Rear axle tube bent in collision, how to bend back?
 

My (son's) 1997 TJ took a collision to the right rear. Crunched the corner
of the body and the bumperette, hit the tire taking it off rim, and bent
the axle and axle tube slightly. I pulled the axle from the Dana 35 and
will replace it with a take-off from someone's upgrade. Shock absorber was
yanked off its bent bolts on top; straightened that and put it back on with
new bolts. The suspension arms were both buckled and replaced with spares
from Quadratec.

I clamped a 10 foot piece of SuperStrut to the brake backing plate, and
used that as a long lever to straighten the plate square to the end of the
axle tube.

If I hold a straightedge to the axle tube, it looks to be bent forward
about 1/8 or 1/4 inch along its length still. I tried disconnecting the
suspension arm, putting a long bar into the axle tube, and heaving back
over and over. Doesn't seem to budge it much.

Any tips on straightening this thing while it's still on the vehicle?

Re: Rear axle tube bent in collision, how to bend back?
 

No matter what you do it will never be right and you are guaranteed the
seals will leak and keep leaking. Best thing to do is get a good but used
on at the bone yard you will be better off.

Coasty


"Richard J Kinch" <kinch@truetex.com> wrote in message
news:Xns98771E2D32A7Asomeconundrum@216.196.97.131. ..
> My (son's) 1997 TJ took a collision to the right rear. Crunched the
> corner
> of the body and the bumperette, hit the tire taking it off rim, and bent
> the axle and axle tube slightly. I pulled the axle from the Dana 35 and
> will replace it with a take-off from someone's upgrade. Shock absorber
> was
> yanked off its bent bolts on top; straightened that and put it back on
> with
> new bolts. The suspension arms were both buckled and replaced with spares
> from Quadratec.
>
> I clamped a 10 foot piece of SuperStrut to the brake backing plate, and
> used that as a long lever to straighten the plate square to the end of the
> axle tube.
>
> If I hold a straightedge to the axle tube, it looks to be bent forward
> about 1/8 or 1/4 inch along its length still. I tried disconnecting the
> suspension arm, putting a long bar into the axle tube, and heaving back
> over and over. Doesn't seem to budge it much.
>
> Any tips on straightening this thing while it's still on the vehicle?

Re: Rear axle tube bent in collision, how to bend back?
 

No matter what you do it will never be right and you are guaranteed the
seals will leak and keep leaking. Best thing to do is get a good but used
on at the bone yard you will be better off.

Coasty


"Richard J Kinch" <kinch@truetex.com> wrote in message
news:Xns98771E2D32A7Asomeconundrum@216.196.97.131. ..
> My (son's) 1997 TJ took a collision to the right rear. Crunched the
> corner
> of the body and the bumperette, hit the tire taking it off rim, and bent
> the axle and axle tube slightly. I pulled the axle from the Dana 35 and
> will replace it with a take-off from someone's upgrade. Shock absorber
> was
> yanked off its bent bolts on top; straightened that and put it back on
> with
> new bolts. The suspension arms were both buckled and replaced with spares
> from Quadratec.
>
> I clamped a 10 foot piece of SuperStrut to the brake backing plate, and
> used that as a long lever to straighten the plate square to the end of the
> axle tube.
>
> If I hold a straightedge to the axle tube, it looks to be bent forward
> about 1/8 or 1/4 inch along its length still. I tried disconnecting the
> suspension arm, putting a long bar into the axle tube, and heaving back
> over and over. Doesn't seem to budge it much.
>
> Any tips on straightening this thing while it's still on the vehicle?

Re: Rear axle tube bent in collision, how to bend back?
 

No matter what you do it will never be right and you are guaranteed the
seals will leak and keep leaking. Best thing to do is get a good but used
on at the bone yard you will be better off.

Coasty


"Richard J Kinch" <kinch@truetex.com> wrote in message
news:Xns98771E2D32A7Asomeconundrum@216.196.97.131. ..
> My (son's) 1997 TJ took a collision to the right rear. Crunched the
> corner
> of the body and the bumperette, hit the tire taking it off rim, and bent
> the axle and axle tube slightly. I pulled the axle from the Dana 35 and
> will replace it with a take-off from someone's upgrade. Shock absorber
> was
> yanked off its bent bolts on top; straightened that and put it back on
> with
> new bolts. The suspension arms were both buckled and replaced with spares
> from Quadratec.
>
> I clamped a 10 foot piece of SuperStrut to the brake backing plate, and
> used that as a long lever to straighten the plate square to the end of the
> axle tube.
>
> If I hold a straightedge to the axle tube, it looks to be bent forward
> about 1/8 or 1/4 inch along its length still. I tried disconnecting the
> suspension arm, putting a long bar into the axle tube, and heaving back
> over and over. Doesn't seem to budge it much.
>
> Any tips on straightening this thing while it's still on the vehicle?

Re: Rear axle tube bent in collision, how to bend back?
 

I have never heard of a successful 'fix' for a bent axle housing. I
have heard of the tubes being removed and new ones put in with again
limited success.

You won't be able to bend it 'back', it is really thick walled tubing.

I would recommend a used unit or if insurance or the 'hitter' is paying,
a new one.

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's
Canadian Off Road Trips Photos: Non members can still view!
Jan/06 http://www.imagestation.com/album/pi...?id=2115147590
(More Off Road album links at bottom of the view page)

Richard J Kinch wrote:
>
> My (son's) 1997 TJ took a collision to the right rear. Crunched the corner
> of the body and the bumperette, hit the tire taking it off rim, and bent
> the axle and axle tube slightly. I pulled the axle from the Dana 35 and
> will replace it with a take-off from someone's upgrade. Shock absorber was
> yanked off its bent bolts on top; straightened that and put it back on with
> new bolts. The suspension arms were both buckled and replaced with spares
> from Quadratec.
>
> I clamped a 10 foot piece of SuperStrut to the brake backing plate, and
> used that as a long lever to straighten the plate square to the end of the
> axle tube.
>
> If I hold a straightedge to the axle tube, it looks to be bent forward
> about 1/8 or 1/4 inch along its length still. I tried disconnecting the
> suspension arm, putting a long bar into the axle tube, and heaving back
> over and over. Doesn't seem to budge it much.
>
> Any tips on straightening this thing while it's still on the vehicle?

Re: Rear axle tube bent in collision, how to bend back?
 

I have never heard of a successful 'fix' for a bent axle housing. I
have heard of the tubes being removed and new ones put in with again
limited success.

You won't be able to bend it 'back', it is really thick walled tubing.

I would recommend a used unit or if insurance or the 'hitter' is paying,
a new one.

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's
Canadian Off Road Trips Photos: Non members can still view!
Jan/06 http://www.imagestation.com/album/pi...?id=2115147590
(More Off Road album links at bottom of the view page)

Richard J Kinch wrote:
>
> My (son's) 1997 TJ took a collision to the right rear. Crunched the corner
> of the body and the bumperette, hit the tire taking it off rim, and bent
> the axle and axle tube slightly. I pulled the axle from the Dana 35 and
> will replace it with a take-off from someone's upgrade. Shock absorber was
> yanked off its bent bolts on top; straightened that and put it back on with
> new bolts. The suspension arms were both buckled and replaced with spares
> from Quadratec.
>
> I clamped a 10 foot piece of SuperStrut to the brake backing plate, and
> used that as a long lever to straighten the plate square to the end of the
> axle tube.
>
> If I hold a straightedge to the axle tube, it looks to be bent forward
> about 1/8 or 1/4 inch along its length still. I tried disconnecting the
> suspension arm, putting a long bar into the axle tube, and heaving back
> over and over. Doesn't seem to budge it much.
>
> Any tips on straightening this thing while it's still on the vehicle?

Re: Rear axle tube bent in collision, how to bend back?
 

I have never heard of a successful 'fix' for a bent axle housing. I
have heard of the tubes being removed and new ones put in with again
limited success.

You won't be able to bend it 'back', it is really thick walled tubing.

I would recommend a used unit or if insurance or the 'hitter' is paying,
a new one.

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's
Canadian Off Road Trips Photos: Non members can still view!
Jan/06 http://www.imagestation.com/album/pi...?id=2115147590
(More Off Road album links at bottom of the view page)

Richard J Kinch wrote:
>
> My (son's) 1997 TJ took a collision to the right rear. Crunched the corner
> of the body and the bumperette, hit the tire taking it off rim, and bent
> the axle and axle tube slightly. I pulled the axle from the Dana 35 and
> will replace it with a take-off from someone's upgrade. Shock absorber was
> yanked off its bent bolts on top; straightened that and put it back on with
> new bolts. The suspension arms were both buckled and replaced with spares
> from Quadratec.
>
> I clamped a 10 foot piece of SuperStrut to the brake backing plate, and
> used that as a long lever to straighten the plate square to the end of the
> axle tube.
>
> If I hold a straightedge to the axle tube, it looks to be bent forward
> about 1/8 or 1/4 inch along its length still. I tried disconnecting the
> suspension arm, putting a long bar into the axle tube, and heaving back
> over and over. Doesn't seem to budge it much.
>
> Any tips on straightening this thing while it's still on the vehicle?

Re: Rear axle tube bent in collision, how to bend back?
 

Get another axle, aren't they free for the taking from people
trying to clean the junk from their back yards?
God Bless America, Bill O|||||||O
mailto:-------------------- http://www.----------.com/

Richard J Kinch wrote:
>
> My (son's) 1997 TJ took a collision to the right rear. Crunched the corner
> of the body and the bumperette, hit the tire taking it off rim, and bent
> the axle and axle tube slightly. I pulled the axle from the Dana 35 and
> will replace it with a take-off from someone's upgrade. Shock absorber was
> yanked off its bent bolts on top; straightened that and put it back on with
> new bolts. The suspension arms were both buckled and replaced with spares
> from Quadratec.
>
> I clamped a 10 foot piece of SuperStrut to the brake backing plate, and
> used that as a long lever to straighten the plate square to the end of the
> axle tube.
>
> If I hold a straightedge to the axle tube, it looks to be bent forward
> about 1/8 or 1/4 inch along its length still. I tried disconnecting the
> suspension arm, putting a long bar into the axle tube, and heaving back
> over and over. Doesn't seem to budge it much.
>
> Any tips on straightening this thing while it's still on the vehicle?

Re: Rear axle tube bent in collision, how to bend back?
 

Get another axle, aren't they free for the taking from people
trying to clean the junk from their back yards?
God Bless America, Bill O|||||||O
mailto:-------------------- http://www.----------.com/

Richard J Kinch wrote:
>
> My (son's) 1997 TJ took a collision to the right rear. Crunched the corner
> of the body and the bumperette, hit the tire taking it off rim, and bent
> the axle and axle tube slightly. I pulled the axle from the Dana 35 and
> will replace it with a take-off from someone's upgrade. Shock absorber was
> yanked off its bent bolts on top; straightened that and put it back on with
> new bolts. The suspension arms were both buckled and replaced with spares
> from Quadratec.
>
> I clamped a 10 foot piece of SuperStrut to the brake backing plate, and
> used that as a long lever to straighten the plate square to the end of the
> axle tube.
>
> If I hold a straightedge to the axle tube, it looks to be bent forward
> about 1/8 or 1/4 inch along its length still. I tried disconnecting the
> suspension arm, putting a long bar into the axle tube, and heaving back
> over and over. Doesn't seem to budge it much.
>
> Any tips on straightening this thing while it's still on the vehicle?

Re: Rear axle tube bent in collision, how to bend back?
 

Get another axle, aren't they free for the taking from people
trying to clean the junk from their back yards?
God Bless America, Bill O|||||||O
mailto:-------------------- http://www.----------.com/

Richard J Kinch wrote:
>
> My (son's) 1997 TJ took a collision to the right rear. Crunched the corner
> of the body and the bumperette, hit the tire taking it off rim, and bent
> the axle and axle tube slightly. I pulled the axle from the Dana 35 and
> will replace it with a take-off from someone's upgrade. Shock absorber was
> yanked off its bent bolts on top; straightened that and put it back on with
> new bolts. The suspension arms were both buckled and replaced with spares
> from Quadratec.
>
> I clamped a 10 foot piece of SuperStrut to the brake backing plate, and
> used that as a long lever to straighten the plate square to the end of the
> axle tube.
>
> If I hold a straightedge to the axle tube, it looks to be bent forward
> about 1/8 or 1/4 inch along its length still. I tried disconnecting the
> suspension arm, putting a long bar into the axle tube, and heaving back
> over and over. Doesn't seem to budge it much.
>
> Any tips on straightening this thing while it's still on the vehicle?