2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission Axle Problems

[ScottLauer]

Ok so somewhere in all my hot rodding and other activities of similliar mental intellectualism(I think thats a word) I bent my front axle. It could have been when I was jumping it out at the lake or when I drove it into the ditch. It's hard telling. ( Little things like that shouldn't bend a an axle should it?)



I'm just looking for some ideas of what to do now. It's not bent bad i've got 1. 5 degrees of negative camber on one side and 3/8 on the other. Here are what I think of my options:



1 turn it into insurance and get a new front axle and watch my premiums go up. Or just buy a new axle and hope the dealer uses some form of lubrication.



2 Use the axle I have and try to bend it back(if thats possible) and then weld bracing to the bottom(I was planning on bracing it anyways) to help hold it in place. The distortion caused by the welding should hopefully keep it from bending back. Or it might bend it the other way who knows.



3 Say to hell with the stock D60 and start looking for a high pinion out of an older ford. But then I'll run into problems of moving all the suspension components from one axle to another and also

wheel bolt patterns.



I have something else to drive so the Dodge is going to be parked for a while(unless I need to pull a trailer) so that I don't eat up my front tires.



Any suggestions?

 

[Loren]

Scott,



I am assuming a few things from your post. First, you have a four-wheel-drive truck. Right?



Second, you bent the axle housing, not the axle. Also right?



Third, you are talking about the front axle, since you mention the D60, and I don't think that axle was used on the rear. Also, you mention eating up the front tires. Is this right too?



My thoughts:

If your damage is covered by your insurance, why wouldn't you turn it in and have them pay for it? Isn't this why you bought the insurance in the first place? If your premiums will go up because of a single claim, maybe you should be talking to a different company.



I am always looking for excuses to upgrade my truck and install some new accessory. If you do this too, here's your chance.



Good luck.

Loren

 

[ScottLauer]

yes it is a 4wd. The axle tubes are bent not the actually spinning axle inside the tubes.



As for the insurance, it would be classified as an at-fault accident.



The negative camber caused by the bent housing is what eats up the tires. Though it shoud corner better now eh?

 

[Bob4x4]

You should be able to find a used d60,but you will probably want to truss it before you install the replacement to prevent a reoccurance. here is a pic of mine during the trussing. (AAM)

#ad




It was designed to not give up much clearance because I like to 4 wheel as well as go fast.

The swap is straight forward something with in the capabilities of the diyer



Bob

 

[ScottLauer]

Your pictures are not showing up. Could you email them to me please? Or else clue me in as to how I can make them appear? Thanks.

 

[Bunyan]

Did you get an 02 with or without the CAD? I've heard of the axle tubes bending with the cad do to having those heavy front bumpers and wheeling. To bad you live so far away. I'd like to wheel with you.

 

[ScottLauer]

Its without the CAD.



I should make note that the previous owner drove it into the ditch and bent the axle. He assured me that the axle and all the suspension and steering components(except for the gear box Which I can tell I'm going to have to replace eventually) are all new. Right down to the fancy new yellow bilsteins. Everything was tight and the truck drives beautifully. Doesn't wander at all. The steering feels heavy though when you turn the wheel. And I get some bad wheel hop when I'm going slow in the sand. Especially after you stop and start moving again.



I'm pretty sure that I'm the one who bent it but there is a chance I could have bought it that way. Though I have no reason to doubt his word. Like I said everything under the front end looked new with brand new tires. I've had the truck for about 14,000 miles now and the inside lugs of the Wild Countrys were wearing bad and thats what prompted me to take it into the alignment shop. Where they informed me of the good news. yay!



Texas is only a day or two drive away. What are you complaining for!!!

 

[Bob4x4]

E-mail sent

The fix for wheel hop in the sand is to air down. 90% of the time thats all it takes as long as you have the right size tire



Bob

 

[EBung]

Hey you live kinda close to me! You wouldn't be talking about Big Mac would you? Alot of body shops have frame machines that are capable of straightening housings. Otherwise I would try a scrap yard and just get a used housing but finding a non-cad 02 might be difficult around here.

 

[ScottLauer]

I knew there had to be someone from western nebraska on here besides me. We out here are kind of like the proverbial red-headed step child it seems.

And yep that would be Big Mac. Usually Ogallala Beach or the less crowded ares on the north side towards the west. NP is only about an hour away. We'll have to get together some time.



Thanks for the pictures Bob. I guess its time for me to get my own onboard air compressor huh?

I'll do some calling and update you guys as I go. Thanks.

 

[EBung]

I knew there had to be someone from western nebraska on here besides me. We out here are kind of like the proverbial red-headed step child it seems.

And yep that would be Big Mac. Usually Ogallala Beach or the less crowded ares on the north side towards the west. NP is only about an hour away. We'll have to get together some time.



Thanks for the pictures Bob. I guess its time for me to get my own onboard air compressor huh?

I'll do some calling and update you guys as I go. Thanks.

I air down the toyos to 20psi and the truck just cruises effortlessly in the sand all day. Its amazing the difference it makes.

 

[Joe Mc]

You should be able to find a used d60,but you will probably want to truss it before you install the replacement to prevent a reoccurance. here is a pic of mine during the trussing It was designed to not give up much clearance because I like to 4 wheel as well as go fast.

The swap is straight forward something with in the capabilities of the diyer



Bob

Dang Bob! That is awsome!!!Oo.

 

[Bob4x4]

Dang Bob! That is awsome!!!Oo.

That work came out of the Carli suspension shop by way of master fabricator Baja Mike.



Bob

 

[ScottLauer]

Ok hold the phone for a second. The alignment shop I went to told me that the only adjustment they cand make on a 4X4 Ram is Toe. They said both Caster and Camber are nonadjustable. But from the searching I've done here they are adjustable. From what I can tell the tech didn't actually check the axle tubes but just went off of the Camber specs.



So is the shop full of BS? and if they are is 1. 5* too much to be caused by a bad alignment or a slipped eccentric? Could I maybe get it dialed out by finding a shop that knows what they are doing?

I still haven't called any shops about it yet and I haven't checked the axle with a straightedge either.