Front Axle Woes.....

Leathernek

Leathernek

Senior Member
Hey guys,
Check these pics out of my front axle.....Seems like there is a slight bend on the passenger side of the axle orienting toward the rear of the car. The bend starts about where the ball is on the spring perch....It looks worse in person than in the pics- but I thought I'd ask the "Barners" if it is bent or not....

Thanks,
Josh

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I had the same problem with my 31 AA!! I set up a tripod port a power unit and straighten the axle with no difficultly.
 
I was told that it's always the passenger side that gets bent back because there's more things for incidental contact along side of the road--mail boxes were alleged to be particularly a problem.
 
With axle out like in photo;
If you got to do it your self,then take some chain and kind of string the axle like a bow with a 1.5 ton or more pistonjack at the highist bend point on side of axle up to the chain[chain to be adjusted to fit to jack ] and jack axle strait[keep away from chain line=be off to side when jacking,so just incase if chain lets go your not in the way;) Hooking up the chain so at axle it is pulling at btm of one kinkpin hole of bent side and at "V"bone mount on the other so you get a fairly strait line= so axle will not roll when jacked]Be carefull,best to have a shop to do it.
I've done it a few times fine and with no heat,came out nice and strait with just a few trys
 
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You might want to read my page on my axle straightening experiences:

Axle Straightening

You axle is bent severely compared to what I have seen. Normally the bend is just outside the perch pin hole. Here it looks like it hit hard enough to bend beyond the perch pin, OR I would worry the axle had been heated and weakened at the perch. I would want to take the wish bone off and work it out where I could lay it in the press. Pay close attention to how much force it takes to get it to move.
 
looks like someone put a chain on it and jerked the car out of a ditch. But it looks as if it can be straightened cold. My buddys woodie was hit and run on the left front wheel by some jerk in a Chrysler 300 and sent careening across the street on 2 wheels, where it hit the curb with the opposite wheel. The axle ended up S shaped. We just replaced it with one given to us by a good man down the road apiece. Later, when we were at an axle shop that makes drop axles, just for the heck of it we asked the smith if it was a goner. He straightened the middle cold in a 50 ton press, heated the ends to get them straight, then tweaked it using rods to align it and then tempered it . It looks good as new.
 
Mine was bent just like yours, maybe even a little worse. On my car it must have happened years ago and my grandfather never bothered with it. I was surprised the car drove as well as it did. I had the fenders off and noticed one tire was a couple inches closer to the front bumper than the other. In my case the wishbone was tweaked as well so we separated the axle and wishbone and put my axle in a 17 ton press and straightened it cold. It took nearly all 17 tons too and a couple trys to get everything good and straight. I ended up getting another wishbone since mine was bent and the ball was excessively worn. I'm just now in the process of getting my axle put back on the car. Its painted and good as new! ;)
 
UPDATE!!!!!!!!!Great news guys!!!! I utilized all of the good information that you gave me, found someone with a press and in three presses was able to straighten my front axle!!!! Funny story though- Before I did all of this, I took it to a metal fab shop to see if they could do it for me. When I told the guy that I didn't want the axle heated he proceeded to tell me that "you only know what other people have told you" and "if you're gonna tell me how to do it- I won't touch it." What a douchebag that guy was.:mad: Anyways, I did it myself following YOUR advice and the thing is straight as an arrow.:D I think I may take it back by that guy's shop and say "I told you so!" :p Man, I love this ol' barn!!!!!! Thanks for everything guys- ya'll are the best!!!!!

Josh
 
Back in 54 when I had my first A ,An old fellow who was the town drunk drove his 28 A coupe into a power pole It knocked the bumper off,folded the rad over the engine,buckled the hood and bent the frame down about 3" at the rear mount on one side.He put another rad & hood on it & never bothered to straighten the frame or axle.He just drove it that way & it was quite a site to see it going down the road.
 
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