Twisted Axle... Well is it or isn't it?

yea, jack up the car and spin the wheel. Watch the center of the hub and see if you have movement. More then likely it's a tire or bent rim...

 

You could probably find a place to stick an indicator to see it there's runout.

 

Ryan, You could pull the wheel of and clamp a dial indicator to the housing and read the runout on the axle flange. Axles are machined betreen centers with no runout. If it is twisted, your bearing won't last long.

 

you could pull the drum and check it with a dial indicator at the flange.

or at least have the someone drive your car and you follow to see if you can see it.

Paul

 

Holy shit.

 

Hey Ryan.
Just switch tires from side to side and see if the
run out changes. That will tell ya if its a wheel/tire
or axle.
I suspect its the tire. maybe the wheel.
-----------------------------------------------------------
"OPOSSUM BENDERS"
Central Missouri Chapter

 

if you do break the axle you can fish it out with a straightened-out coat hanger with a "noose" fashioned on the end,worked for me-george

 

It's not the axle if is a Strange axle.

I'd say wheel.

Like these guys are saying...
switch it to the other side and see if it wobbles over there.

If so, ees the wheel. If not, and the other wheel wobbles on that same side, check the flange with a dialindicator.

If the flange is Ok, check to make sure the lug nuts are not bottoming out on the studs.

Often times the shank on a lug nut is too long for the wheel (if you're using mag wheels) or the splined part of the stud is longer than the thickness of the axle flange and the drum put together...

But I'm pretty sure your Strange axles have screw in studs and not press in ones.

Sam!

 

I dont know, you said it was only noticeable at certain speeds.

Youd think something that was permanatly bent, whether it was an axle or a wheel would show signs continuously, right?

It may be a form of wheel hop. Not sure what you were doing when it happened.

I had shackles on my leaf springs once to raise it, and i would get weird vibrations and 'hops' at different times too.

Just another thing to think about if youve messed with the suspention lately, or could be worn out bushings and stuff too?

 

I forgot what wheels are on your car- but if they are narrow steelies -Ive seen them where the tire will not blow out completely square to the bead- or in effect be partially inflated out onto the bead,causing the tire to wobbble.[on a straight wheel]-just a thought.

 

pull the motor out and send it to me, I will see if I have the same problem in my wagon...

 

Fwiw - Harbor Freight has a dial indicator with magnetic stand that's dirt cheap and works pretty well.

You should be able to take a reading off the axle flange with it.

If you can't set the base up on your car, set it up on a well-braced jackstand and see what you have.

Get one, there's a whole lot of uses for a dial indicator.

Like in .050....

 

I'd start simple do the swap from one side to the other and see if you still see it, If it's not significant enough to see it while your driving it, take that wheel and tire up to the your favorite shop and have them spin it on the balencer they should be able to tell if it's bent. I've got a back wheel bent on my daily driver (Hit the curb trying to run over an old lady) and it isn't noticable till I hit about 70 or so.
MONGO

 

Get a video camera and record yourself doing a smokey burnout and post it here.

Maybe we can tell what the problem from the video.

If not, try another burnout.

(Actually, I agree... its the wheel and/or tire. I had a similar problem with my El Camino. Swapped sides to confirm... dismounted the tire and checked the rim for straightness... seemed ok. Mounted it back up... Viola! Problem solved!)

 

Hey, no sweat, man...I'll drive it real careful while you watch for the wobble..hahahahahaha!
Actually, I wouldn't be surprised to know I recorded the right rear wheel being bent on my video camera at the drags... We were just coming into the motel parking lot, towing the Race Rambler [TM] with the Rocky Goodtime Van and you came outta the side street in front of us...sideways with the tires on fire....as usual...BUWAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!
The car caught traction with a violent lurch sideways..impressive but I remember thinking how hard that must be on those steelies.....Scotty had the camera going and he caught just the end of the "maneuver" on tape..
Just an idea.

 

I think that you would have a vibration problem if you have a twisted axle and the bearing would wear out super fast. Whatever it is fix it before the end of March so us Texas boys can see your car at the Roundup.

 

If they're radials, maybe you slipped a belt...

 

Ryan,
If your running Strange axles I wouldn't think that you twisted an axle. Those axles are pretty stout.
I guess if you curbed it hard enough you could have bent a flange, but I would think that the wheel would go first, it is the weekest link.
Actually a twisted axle shouldn't show a wheel wobble, unless the axle was right on the verge of separateing.
You may have a bearing on its way out, but it should be rumbling, although in a rod that would be hard to hear.
Pick it up and latch onto the wheel and see if you got any play
If you need a dial indicater I can fix you up. Not a problem.
You can also use a bent coat hanger, it won't tell you in thousandths but it will give you a pretty good idea.
Sorry, I just had to get involved

 

[ QUOTE ]
It's not the axle if is a Strange axle.

I'd say wheel.



[/ QUOTE ]

We Ran six seasons with Strange Axles in a 2,600 lb 67 Chev II Big Block 8.7 Quarters @ 160..., carry the fronts well past the sixty foot line at 1.24 sec...., it's not your axles!

But there are "Lots of Square tires" out there...!!!

Ask Krupanut..!

Mark