Bent Axle

Straight6

New Member
I just found out that my 83 Bronc has a bent rear axle, what are the chances that the housing is also bent and how do I check it. I do not have a way to find out how it got bent?
 
Well if you havn't had a tremndous impact to your axle housing & can't see any point of impact. Your housing isn't bent. In normal circumstances its extremely rare to see that on any truck based vehicle that hasn't been involved in a massive traffic accident. Given certain circumstances (i.e. suspension modification etc) it could be mis positioned etc that would result in the vehicle not tracking properly. The axle its self is a whole nother story. ;)
 
Do a search on the web on detecting a bent axle housing. I remember reading lots on measuring and how easy it is to fix. Replace the shafts. I see what i can find...
 
just get something long and straight and put it on the housing, look for gaps along the straightline. something significant and i'd worry about it. Mostly look for cracks around the pumpkin housing/axle tube and the outer axletube/drum. They like to crack there.

If it's a 9" housing, i have no clue about how to see if the 3rd member housing is bent, but i'd say close inspection would show imperfections in the mold of the 3rd member.
 
If you have a 9 inch, I'm sorry but I don't know much about them and this doesn't apply.

For an 8.8 and most other housings you can look at the spring perches first.
Look for the slightest differance in angle or position compaired to the opposite
side.
Take off the diff cover. and look at the shims between the carrier bearings
and the housing. Look for gaps or places where the shims may look smashed
or squeezed. The obvious sign would be a shim sticking or falling out.

Take a good look at the splines on your axle shafts.
on the wheel side mainly. there could be an odd line of slight twist where the
carrier and shaft has been fighting the housing to straiten out.

Lastly, look at the center pin in your carrier where axle shaft pokes in from the side. Look to see an obvious gouge on the top or bottom from the shaft
where it has been hitting or riding on the pin.
In other words, If your housing is bent up it will only be hitting the center pin with the top of the shaft. Pin will be gouged at top etc. A normal pin will have a uniform shine, you will be looking for an obvious rub.

Tell me if that helps and, how did you bend you axle shaft.
 

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