Bent Axle Housing? Advice Please - Alignment Pic Included
10-12-2011, 06:50 PM
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Bent Axle Housing? Advice Please - Alignment Pic Included
Hi Guys, Long story but I could use some advice. Please bear with me...
I was getting a horrible loud squeaking noise that sounded rotational starting about a month after a fun but tough trip around the hammers area. See signature for my full specs but for the sake of this post the pertinent ones are that I have Off Road Evolution Axle Sleeves, C2 Gussets, And 5:13 Gears.
Ended up with an obviously bent driver/rear axle shaft flange as shown by the wobble in the wheel/tire and confirmed after pulling the wheel and caliper. I replaced both rear axles with new TEN chromoly units including outer bearings from David at Northridge and the squeak didn't go away.
After focusing closer the sound was coming from the front. Replaced Wheel Hub / Bearing assemblies in the front, squeak remained. By now it is loud enough to be heard from blocks away! Finally gave up and took it in to a local shop. After a long story that doesn't help here the front axles were pulled and the passenger shaft was bent, not a lot but enough. It was also put up on a laser alignment machine and it showed the following results that I attached.
He said even though it's the front left that shows all the negative camber the problem stems from the right side. Any alignment guys have any comments on that?
He also said my thrust angle is out as shown by the positive 0.28deg number in the bottom right. Which accounts for the push left on acceleration, and pull back right on deceleration. Comments on this?
At this point I just wonder if anyone else has gone through the same thing and what route you might recommend. Can it be straightened? If so, is that worth it to try that considering the upgrades already in place that I would loose if I replace the housing?
I was getting a horrible loud squeaking noise that sounded rotational starting about a month after a fun but tough trip around the hammers area. See signature for my full specs but for the sake of this post the pertinent ones are that I have Off Road Evolution Axle Sleeves, C2 Gussets, And 5:13 Gears.
Ended up with an obviously bent driver/rear axle shaft flange as shown by the wobble in the wheel/tire and confirmed after pulling the wheel and caliper. I replaced both rear axles with new TEN chromoly units including outer bearings from David at Northridge and the squeak didn't go away.
After focusing closer the sound was coming from the front. Replaced Wheel Hub / Bearing assemblies in the front, squeak remained. By now it is loud enough to be heard from blocks away! Finally gave up and took it in to a local shop. After a long story that doesn't help here the front axles were pulled and the passenger shaft was bent, not a lot but enough. It was also put up on a laser alignment machine and it showed the following results that I attached.
He said even though it's the front left that shows all the negative camber the problem stems from the right side. Any alignment guys have any comments on that?
He also said my thrust angle is out as shown by the positive 0.28deg number in the bottom right. Which accounts for the push left on acceleration, and pull back right on deceleration. Comments on this?
At this point I just wonder if anyone else has gone through the same thing and what route you might recommend. Can it be straightened? If so, is that worth it to try that considering the upgrades already in place that I would loose if I replace the housing?
10-12-2011, 08:20 PM
#2
JK Freak
Are your ball joints bad? If your ball joints are good then off set ball joints may help you. If your axle is actually rubbing on your sleeve ( this should leave shiny spots on your axle where it rubs), your probably looking at a new housing. call EVO they could help with some possible solutions.
10-12-2011, 09:23 PM
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when i had my new JK Rubicon re-geared here a month ago I also had EVO sleeves and gussets installed. Got a phone call from my installer that my housing was bent. He charged me 600 per axle to re-bend them. Both of my axles were bent and he said it was common to have bent housings from driving on the shitty pot hole ridden roads of Colorado. They should be golden now though after I sleeved the front and had the rear trussed. Your not alone here though. I didnt have the cash or will power to drop 15k on f/r RJ 60's.
10-12-2011, 09:38 PM
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Can't comment on straightening a sleeved/gusseted housing, but I was quoted a 'minimum' of 6 hours of labor for my stock housing. I would imagine that inner sleeves would just make it harder to unbend? Haven't read any posts at all saying that anyone has straightened a bent c.
Are the shafts still out? Pull the gears and put an alignment bar in so you can see for sure if the housing is bent. If the tubes are straight and it looks like the C's are bent, might be time to look into cutting them off, turning (for caster/pinion) and welding replacements on?
If you end up looking at a new housing, think about skipping a replacement rubi housing and going with a PR. Roughly 1k vs 2k. More money, but worth considering.
Are the shafts still out? Pull the gears and put an alignment bar in so you can see for sure if the housing is bent. If the tubes are straight and it looks like the C's are bent, might be time to look into cutting them off, turning (for caster/pinion) and welding replacements on?
If you end up looking at a new housing, think about skipping a replacement rubi housing and going with a PR. Roughly 1k vs 2k. More money, but worth considering.
10-12-2011, 09:39 PM
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Are your ball joints bad? If your ball joints are good then off set ball joints may help you. If your axle is actually rubbing on your sleeve ( this should leave shiny spots on your axle where it rubs), your probably looking at a new housing. call EVO they could help with some possible solutions.
When the shop pulled the axle they sent me pics. You are exactly correct. Some serious rubbing was going on, which is obviously where the noise is coming from. What kind of clearance are we talking about between factory front shafts and the EVO sleeves? I didn't get to take a look. Even when I did the Hub and bearing replacements myself I just never looked.
Last edited by Robar; 10-13-2011 at 05:09 PM. Reason: Blacklisted manufacturer
10-12-2011, 09:43 PM
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Can't comment on straightening a sleeved/gusseted housing, but I was quoted a 'minimum' of 6 hours of labor for my stock housing. I would imagine that inner sleeves would just make it harder to unbend? Haven't read any posts at all saying that anyone has straightened a bent c.
Are the shafts still out? Pull the gears and put an alignment bar in so you can see for sure if the housing is bent. If the tubes are straight and it looks like the C's are bent, might be time to look into cutting them off, turning (for caster/pinion) and welding replacements on?
If you end up looking at a new housing, think about skipping a replacement rubi housing and going with a PR. Roughly 1k vs 2k. More money, but worth considering.
Are the shafts still out? Pull the gears and put an alignment bar in so you can see for sure if the housing is bent. If the tubes are straight and it looks like the C's are bent, might be time to look into cutting them off, turning (for caster/pinion) and welding replacements on?
If you end up looking at a new housing, think about skipping a replacement rubi housing and going with a PR. Roughly 1k vs 2k. More money, but worth considering.
I am seriously considering a PR44 though. I don't know that I will ever go above the 37's so I think a PR60 will be overkill. I like that the PR44 can re-use my gears and e-locker.
10-12-2011, 09:53 PM
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You can re-use everything. Gears, locker, inner and outer shafts (assuming they aren't too damaged?), knuckles, brakes. Direct swaps, though some people have posted about needing minor modification in the pumpkin to get the locker to fit right. If you go this route, it would be worth a few minutes of your time to touch base with the forums dynatrac rep for any info to pass along to your installer.
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10-13-2011, 08:44 AM
#8
JK Freak
Originally Posted by techd00d
Sorry, forgot that step. Yes I did install new upper and lower ball joints. For the record the old ones were shot due to a previous death wobble issue that escalated. That has also since been repaired.
When the shop pulled the axle they sent me pics. You are exactly correct. Some serious rubbing was going on, which is obviously where the noise is coming from. What kind of clearance are we talking about between factory front shafts and the EVO sleeves? I didn't get to take a look. Even when I did the Hub and bearing replacements myself I just never looked.
<img src="https://www.jk-forum.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=222827"/>
Last edited by Robar; 10-13-2011 at 05:09 PM. Reason: Blacklisted manufacturer