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Bent axle
Posted: Fri May 06, 2016 6:06 pm
by Will
So....um.... BAM....yup.... It's bent. Jacked the tire off the ground and spun the tire, axle is rubbing the tube on both sides.... What's the best way to fix this and then I will be putting on a truss.
Re: Bent axle
Posted: Fri May 06, 2016 6:38 pm
by Colibri
Perhaps yours can be straightened and trussed or maybe you can find a straight housing and have that trussed then swap your gears and diff over? I've seen a bent axle pulled back in line with heavy chains and hydraulic jacks.
Sucks man, sorry it happened. Good excuse as any to upgrade though I guess.
If you can swing it, creative fab out in California does amazing work and could probably fix yours and truss. If you can't handle the downtime it's gotta be a junkyard axle.
Re: Bent axle
Posted: Fri May 06, 2016 7:28 pm
by Will
I thought about some big ass concrete anchors in the garage foundation, some eye bolts, lock both sides down and place a jack in the middle. But I'm not sure how much it takes to straighten it. If I could, then I can weld Don's truss on.
Sorry I hit so many threads, I guess I got anxious to hear from y'all.
Re: Bent axle
Posted: Fri May 06, 2016 7:38 pm
by PWRider
Sorry man. Get a new one. There is no proper way to fix it. I've been there. Front?
Re: Bent axle
Posted: Fri May 06, 2016 7:42 pm
by Colibri
Re: Bent axle
Posted: Fri May 06, 2016 7:53 pm
by PWRider
Yeah I've seen last one. He didn't actually fix it. He only "fixed"(unbent) axle in vertical plane. But in reality it is compound bend. Mine was like 3/4 inch off vertically and horizontally (best I could tell). You can easily tell it since camber and toe-in are messed up. Camber was fixed (in last article) but toe in was not. Yes you can "fix" it with tie-rod adjustment but that just masks bent axle. Eventually either bearings or diff will fail. If it was axle tubes then theoretically those can be replaced but it's the center cast what fails where tube enter. Those receiving ends become oval there is no way to fix that. It's like trying to stuff toothpaste back into tube.
Re: Bent axle
Posted: Fri May 06, 2016 8:00 pm
by Will
Damn, that's makes sense, not just bent up but back too.
Yes, the front but hell, I haven't looked at the back.
Re: Bent axle
Posted: Fri May 06, 2016 8:05 pm
by PWRider
Well, back is usually pretty cheap and easy to find. Front I had to search far and wide. Ended up importing from Canada. There was like 2 or 3 at reasonable price. 2 of them were on east coast.
Re: Bent axle
Posted: Fri May 06, 2016 8:14 pm
by Will
I don't "think" it's bad, measured from the concrete and its 1/4" higher on the driver side on the outer end compared to the housing entrance and 1/8" on passenger but the passenger looks worse. Both are rubbing the axles. I would have thought as long as the axles clear the tubes, it would be fine.
Re: Bent axle
Posted: Fri May 06, 2016 8:15 pm
by Colibri
If it were me, I'd source a new/used housing or axle assembly and truss it from the get go.
Re: Bent axle
Posted: Fri May 06, 2016 8:19 pm
by Will
That would be best I suppose, it would be alright if I could find a full PW axle, have it trussed where I can just swap it out and add gear oil but that's asking alot. Haha
Re: Bent axle
Posted: Fri May 06, 2016 8:21 pm
by Will
I'll try straightening it first though, worth a shot.
Re: Bent axle
Posted: Fri May 06, 2016 8:32 pm
by Colibri
Can't hurt to try, or have professionals try. Maybe creative fab could do it? With their axle jig table and machined alignment bar I bet they could get things straight as an arrow
Re: Bent axle
Posted: Fri May 06, 2016 9:32 pm
by RustyPW
Re: Bent axle
Posted: Fri May 06, 2016 9:35 pm
by Will
I've always been a fast driver until I got the PW because it didn't feel stable stock. I love the truck though and plan on keeping it and making it hold up to what I want to do. It has always done what I asked of it. I just need a lighter toy also. Haha
Re: Bent axle
Posted: Fri May 06, 2016 9:50 pm
by RustyPW
Will wrote:I've always been a fast driver until I got the PW because it didn't feel stable stock. I love the truck though and plan on keeping it and making it hold up to what I want to do. It has always done what I asked of it. I just need a lighter toy also. Haha
Trophy truck in your future?

Re: Bent axle
Posted: Fri May 06, 2016 9:56 pm
by Will
Ive always wanted one and would have one in a heartbeat if I had the cash.
Re: Bent axle
Posted: Fri May 06, 2016 10:28 pm
by ramv
Not sure if it would work, but what about a lot of heat on the housing and then weld on the truss to try to pull it straight?
I had a bent front C on my 2nd gen. Lots of heat, and a porta-power, along with some hammering got it straight.
Re: Bent axle
Posted: Fri May 06, 2016 11:31 pm
by 2011TXPowerWagon
You need to install a camera, you must have some fun rides
Re: Bent axle
Posted: Sat May 07, 2016 8:29 am
by Will
Now is when I wish I had free spin hubs, I gotta drive it until I can find another ride.
Re: Bent axle
Posted: Sat May 07, 2016 8:45 am
by trk4sale
About $750.00 for a new housing:
https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=c ... =5175274ab
I had to have mine replaced which was bad enough, but after it was all back together I found out my front locker would not lock up. Turns out the bent housing had caused the inner workings of the locker to gall and not move. Had to have the whole thing taken apart again, but was fortunate that the locker was able to be trued up by a machinist otherwise its a whole new centersection.$$$$$!
My axle is trussed now.
Re: Bent axle
Posted: Sat May 07, 2016 8:58 am
by Will
That's not bad, hopefully I'm getting another truck this evening and then I can break this one down.
Re: Bent axle
Posted: Sat May 07, 2016 10:13 am
by flattire
Someone has got to ask.....what did you hit?
Re: Bent axle
Posted: Sat May 07, 2016 10:53 am
by RustyPW
flattire wrote:Someone has got to ask.....what did you hit?
..............his head.

Re: Bent axle
Posted: Sat May 07, 2016 12:05 pm
by waldo
Lol. you've got to work at breaking these trucks. Congrats.
