Bent axle housing, how to tell?

[DaveNJeep]

As some of you may know my Daughter rolled her TJ last summer. Well just to get it back on the road we threw in a Dana 35 in place of the original Dana 44. Now it's time to rebuild the 44. The problem is she bent the pass side axle itself and ripped the track bar mount a little. My question is this; how can I tell if the axle housing itself is bent? I can replace the axles with a quality aftermarket units, the track bar bracket I can reweld and reinforce, but why do all this work to a housing that is bent.

Please don't reply "look at it". I've done that!

 

[EricsXJ]

The most obvious other than "look at it" is run a straight edge along the passenger side tube and "look at it". :laugh3:

You can also take it to an alignment shop and find out what the camber specs are. This can tell you how bad of a problem you have but you must first rule out that it isn't the ball joints. Inner C's could also be bent affecting camber.

 

[GordoSmasho]

I may be wrong but isn't this a rear axle? I would use a good straight edge. Was the axle flange bent or the axle shaft?

 

[EricsXJ]

Oops I don't know why I got front axle out of that.

If you gut it (remove shafts and carrier) you can tell if its bent by looking down the inside of the tubes. Don't ask how I know this

 

[DaveNJeep]

Thanks guys. Yes it's a rear (let the jokes begin about her breaking her rear end). To answer your question it was definately the axle that was bent. At first we didn't notice (she drove it home after righting it) but after close examination we noticed the tire was rubbing every rotation. Then we noticed the track bar bracket was torn, not completely but a little. Then we put the entire Jeep up on 4 jack stands and "drove" it. The right rear tire was wobbling.

The idea about gutting it sounds great. Then just look thru the tubes right?

Does anyone have any aftermarket D44 TJ axles they don't need?

 

[WB9YZU]

Sounds like axle is bent at the flange. Not that uncommon when a wheel takes a side hit.

TJ tech on and XJ forum :bawl:

 

[Jeep450r]

If the wheel is wobbling, I would think the rim is bent or the wheel mounting surface (flange on the end of the axle shaft) is tweaked. If the housing was bent, is think it would cause tracking problems and excessive toe or camber problems.

 

[XJensen]

Put a long straight edge against each housing flange and measure above and below the axle. If both are the same it is square.

 

[EricsXJ]

Thanks guys. Yes it's a rear (let the jokes begin about her breaking her rear end). To answer your question it was definately the axle that was bent. At first we didn't notice (she drove it home after righting it) but after close examination we noticed the tire was rubbing every rotation. Then we noticed the track bar bracket was torn, not completely but a little. Then we put the entire Jeep up on 4 jack stands and "drove" it. The right rear tire was wobbling.

The idea about gutting it sounds great. Then just look thru the tubes right?

Does anyone have any aftermarket D44 TJ axles they don't need?

If it was just the tube that was bent it wouldn't rub at every rotation, the rubbing would be constant. Start at the wheel and go inward. #1) Its most likely a bent rim. #2) After that look at the axle shaft flange. #3) Then the tube. The tube could be bent along with #1 or #2 but given your description at least #1 and or #2 should be the cause.

 

[kastein]

Put a long straight edge against each housing flange and measure above and below the axle. If both are the same it is square.

This.

You can also use a level or angle finder the same way... put an angle finder on each flange, if they read the same angle you are good, if they don't, it is bent.

 

[DaveNJeep]

Thanks guys for the great responses!

The diff was pulled during the rebuild process. As soon as we noticed the wobbling wheel I assumed it was a bent axle and didn't investigate further. Both the diff housing and wheels were replaced (along with $6500 in parts, thanks Gieco) immediately. We put in a crappy Dana 35 temporarily in place of her Dana 44 and now its time to replace the 35.

So to summerize-

1- Just might be a bent rim. Of course I can't check the rim because it got thrown in the "old tire pile" (anyone need stock tires and wheels because I've got like 8 factory aluminum wheels and various tires lol).

2- Might be a bent axle flange. Which essentially means axle itself.

3- Lastly it might be the housing.