How to check if axle case is bent?

TIGGER

Founding Member
Mar 6, 2000
849
226
84
Portland, OR
I have an 8.8 out of a SN GT. Car was in an accident. Drivers axle was bent from what I assume was from hitting a curb and the wheel took the impact. I want to be sure nothing his wrong with the case before I put an axle and bearings in. Is there an easy way and I check the case to know if it is straight?
 
  • Sponsors (?)


Id check the cast portion of the center section for cracks, especially right where the steel axle tube connects to the cast center portion. The steel tubes dont bend easy. Way more likely to crack the cast case. If there are no cracks on the cast portion and the rest is visually ok, I's say you are ok and consider the drive axle took the brunt of impact, and probably because the side impact on the wheel edge served as a lever
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
Well I worked on it last weekend. Took a good look at the case. Had to take the carrier out to get the spider gears back in as they came out as I was wrestling the bent axle shaft. I see no cracks in the case but I do see oil residue on both tubes. More on the drivers side which had the bent axle than the passenger. Still am on the fence with this case. Pictures are from the drivers side. The side that the wheel took the impact.
 

Attachments

  • 8B36DF28-E4CD-4616-A0AC-7E2037060DE1.jpeg
    8B36DF28-E4CD-4616-A0AC-7E2037060DE1.jpeg
    317.2 KB · Views: 81
  • 3D794A64-BD0E-478F-B5B2-3850B91166C7.jpeg
    3D794A64-BD0E-478F-B5B2-3850B91166C7.jpeg
    219.2 KB · Views: 82
  • C862DC44-FCBC-430F-AEEE-51AA22038F95.jpeg
    C862DC44-FCBC-430F-AEEE-51AA22038F95.jpeg
    337.5 KB · Views: 66
All 8.8 axle housings are bent if they’ve lived behind a manual transmission, and had a heavy footed driver in their history. The axles tubes tweak forward. Upper, and Lower control arm mount points rip out, and the floors crack and tear. It’s all normal sht in the life of a fox mustang.

A housing jig is the only true way to tell if the housing bearing ends are no longer inline with the carrier bearings. I’ve had rear ends bent so bad that after shortening they had to re-weld the ends back on 1/4” off center with the tube.
 
All 8.8 axle housings are bent if they’ve lived behind a manual transmission, and had a heavy footed driver in their history. The axles tubes tweak forward. Upper, and Lower control arm mount points rip out, and the floors crack and tear. It’s all normal sht in the life of a fox mustang.

A housing jig is the only true way to tell if the housing bearing ends are no longer inline with the carrier bearings. I’ve had rear ends bent so bad that after shortening they had to re-weld the ends back on 1/4” off center with the tube.
I wonder how bent a not IRS axle has to be to show up on a 4 wheel alinement?

Thanks, Mike. Now I have something else to be paranoid about. My car’s torque boxes are not messed up yet, but I know it saw regular strip time, and the racing clutch, plate and flywheel were quite cooked when I got it.
 
There has got to be a ton of these axles lay'n around so why mess with one that is probably bent?
Actually I would guess it IS bent.
I have a spare. I am trying to avoid having to setup the gears again. Current case has 3.73's in it with about 35K on them, had all new bearings installed when the gears were done. Car only had 82K on the clock when it was stolen and destroyed:cry:

Other issue I do not have a good luck setting up used gears. They always tend to want to go back to their old wear pattern on me. I put used gears 65k mile in my Saleen and struggled with them. Got it as best as I could and ran with it. Its quiet for the most part but at highway speeds, it whines a bit when I let off the throttle.

Not sure what I am going to do... Thanks for the input.
 
All 8.8 axle housings are bent if they’ve lived behind a manual transmission, and had a heavy footed driver in their history. The axles tubes tweak forward. Upper, and Lower control arm mount points rip out, and the floors crack and tear. It’s all normal sht in the life of a fox mustang.

A housing jig is the only true way to tell if the housing bearing ends are no longer inline with the carrier bearings. I’ve had rear ends bent so bad that after shortening they had to re-weld the ends back on 1/4” off center with the tube.

So what you are saying it was already bent before the car was wrecked:lol:
 
I think you guys are right. For piece of mind it is the best solution. Plus my spare axle is from an auto car so it should be straight

For now though I think I’m going to put a straight axle shaft back in it and make it roll. The car has a long way to go before it is road worthy. I have all new control arms for the rear so when I install those I will swap the case.