Bent Axle?

[xatex]

has anyone had this problem??? I have a small vibration, hardly noticeable going down the road, and vibration when i hit the brake. I notice whenthe car is on jackstands with the rear brake drums off, and the motor in 1st gear, running, the right rear axle where the drum mounts on, isn't rotating straight. It's like the axle is bent. Do they make these new? I'm surprised that thick piece of metal would just bend like that.

[glutamodo]

Yeah you can get new ones, but they are expensive!

http://www2.cip1.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=C12%2D5040%2D10

[sled]

you dont need those expensive ones, those are for drag racing

http://www2.cip1.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=VWC%2D111%2D501%2D201%2DA

will work.

[KPottorff]

Clarify what type suspension you are working with.

IRS axles are not that expensive.

Neither are the swing types, but you wouldn't see if it is bent without disassembling the section. And due to its construction it would take an awful hit to bend it. Probably total the car also.

[glutamodo]

[xatex]

Yes, it's a 1961 swingaxle. I bought the transaxle used. Unfortunately I don't have my old axles, or the tubes they run through, at this point, I think it could be the tube the axle goes through could be bent, OR the axle could be bent, OR maybe both. So... I'm getting a transaxle rebuilt from KCR Trans, so this one is coming out anyways, but I'm responsible for the axles....

When I pull the transaxle I'll inspect all this closely. I could live with this vibration, but I think it would cause damage to other components like the bearing, brake cylinder, etc, if I don't take care of it. Thanks for the link, they have everything I would need if I can't find it in town. I screwed up by not saving my old stuff.

[Alan Willis]

Kevin usually has good used German axles;buy his.
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die schwarzen Schafe #666

[hpw]

Is there a way to tell if your axles are bent? I bought used ones

and have them installed and both drums "wobble" when rotating. Is that

a good an indication as any?

Also this is a swing axle.
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3SLIzSCt_cg&list=FLIX26sGa8__1F1loczLPTtg&index=2

[hpw]

Also I have not torqued the axle nuts down if that would make any difference.
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3SLIzSCt_cg&list=FLIX26sGa8__1F1loczLPTtg&index=2

[puttin slow]

I am having the same problem with my right rear. Could it just be the drum? The rim is straight because i took it off. But the drum is clearly not spinning straight when i turn it. I guess the best way would be to take it off and lay it on flat concrete?

[hpw]

[puttin slow]

everything is still torqued down on mine. i only took the wheel off, spun thr drum and could clearly see that it was not right. I rolled the rim and tire also and could clearly see that it was straight. I'm just trying to figure out what the attack plan should be to see if the axle is bent or not.

[79SuperVert]

I had a similar problem on my '65 vert, where the back window would wobble as I drove, and I would hear a strange faint scraping noise from the right rear wheel as I drove slowly. I looked closely at the inside of the back wheel and noticed that the bottom of the brake backing plate was further from the brake drum than the top. To me that was an indication that at some time in the car's past it had been slid hard into a curb or something similar.

I finally ended up pulling out the rear axle because there really was no other way to be absolutely sure. By rolling it on a flat hard surface I could sure enough see that it wobbled as it rolled. I couldn't believe it because it really is a thick piece of metal, but it was real obvious when I saw it on the table.

I measured it carefully before looking for another one, because they come in three different lengths. I found it by searching the classifieds here. And I did the "roll test" on the replacement one too, just to be sure. No wobbling.

Also note that when putting the replacement axle back in, you have to make sure that the "fulcrum plates" that fit on either side of the blade at the end of the axle are not preventing the axle from going all the way into the differential. Otherwise the axle bearing will not go all the way onto the axle and you won't be able to get the axle nut on correctly.
_________________
Central Jersey VW Society

Wanted: Art Collins VW (Savannah, Georgia) items - license plate surrounds and other items. Also ivory "AM", "FM" and "SW" buttons for a US Blaupunkt Frankfurt.

[vwblue1967]

i plowed into a curb a whil back bent a axle.... i took it out n really couldnt tell by looking @ it or by rolling it, but once replaced no more wobble,,,, to see if it was bent i moved the jack handle next t my rear rotor n put the little clip (that holds the brake line to the axle housing) on the handle touching the rotor ,n when spinning the rotor you could see the clip get pushed back (from the wobble in the rotor).... the bug-me videos show that there were 3 different colors(i think) of axles...there is a stripe on them u cantsee till its removed... the one i replaced wasnt the same color but when measured w/a feeler guage the space between the axle n fulcrum plates were very close...all good now
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67 bug-17" gti wheels, 4 wheel disk
1641- dual 40mm kads pertronix ignitor
stock heads 009 dizzy

[puttin slow]

I guess im going to have to pull the motor and tranny then. I have another tranny laying around so if the axles arent the same as the ones in my 63, then i will have to swap out the whole tranny i guess. I wish i would have know this a month back because I just changed the axle bearing out. That was a waste

[79SuperVert]

You don't have to pull the transmission to check the axles. But you do have to pull the engine to get to the transmission mounts so that you can raise the transmission enough to be able to get the side covers past the frame forks. Then you can remove the axle tubes and the axles.
_________________
Central Jersey VW Society

Wanted: Art Collins VW (Savannah, Georgia) items - license plate surrounds and other items. Also ivory "AM", "FM" and "SW" buttons for a US Blaupunkt Frankfurt.

[drscope]

[glutamodo]

Agreed, DO NOT try to get the side covers loose with the tranny in the car, you end up prying on them to get them to clear the studs past the fork, and any little bend in those will make them want to leak. Not worth it.

[anthracitedub]

I have personally changed an axle on a 65 with out removing the engine.
This car had been curbed and put on its side (gently)...it had a bent axle, drum, backing plate and wheel...he said he wasnt going that fast.
Its been a dozen or so years ago..it was a major pain, but it did come out without the removal of major components.

[79SuperVert]

No disrespect intended to the other posters, but I've seen dozens of posts from dr scope and glutamodo, and I can't think of two guys more qualified to speak about the right way to do things than them. I would follow their advice if I had to do it again (which I honest to God hope I don't have to).
_________________
Central Jersey VW Society

Wanted: Art Collins VW (Savannah, Georgia) items - license plate surrounds and other items. Also ivory "AM", "FM" and "SW" buttons for a US Blaupunkt Frankfurt.