Front axle housing bent - how much is too much? (1 Viewer)

[Moby]

Probably more experience with bent housings here then in the 60s section After troubleshoot my difficulties getting my old short side birf out and my new Longfield in it looks like my short side housing is bent. It looks to me like I need a replacement housing but I'm after some second opinions.

After pulling my Longfield back out I noticed that the new seal was already torn at the 3 o'clock side and that the bell of the Lonfield had been rubbing on the bottom on the same side. I was already suspicious that the housing was bent so I slid the long side axle into the short side to see if it centered in the seal (the long side just gave me better perspective). With gravity pulling the axle shaft down in the resting position the axle pulled somewhat forward (more like 5 o'clock instead of 6). When I lifted the axle slightly so that it was approximately level with the axle housing it pressed firmly into the 3 o'clock side of the seal, completely compressing the seal's rubber and leaving at least a 1/8th" gap on the 9 o'clock side.

This seems like I need a new housing. However I've never seen an axle aligned in a "good" housing so I'm not sure. Thoughts?

 

[Mace]

You can have it done byut honestly, it would cost more to have a housing straightened than to get a good used one..

 

[bkfj40]

the housing on my 55 was bent - how, I'll never know...I've seen a few pictures of others as well...

I'm betting you'll want to find another housing - do you need it sprung over or not?

bk

 

[Moby]

Sorry, to clarify - I just want to confirm that based on my description of the axle alignment in the seal that my axle housing is bent enough that I should fine a new (used) housing to replace my current housing.

SOR lists used housings at $250 (I don't need it sprung over). Surprisingly that actually seems like a pretty decent price. Any other good sources?

Thanks!

 

[Advent]

You should be able to pay less than that if you can find one locally.

If it's bent at all, don't bother with it. It'll be more of a problem than it's worth. When I bent my front I had to keep using 4wd at low speeds in cold mud for about an hour, and even with that you could see on the shaft where it lost it's temper from bending.

 

[Tapage]

How you bent your axle .. ? if I can ask ..

 

[Moby]

Not that bad (it drives fine in 4L and 4H) but bad enough that when the axle is in it completely compresses the rubber on the oil seal on one side and leaves an 1/8" to 1/4" gap on the other.

I just found a housing locally. Actually a bit more than SOR but I don't have to pay freight and it's only 30 minutes away.

 

[Advent]

How you bent your axle .. ? if I can ask ..

In my case, the front end basically dropped straight down 8 feet or so. The camber change was visibly noticable afterwards.

To the OP: I'm curious how it might be that you bent the short side. It's darn near impossible to do without some sort of front end impact without bending the long side as well.

 

[robinhood4x4]

At this point maybe you should try bending it back, you have nothing to lose. Either try a torch and a sledge or run a bead or two of weld on one side to pull it back straight.

 

[Radd Cruisers]

At this point maybe you should try bending it back, you have nothing to lose. Either try a torch and a sledge or run a bead or two of weld on one side to pull it back straight.

You can bend a slightly tweaked axle, something tha thrashed is better in the steel bin IMO.

 

[Mark W]

Don't count on straightening it with a torch and sledgehammmer or by running abead. This housing is much too heavy to affect this way. BTDT.


Mark...

 

[Tapage]

To the OP: I'm curious how it might be that you bent the short side. It's darn near impossible to do without some sort of front end impact without bending the long side as well.

DITTO I thought yes .. or in a big jump !

 

[Moby]

I did get hit the driver's side a few years back by a guy that ran a stop sign. I needed a new relay rod and some other things. Could have happened then but I would have thought the long side would have taken the damage in that case. I'm guessing this happened before I got the truck.

It doesn't appear to be bent that much. It drives fine. I don't think that I even would have noticed it except that I tried to put my Longfields in without grinding the housing which caused me to look everything over real closely. All the contact was on the front side of the knuckle - the Long was actually slightly rubbing the knuckle on the front side even after it was all the way in.

This also explains why this side was always leaking gear oil into the knuckles even though the seal had been replaced twice (I paid Toyota to do it when I bought the truck, then they redid it under warranty when it leaked again, it was done for my regear and then it was leaking again when I tore it down myself this time).

I picked up a used housing this morning from a local Toyota recycler. It's sitting outside my office in my A4 wagon stinkin' it up like gear oil