Bending a rear axle

So, I found a mechanic locally with a press to replace my rear wheel bearings. When I picked up the axle I noticed damaged splines which he cleared up. Sadly I had to spend another half hour on it so that it would actually slide into the differential.

Long story short; he tried to press the old bearing off without removing the retainer clip.

How much would it take for a shop press the bend that axle?

 

I hope this “mechanic” is the one paying for all this

 

Putting massive amounts of force between the ends of something as long as an axle could certainly bow it in the middle. What I find strange is that he damaged the splines. I’ve pressed a lot of stuff in a press and I can’t imagine how he could possibly damage the splines in the press. It sounds like he was beating on it with a very large hammer. Regardless, it’s obvious he had no idea what he was doing. If you really want to know if the axles bent, take it to a machine shop and have them put it in a lathe between centers and run a dial indicator on the seal surface. If it has more that about .015” runout, it’s bent.

 

I would say depends how the axle was placed on the press, if it wasnt supported correctly you could easily bent the area where the lugs are pressed into


Better to just replace the axle then try to fix one.

 

Throw a straight edge on it you’ll know real quick

 

I gave him the tool to support the backing plate. It was loosely attached to the axle.

I bought a junk yard rear end, for the axles and tubes to make the tool. Thankfully I have a spare, which I'm running at the moment.

I showed him the new bearing, washer, spacer, and retaining clip. I even mentioned that the washer was particular in how it was installed.

He said that he put a socket over splines. There's also evidence of a hammer impact...

 

2 foot aluminum level. It's definitely bowed in the middle. You can see it and the gap at the splines open and close.

 

Probably not what you want to hear.
But you’re likely better off getting a new axle.
I would not try bending it back. You’re probably going to need to have a conversation with the “mechanic” that replace the bearings.

Hopefully, he helps make it right.

 

This ^ the O.P.s repair guy must use caveman ways of doing things.

 

Hard to believe crap like this happens in a shop no less.

Larzzzz I hope you get your money back and he pays for a replacement axle and lord knows what he did to the bearings.

 

Ya, I can see it with the level. It's bowed well beyond the 0.015" mentioned earlier.

 

name the shop so we can stay away

 

He's in Woburn.

@Jimmyh I'll be happy if he replaces, as in provide me a new, wheel bearing and give me the C note I paid him back.

 

Definitely a beginner mechanic to stay away from, have one here that takes days to do an hour job but at least gets it right

 

Shit happens, just because it's a shop doesn't mean they aren't bound to making mistakes. Depending on the shop and their time in business though, it's simple mistakes like these which should not be happening in the first place. When they do happen though, if they are prepared to make things right, that's all that matters in the end.

 

No, not at all. He's been playing mechanic for quite a number of years. I gave him the axle, completely assembled with the tool loosely attached. I intentionally left it together so he sees how it went together. He should have pulled the tool off and looked before tightening it to the axle.

Sadly, I don't hold out hope for the bearing.... You could try an egg on the brake drum as a couple of finger tips can attest to. And no, the brakes, if anything were loose judging by the pedal travel.

 

Larry find an axle on ebay and have it shipped to you, most of the time the bearings are still good from parts trucks. Trying to fix a bent axle is pointless, ask me how i know...


Also u can make a bearing tool from a messed up axle housing so u can do the work at home with a press.

 

@jruiz555 I bought a complete rear end, cut the tubes off and had a buddy weld 1/2" plate on both tubes.

I threw one of the junk yard axles in to replace the bad bearing. Sadly, this rear end had remnants of great oil that redefined black. I gave him my original axle to replace the bearing on.

Here's what the wheel bearing looked like:

 

The outer ring area, is that where they pressed the bearing?. Theres indentations marks, that sucks i had to replace my driver side axle 1 day before a family trip on my 3rd gen 4runner. I ended up going to the junk yard and finding a used one. Luckily the bearings were good but i sweated the whole trip, every gas stop i checked to see if it leaked.

My old axle ran fine until i engaged my new rear locker and the bearing couldnt handle it and started to give out. Sooner or later i will replace both sides but for now there fine.

 

The good bearing has the brown plastic covering the tone ring. I would hope he didn't press against that.