Bent Rear End - Rear Tires Worn Out on Inside Edge - $1500 Replacement Estimate! (1 Viewer)

[TH75]

A week ago I noticed that the inside edge of my rear tires on my '97 LX 450 is worn down past the tread after only about 12K miles. I hadn't noticed in the past, probably because the cladding and mud flaps kept me from seeing the inside edge clearly.

The first shop that I took it to said they thought that the frame was bent, so I took it to a body shop. They said that the "axle" is bent and that the rear end needs to be replaced. They're closed today, and the truck's locked up for the weekend.

She's always driven straight, and I've never heard anything unusual from the rear end.

Has anyone else run into a similar situation? If so, what's the recommended solution? $1500 for the replacement plus $300 for new tires is just about more than I can rationalize.

Thanks in advance for the input.

 

[Sc0-]

On a '95 the passenger side outer edge of the tire was balding. The truck was bought used... The spare tire coincidentally was bald on the outer edge of the tire as well. The problem was the wheel bearings were not tensioned properly and had cut a groove in the spindle and worn down the tabbed flat washer which allowed alignment slop.

While your rear end might not be bent the same could be happening to your spindles. Cheap solution would be a salvage yard dropout rear axle, thinking $300 to $500 for one plus labor. (or time if your a DIY type of guy)

 

[TheHuss5]

Tell us more about your truck.....? You just buy it, stock?

Crazy mods? Pictures?

 

[TH75]

Tell us more about your truck.....? You just buy it, stock?

Crazy mods? Pictures?

I've had it for about a year. The last set of tires was more worn on the rear, but I didn't think much of it at the time (doh!).

Stock.

No pictures available as she's locked inside the shop.

 

[Cruiserdrew]

New rear housings are available. Likely expensive, but then what isn't? Find out the price of that part before you start. I'm going to say I remember $800 but not sure.

The swapping it out would be straight forward and take you most of a day. I'd do that before I'd let them work on it.

 

[elhombre]

You need to get the truck back and check the spindles and wheel bearings. Jack up each wheel and do the 12 - 6 o'clock push-pull test for starters. My guess is that the bearings are way loose. If you jumped your cruiser and bent the rear axle, you would have a moster vibration from the axle shafts spinning out of round at highway speeds. What ever you find, please post the results.

 

[TH75]

You need to get the truck back and check the spindles and wheel bearings. Jack up each wheel and do the 12 - 6 o'clock push-pull test for starters. My guess is that the bearings are way loose. If you jumped your cruiser and bent the rear axle, you would have a moster vibration from the axle shafts spinning out of round at highway speeds. What ever you find, please post the results.

Can you tell me more about this test? And the fix?

I'd be really relieved to find that it's something that can be fixed without doing a major / expensive replacement.

 

[elhombre]

The test is the same for the front wheel bearings as the rear. The wheel needs to be off the ground and you grab the tire at the top and bottom (12 - 6 o'clock postions). Push and pull forcefully and quickly. If the bearings are too loose, then the wheel will knock and you can feel it (see it). If they have been loose for a long time, it is possible for the bearing to bounce on the spindle and pound in an imprint onto the spindle. This will leave a distinct line on the spindle where both the inner and outer bearings sit. This is no good because the spindle will no longer have a smooth circle the exact size to hold a new bearings. New spindle and bearing time.

 

[jamisobe]

You need to get the truck back and check the spindles and wheel bearings. Jack up each wheel and do the 12 - 6 o'clock push-pull test for starters. My guess is that the bearings are way loose.

X2. Sounds like loose bearings, hopefully.

 

[firetruck41]

It sounds as though it is a stock rig, and if you haven't been abusing it really badly, or taking it off jumps, it would be very hard to believe that the rear axle/housing is bent.

 

[informationjunky]

It sounds as though it is a stock rig, and if you haven't been abusing it really badly, or taking it off jumps, it would be very hard to believe that the rear axle/housing is bent.

X2, any chance the tires were rotated from front to rear and they may have been worn in the front from bad alignment.

 

[uabericm]

It sounds as though it is a stock rig, and if you haven't been abusing it really badly, or taking it off jumps, it would be very hard to believe that the rear axle/housing is bent.

Awesome thought. Post up when you get the parts and we will give you a hand.

 

[hondastomper]

Mine was doing the same thing, but wearing the outside edge instead. Body shop said frame was straight but axle housing was bent...quoted me ~1200 to install an axle. I found someone parting out a vehicle locally and picked up the rear axle for 200 bucks, then 3 days working a couple hours each night to swap my locker over and install it. Alignment was way off after the swap now it was trying to drive at factory specs and it had been aligned to drive straight w/ a bent axle.

Oh, I knew it might take me a couple months to find a good used axle, so I had the tire shop pull my tires off the rims and turn them 180 degrees so that it would wear the other side of the tire. This bought me some time to find an axle. Tires needed replacing when axle was in and alignment done

 

[TH75]

The test is the same for the front wheel bearings as the rear. The wheel needs to be off the ground and you grab the tire at the top and bottom (12 - 6 o'clock postions). Push and pull forcefully and quickly. If the bearings are too loose, then the wheel will knock and you can feel it (see it). If they have been loose for a long time, it is possible for the bearing to bounce on the spindle and pound in an imprint onto the spindle. This will leave a distinct line on the spindle where both the inner and outer bearings sit. This is no good because the spindle will no longer have a smooth circle the exact size to hold a new bearings. New spindle and bearing time.

Thanks, elhombre. I appreciate the help and will post my results (will no sooner than the end of the week as I'm traveling this week).

It sounds as though it is a stock rig, and if you haven't been abusing it really badly, or taking it off jumps, it would be very hard to believe that the rear axle/housing is bent.

Yeah, no abuse since I've owned it. Any damage to the axle would've been under the previous owner and more likely a result of collision than offroading.

X2, any chance the tires were rotated from front to rear and they may have been worn in the front from bad alignment.

Good thought, but they haven't been rotated and the fronts look fine.

Awesome thought. Post up when you get the parts and we will give you a hand.

Thanks, E. I appreciate the offer and will give you a yell.

Mine was doing the same thing, but wearing the outside edge instead. Body shop said frame was straight but axle housing was bent...quoted me ~1200 to install an axle. I found someone parting out a vehicle locally and picked up the rear axle for 200 bucks, then 3 days working a couple hours each night to swap my locker over and install it. Alignment was way off after the swap now it was trying to drive at factory specs and it had been aligned to drive straight w/ a bent axle.

Oh, I knew it might take me a couple months to find a good used axle, so I had the tire shop pull my tires off the rims and turn them 180 degrees so that it would wear the other side of the tire. This bought me some time to find an axle. Tires needed replacing when axle was in and alignment done

Thanks for the input.

More to follow asap.

 

[HEFE]

Any updates?

Any updates on this? Mine is doing the same I am going to test it tonight.

 

[4x4CPOSEADOG]

Any updates on this? Mine is doing the same I am going to test it tonight.

X2. What is the status of this issue? TH75, if you decided to replace the axle, I have one sitting in the garage, it is straight and in good condition for less price than the new one. Is your rear axle locked or not?

 

[FJnAK]

Check you wheel bearings and spindle. I highly doubt you bent the axle, these are full floating like a 1 ton truck. My cruiser was rolled when I bought it and the axles didn't get damaged at all. I've abused Toyota's for many years- running them through the Hammer trails etc and never have bent an axle just blown some birfs. Check your wheel bearings.

 

[HEFE]

?

I checked my drivers side rear and it did not seem to move. How much force is needed? The drivers side rear shows the worst wear. I bought my truck with 112K miles does not appear to ever been abused. I am at 140K now I have done all PM except the rear axle which is next on my list. My first set of tires showed slight wear on the inside but now it looks much worse with around 20K on a pair of TOYO A/T.

Would the fact it is a 92 make any difference while doing these tests? I do not want to do the rebuild on this axle if I am going to have to replace it?

Any help would be appreciated.

HEFE

 

[RAYJON]

with a 92 you do not have a floating rearend, different wheel bearings and assembly, yours are pressed on a shaft and if they were bad you would know it by jacking the wheel up and there would be play... my guess on a 92 would be front end issues with the tire being rotated ... if you have a bent rear end problem a 4 wheel alignment will show it... good luck

 

[ripple]

If your axle is bent you better replace it right away. I hit a boulder at 45mph which put, I thougt, a dent in the rear axle housing. Miles later, the tires wore down like yours and the axle actuallly fell out almost killing my wife and kid. After removing the housing it was very very obviously bent. I feel like an idiot for not suspecting it when I noticed the tires. It's not too late for you though. The bent housing put the end of the axle, the long side, in a bind at the clip. The end of the axle broke off at the c clip and as it came out, no way to downshift (unlocked) and then no way to brake as the drum moved past the shoes. Very scary downhill on a highway. I just got an lx a few months ago and I feel your pain, but love hurts.