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Axle Question

Discussion in 'Early CJ5 and CJ6 Tech' started by DanStew, May 13, 2006.

  1. May 13, 2006
    DanStew

    DanStew Preowned Merkin salesman Staff Member

    Lexington, South...
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    Sep 22, 2002
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    I have been noticing the jeep axle. The passenger side (when looking forward) is ****ed inward from the top. The tire is aimed straight ahead, but it is not straight up and down. The Driver side tire on the other hand is perfectly straight. This is a wagoneer dana 44. Everything seems to be in good shape. I am thinking the lower ball joint is bad, but a visual inspection of it with the vehicle on the ground looks like it is in good shape. But the tire is defniately not straight up adn down. The bearings are good on the spindle and nothing was bent when i had it apart. What else do you look for to fix this? This is probably something that is causing my wander.
     
    DanStew, May 13, 2006
    #1
  2. May 13, 2006
    jpflat2a

    jpflat2a what's that noise?

    Hermosa, SD
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    Jul 30, 2003
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    Dan
    if nothing wrong with ball joints and/or knuckle or wheel bearings/spindle, only one thing left...the housing, possibly bent...
    they do make shims to go between the knuckle and the spindle for correction, not that I would recommend them... just depends on how bad it is IMO
    of course, you would have to check everything else first, and then have a reading taken for how many degrees it is out to know which shim to install
     
    jpflat2a, May 13, 2006
    #2
  3. May 13, 2006
    DanStew

    DanStew Preowned Merkin salesman Staff Member

    Lexington, South...
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    :( Not what i really wanted to hear, but i understand. It is the short side that the not so straight tire is on.

    actually to think of it, if the housing was bent wouldnt both sides be not so straight? Hard to imagine a housing bending as thick as this, but i cant say for certain that the axles were not involved in a wreck at some time. :(

    So how do you masure an axle to see if the housing is bent?
     
    DanStew, May 13, 2006
    #3
  4. May 13, 2006
    jpflat2a

    jpflat2a what's that noise?

    Hermosa, SD
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    the few I've detected have always been by eyeball engineering...
    some else will have a better method and chime in !
    tape measure and strings I'm sure
     
    jpflat2a, May 13, 2006
    #4
  5. May 13, 2006
    jd7

    jd7 Sponsor

    Nacogdoches,Texas
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    Mar 30, 2004
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    1,745
    Dan used to be a front end shop could bend the Ford twin I beam or straight axles. This also worked to some extent with front 4x4 axles. Might be worth a try, Id truss it one it was straight though.
     
    jd7, May 13, 2006
    #5
  6. May 13, 2006
    tinker

    tinker GNGPN

    winnipeg,manitoba...
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    Feb 17, 2005
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    One other thing to check before getting to crazy in the rip and tear department.If you remove the nut on the lower ball joint you might see an offset bushing threaded into the hole.They are avaible in differnt degrees to adjust for slighty bent housings.Sometimes they turn in the knuckle.You get funny steering and not a good looking wheel position.A string line from tie rod to tie rod will give you something to compare to.
     
    tinker, May 13, 2006
    #6
  7. May 13, 2006
    kamel

    kamel Senior Curmudgeon

    Erlanger, Kentucky
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    Jun 10, 2003
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    Camber??

    Maybe the straight side is bad and the tilted side is good.
     
    kamel, May 13, 2006
    #7
  8. May 13, 2006
    DanStew

    DanStew Preowned Merkin salesman Staff Member

    Lexington, South...
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    I suppose that is not out of the question also.

    I do need to get it aligned, i never di align it so maybe the shop can find out the problem while in there.
     
    DanStew, May 13, 2006
    #8
  9. May 13, 2006
    Glenn

    Glenn Kinda grumpy old man Staff Member

    Apopka, Fl
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    12,381
    They do make adjustable ball joints, like Tinker was mentioning. I've got them on my F250.
     
    Glenn, May 13, 2006
    #9
  10. May 13, 2006
    DanStew

    DanStew Preowned Merkin salesman Staff Member

    Lexington, South...
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    Thanks gusy!! As soon as i make the bus legal again I can take it to the alignment shop. i haave a good place locally that does it the old fashioned way.
     
    DanStew, May 13, 2006
    #10
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