Checking straightness of axle housing

Kenny Wigington · 10-04-2010, 09:47 PM

I am looking for someone in the ATL area, if possible, that has an alignment bar to fit am 8.5 10 bolt housing. I think it could be bent a little, costing me some et. I know its not rolling as good as it did.

Thanks in advance !

Tom Goldman · 10-04-2010, 11:20 PM

Kenny, A quick and simple way to check the housing is to mark a point on each tire and measure the distance across ,then rotate the axle , measuring at the same marks as you rotate the tires. this will show both toe and camber bends in the housing........An old insurance adjuster showed me this many years ago when I told him a car we were working on had a bent axle housing ,and he told me to prove it. .........It works even if the axle flange or rim is bent as long as the tires are turned together ......Tom

Mark Yacavone · 10-05-2010, 02:29 AM

Kenny, Loosen the left hand axle ,but don't take it all the way out of the spool . Move it around in a circle and see if you have the same distance and gap , front and back. If the axle slips right back in, the housing is not bent enough to worry about.

Wade Mahaffey · 10-05-2010, 09:24 AM

I think I agree with mark if he is saying this. Pull the axle out of the housing on each side, just till it clears the axle bearing. Now you should be able to move the axle slightly up, down, foward, and backward an equal amount from the center of the housing. In other words an equal amount of play in all directions. If not, I would go in with an alignment bar. If the car is (you say) harder to push, and the rear is bent enough to cause that, it would be very difficult to even get the axle out!

Wade Mahaffey

Kenny Wigington · 10-05-2010, 10:34 AM

Thanks ! I will get on this and see where we are !

Jim B · 10-05-2010, 03:46 PM

I don't know if you have one, but alot of the circle track guys push the car over an old style floor toe plate. It gives you a quick and dirty heads up on toe in that could translate into drag. I know that enough rear end toe in (or out for that matter) that causes a noticeable drag will show up on the toe plate.

Mike Pearson · 10-05-2010, 05:50 PM

Kenny,
The way I was told to check the housing is to drop the rear out of the car. Bolt the tires back on the rear end. With the tires on the ground or on some blocking rotate the housing keeping the tires in one spot. If the housing is bent the tires will move in and out as you rotate the rear end housing.

Kenny Wigington · 10-05-2010, 07:10 PM

Jim, that should be the easiest way ! Mike, you are the 2nd person that has suggested that way. Thanks to you both.

Daran Summerton · 10-05-2010, 08:52 PM

Do you really need 2 axles with a stock 305??? HMMMMMmmmm

Kenny Wigington · 10-06-2010, 04:38 PM

Daran, I would run just the one, if I knew you were in the other lane......

10-04-2010, 09:47 PM	#1
Kenny Wigington Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Cumming,Ga. USA Posts: 967 Likes: 36 Liked 60 Times in 12 Posts	Checking straightness of axle housing I am looking for someone in the ATL area, if possible, that has an alignment bar to fit am 8.5 10 bolt housing. I think it could be bent a little, costing me some et. I know its not rolling as good as it did. Thanks in advance ! __________________ 2894 STK

10-04-2010, 11:20 PM	#2
Tom Goldman VIP Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Allentown,PA Posts: 2,476 Likes: 891 Liked 882 Times in 236 Posts	Re: Checking straightness of axle housing Kenny, A quick and simple way to check the housing is to mark a point on each tire and measure the distance across ,then rotate the axle , measuring at the same marks as you rotate the tires. this will show both toe and camber bends in the housing........An old insurance adjuster showed me this many years ago when I told him a car we were working on had a bent axle housing ,and he told me to prove it. .........It works even if the axle flange or rim is bent as long as the tires are turned together ......Tom __________________ Tom Goldman 1500 SG , 1506 STK

10-05-2010, 02:29 AM	#3
Mark Yacavone Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Miles From Nowhere Posts: 7,817 Likes: 2,907 Liked 5,124 Times in 1,953 Posts	Re: Checking straightness of axle housing Kenny, Loosen the left hand axle ,but don't take it all the way out of the spool . Move it around in a circle and see if you have the same distance and gap , front and back. If the axle slips right back in, the housing is not bent enough to worry about. __________________ "We are lucky we don't get as much Government as we pay for." Will Rogers

10-05-2010, 09:24 AM	#4
Wade Mahaffey Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 581 Likes: 0 Liked 17 Times in 7 Posts	Re: Checking straightness of axle housing I think I agree with mark if he is saying this. Pull the axle out of the housing on each side, just till it clears the axle bearing. Now you should be able to move the axle slightly up, down, foward, and backward an equal amount from the center of the housing. In other words an equal amount of play in all directions. If not, I would go in with an alignment bar. If the car is (you say) harder to push, and the rear is bent enough to cause that, it would be very difficult to even get the axle out! Wade Mahaffey

10-05-2010, 10:34 AM	#5
Kenny Wigington Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Cumming,Ga. USA Posts: 967 Likes: 36 Liked 60 Times in 12 Posts	Re: Checking straightness of axle housing Thanks ! I will get on this and see where we are ! __________________ 2894 STK

10-05-2010, 03:46 PM	#6
Jim B Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 100 Likes: 0 Liked 1 Time in 1 Post	Re: Checking straightness of axle housing I don't know if you have one, but alot of the circle track guys push the car over an old style floor toe plate. It gives you a quick and dirty heads up on toe in that could translate into drag. I know that enough rear end toe in (or out for that matter) that causes a noticeable drag will show up on the toe plate.

10-05-2010, 05:50 PM	#7
Mike Pearson VIP Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 2,450 Likes: 615 Liked 1,931 Times in 580 Posts	Re: Checking straightness of axle housing Kenny, The way I was told to check the housing is to drop the rear out of the car. Bolt the tires back on the rear end. With the tires on the ground or on some blocking rotate the housing keeping the tires in one spot. If the housing is bent the tires will move in and out as you rotate the rear end housing. __________________ Mike Pearson 2485 SS

10-05-2010, 07:10 PM	#8
Kenny Wigington Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Cumming,Ga. USA Posts: 967 Likes: 36 Liked 60 Times in 12 Posts	Re: Checking straightness of axle housing Jim, that should be the easiest way ! Mike, you are the 2nd person that has suggested that way. Thanks to you both. __________________ 2894 STK

10-05-2010, 08:52 PM	#9
Daran Summerton Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Las Vegas nv Posts: 600 Likes: 18 Liked 66 Times in 37 Posts	Re: Checking straightness of axle housing Do you really need 2 axles with a stock 305??? HMMMMMmmmm __________________ 72 cutlass

10-06-2010, 04:38 PM	#10
Kenny Wigington Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Cumming,Ga. USA Posts: 967 Likes: 36 Liked 60 Times in 12 Posts	Re: Checking straightness of axle housing Daran, I would run just the one, if I knew you were in the other lane...... __________________ 2894 STK