I have a set of dana 44's out of an international scout in my cj-7. I've noticed that there is a wobble on the rear tires. I jacked the rear-end up and removed the tires, started the motor and put it low gear. I could definately see the wobble, it's not much but it's there. I just had a new ring and pinion with a detroit locker installed and I don't remember the wobble being there before. My question is has anyone ever straitened a flanged axle? I just spentabout a grand on this rear-end and I'm kind off low on fund's I'd like to straiten them instead of buying new one's.
Bent Axles
- Thread starter big_o_tom
- Start date
Crazy4diesels
New member
I assume this rear end is new to you (so you don't know it's history) and it could have been mis-treated so the shafts are questionable - hard to believe BOTH shafts are bent, though. I would make certain that the wheels are not bent by putting the tires on the front of the Jeep and turning them by hand. I've seen plenty of rims that are "a litttle off" and I've had a few tires that were "off" too (the tread walked side to side a little when turning, LOOKED like a bent rim but was just the tire) . If they are nice and straight on the front the next thing I'd check is the flanges and brake drums on the rear. Make sure the flange faces (flat area between the lug studs) are clean and have no protruding objects (a common protruding object would be the remains of a brake drum screw) . Also make sure the inside flange area on the drums is clean. Running true depends on having the wheel, brake drum, and axle flange all clean, flat, and tight. After all this is checked you could start to look for bent shafts. At that point you might want to get hold of a dial indicator, mount it to the brake backing plate, and see exactly where the bend is. It's hard to believe that both shafts were bent - what did they do to that poor Scout??? The only shaft I've ever bent was on an AMC 20 when it was broadsided by a heavy city plow (my poor old CJ7, RIP) . It looked like a clown car with the wobbly wheels. I drove it that way for a little while... People would yell over and point to the wheel all the time - "Dude!! your wheel's falling off!!!" Hehehe
Best of luck - John
I had the dana 44 in my jeep for about ten years with 3.07 gears in it. At highway speeds it rode ok, not smooth but ok. I did have to change a rim once because of a wooble and that fixed it. When I put the detroit locker and 4.09 gear in it I took the empty housing and parts to the shop. Then I brought it home and put the axles in it. At 35 mph and up it vibrates terrible. I jacked up the rear, both wheel's and started it and put it in gear. The passenger side definately had a wobble. I took the wheel off and the brake drum, the flange on the axle has the wobble. The only thing it could be would be when it was stuck in a ditch at christmas and I pulled it out with my truck. The front end was in the ditch and rear was on the road which was icy gravel. The only way to pull it was from the side. It came out pretty easy plus the rear wheels were on ice. Surely that didn't warp the flanges.
big_o_tom said:
You could bend it back if you absolutely had to. My buddy races and he bent one of his shaft back straight just last week with a shop press. It will get you by , I wouldn't go out and dog on it but if you can get it back straight then it's possible. Not recommended but most things I do aren't!!! I'd do it until I could afford a new one.
Just my .02
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