possible bent axle tube???

[6burg]

Ok guys need some help. I have a coleman fullfloater rear axle and the left axle is tight and needs tapped with hammer to get all the way in,{ about the last 1/2 inch} and I have to lock chanel-locks on bolt that is screwed into axle and pry a little to get it out. It is just a little tighter than can be removed by hand. Can I still run it, how bent does it have to be before it has to be repaired or replaced? Also can it re repaired or is the housing junk?

[RFPD25]

are you sure its the housing and not the axle? either way there is ways to straighten both the axle and the housing.

[6burg]

No , I never considered the axle, just assumed it was to hard to bend, I'll check that. How do you check for axle tube straightness and how do you correct it?

[RFPD25]

there are guys out there that build rearends, they usually have a jig they can put it in antell if its straight. sometimes its hard to tell in the car, but if you can get a straight edge on it somewhere you might be able to see a slight bend.

[runyou-2]

Also,a very slight "twist" in the splines will make it hard to move too.Wire brush the splines and lube em' up good.

[6burg]

The pig thats in there now is a 28 spline, I'll remove it this weekend when i get some heat in the shop and put in a 31 spline I have and install those axles. that would eleminate that 28 spline axle. would be nice if it was only axle. normally not that lucky.

[stock car driver]

Its probably a bent housing.

You can have it straightened but it will bend next time even easier. Since its already been bent twice if you straighten it.

I bent 2 this year and 1 last year. Mine were all bent enough that I could see it when out of the car and 2 I had to cut the tube to get the axle out, which Ive never bent.

I run gun drilled axles so doubt you bent a solid one.

I would measure from rotor to rotor in front and rear of the housing. If its really minor bolt on some new wheels and measure that way.

[6burg]

I ran a 9 in non floater for two years and took several good hits and never bent a housing. although I did have to replace the axle each time. I'm beginning to think about going back to the non floater and using good quality axles,Moser, curry,etc. when you take a hit in a floater housing the tube absorbes all the contact whereas a non transfers it thru axleto centercection. Pretty costly to buy new housings and rejig your mounts 3 times a year

[6burg]

O.k. I measured the rotor at 3 and 9 position not quite 1/4 inch diffrence, so the housing is bent. I checked run-out on rotor and it is not bent. The axle needs to be forced in the last 1/2 inch only. Question is run it, or will it tear out hub, I realize bent is bent, but would you run it??

[21 racer]

i would run it. i ran a housing u had to pull the drive plate off to get the axle in and out for a year till i could afford a new one it never hurt anything so i dout the little yours may be bent is going to hurt

[tucker71]

did you try putting the axel from the other side in the side that you think may be bent to see if it was tight also? just a thought to try.

[6burg]

they are diffrent lengths , measuring from the rotors pretty much tells the story, bent housing, I'm going to run it like it is . it's not off much, axle still goes in .

[bushracing67]

if its only a slight bend it is easy to fix, and just as strong as ever, pull the rear out of the car, bolt in a pig(very important as to not mess up the flange) figure out where the bend is at, wrap a chain around that end of the housing on the bent side, and wrap the other end of the chain around the gusseted part of the housing just the other side of the center section, use a bottle jack from opposite the bend in housing to the chain, a couple pumps and it will straighten it right out

[turner]

In my expierience, if you can put the axle in by hand, it wont hurt anything running it.Sure, it would be better to fix housing, but i dont think you will have any problems at all.

[Drake Racing]

If it is bent only slightly, rotate the housing 180 degrees(if the housing is bent up, rotate so it is down) then take a torch and heat a diamond shape opposite of the bend, then while it is a dull red, quench it with water. to check for straightness, place a framing square on each tube, and measure between them at the very top, and as close to the housing as you can. if this measurement is not the same, it is still bent. as long as you heat and cool opposite of the bend, it will straighten it without sacrificing strength.

Curt Drake
ProAm #55x