SHARES BENEFICIALLY OWNED
BY EACH REPORTING PERSON WITH:

 5. SOLE VOTING POWER 2,717,387

 6. SHARED VOTING POWER 0

 7. SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER 2,717,387

 8. SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER 0

9. AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
 2,717,387

10. CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN
 SHARES ()

11. PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW 9
 3.81%

12. TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON
 IA

CUSIP No. 024061103 13G Page 4 of 7

ITEM 1(a). NAME OF ISSUER:

 American Axle & MFG Holdings

ITEM 1(b). ADDRESS OF ISSUER'S PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE OFFICES:

 One Dauch Drive
 Detroit, MI 48211

ITEMS 2(a)-2(c). NAME, ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL BUSINESS OFFICE, AND CITIZENSHIP
 OF PERSONS FILING:

 TIAA-CREF Investment Management, LLC ("Investment
 Management")
 730 Third Avenue
 New York, NY 10017-3206
 Citizenship: Delaware

 Teachers Advisors, Inc. ("Advisors")
 730 Third Avenue
 New York, NY 10017-3206
 Citizenship: Delaware

ITEM 2(d). TITLE OF CLASS OF SECURITIES:

 Common Stock

ITEM 2(e). CUSIP NUMBER:

 024061103

ITEM 3. IF THIS STATEMENT IS FILED PURSUANT TO SECTION 240.13d-1(b), OR
 SECTION 240.13d-2(b) OR (c), CHECK WHETHER THE PERSON FILING IS
 A:

INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT

(a) ( ) Broker or dealer registered under Section 15 of the Exchange Act.

(b) ( ) Bank as defined in Section 3(a)(6) of the Exchange Act.

(c) ( ) Insurance Company as defined in Section 3(a)(19) of the Exchange
 Act.

(d) ( ) Investment Company registered under Section 8 of the Investment
 Company Act of 1940.

(e) (x) An investment adviser in accordance with Rule 13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(E).

(f) ( ) An employee benefit plan or endowment fund in accordance with
 Rule 13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(F).

(g) ( ) A parent holding company or control person in accordance with
 Rule 13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(G).

(h) ( ) A savings association as defined in Section 3(b) of the Federal
 Deposit Insurance Act.

(i) ( ) A church plan that is excluded from the definition of an
 investment company under Section 3(c)(14) of the Investment
 Company Act of 1940.

CUSIP No. 024061103 13G Page 5 of 7

(j) ( ) Group, in accordance with Rule 13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(J).

ADVISORS

(a) ( ) Broker or dealer registered under Section 15 of the Exchange Act.

(b) ( ) Bank as defined in Section 3(a)(6) of the Exchange Act.

(c) ( ) Insurance Company as defined in Section 3(a)(19) of the Exchange
 Act.

(d) ( ) Investment Company registered under Section 8 of the Investment
 Company Act of 1940.

(e) (x) An investment adviser in accordance with Rule 13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(E).

(f) ( ) An employee benefit plan or endowment fund in accordance with
 Rule 13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(F).

(g) ( ) A parent holding company or control person in accordance with
 Rule 13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(G).

(h) ( ) A savings association as defined in Section 3(b) of the Federal
 Deposit Insurance Act.

(i) ( ) A church plan that is excluded from the definition of an
 investment company under Section 3(c)(14) of the Investment
 Company Act of 1940.

(j) ( ) Group, in accordance with Rule 13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(J).

If this statement is filed pursuant to Rule 13d-1(c), check this box. ( )

ITEM 4. OWNERSHIP

 Provide the following information regarding the aggregate number and
percentage of the class of securities of the issuer identified in Item 1:

 (a) Aggregate amount beneficially owned: 6,417,325 (See Exhibit A
 attached)

 (b) Percent of class: 8.99%

 (c) Number of shares as to which the person has:

 Investment Management Advisors
 --------------------- --------

Sole Voting Power: 3,699,938 2,717,387

Shared Voting Power: 0 0

Sole Dispositive Power: 3,699,938 2,717,387

Shared Dispositive Power: 0 0

ITEM 5. OWNERSHIP OF FIVE PERCENT OR LESS OF A CLASS.

 If this statement is being filed to report the fact that as of
 the date hereof the reporting person has ceased to be the
 beneficial owner of more than 5 percent of the class of
 securities, check the following ( ).

CUSIP No. 024061103 13G Page 6 of 7

ITEM 6. OWNERSHIP OF MORE THAN FIVE PERCENT ON BEHALF OF ANOTHER PERSON.

 See Exhibit A attached

ITEM 7. IDENTIFICATION AND CLASSIFICATION OF THE SUBSIDIARY WHICH
 ACQUIRED THE SECURITY BEING REPORTED ON BY THE PARENT HOLDING
 COMPANY OR CONTROL PERSON.

 Not Applicable

ITEM 8. IDENTIFICATION AND CLASSIFICATION OF MEMBERS OF THE GROUP.

 Not Applicable

ITEM 9. NOTICE OF DISSOLUTION OF GROUP.

 Not Applicable

ITEM 10. CERTIFICATIONS.

 By signing below I certify that, to the best of my knowledge and
 belief, the securities referred to above were acquired and are
 held in the ordinary course of business and were not acquired and
 are not held for the purpose of or with the effect of changing or
 influencing the control of the issuer of the securities and were
 not acquired and are not held in connection with or as a
 participant in any transaction having that purpose or effect.

 SIGNATURE.

 After reasonable inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and
 belief, I certify that the information set forth in this
 statement is true, complete and correct.

 Date: February 11, 2011

 TIAA-CREF INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT, LLC

 By: /s/ William J. Wilkinson
 ------------------------
 William J. Wilkinson, Managing Director
 Asset Management Services

 TEACHERS ADVISORS, INC.

 By: /s/ William J. Wilkinson
 ------------------------
 William J. Wilkinson, Managing Director
 Asset Management Services

CUSIP No. 024061103 13G Page 7 of 7

 EXHIBIT A
 ---------

ITEM 6. OWNERSHIP.

TIAA-CREF Investment Management, LLC ("Investment Management") is the investment
adviser to the College Retirement Equities Fund ("CREF"), a registered
investment company, and may be deemed to be a beneficial owner of 3,699,938
shares of Issuer's common stock owned by CREF. Teachers Advisors, Inc.
("Advisors") is the investment adviser to three registered investment companies,
TIAA-CREF Funds ("Funds"), TIAA-CREF Life Funds ("Life Funds"), and TIAA
Separate Account VA-1 ("VA-1"), as well as the TIAA-CREF Asset Management
Commingled Funds Trust I ("TCAM Funds"), and may be deemed to be a beneficial
owner of 2,717,387 shares of Issuer's common stock owned by the Funds, Life
Funds, VA-1 and TCAM Funds. Investment Management and Advisors are reporting
their combined holdings for the purpose of administrative convenience. These
shares were acquired in the ordinary course of business, and not with the
purpose or effect of changing or influencing control of the Issuer. Each of
Investment Management and Advisors expressly disclaims beneficial ownership of
the other's securities holdings and each disclaims that it is a member of a
"group" with the other.