Dana 44 may be bent?

The axle does not need to be removed to swap out the TruTrac and put in the locker. But, the shop would be able to explain why the axle isn't bent.

The vehicle it came out of was jumped in the air and came down hard writing it off it would seem. That Dana 44 is total garbage, there is no fixing it to be trustworthy again. That much impact has killed the tube's socket seats even and it will never hold a bearing or seal again.

Mike

86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00 88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's

Troy wrote:

Did the alignment shop actually check the rear camber? True there is no adjustment but if the axle is bent, tire wear is the least of your problems...

Can a home user measure camber with any kind of accuracy? Makes me want to double check mine.

Measure from wheel rim to wheel rim, top and bottom. The measurements should be the same.

is 0 degree caster correct for a rear axle on a CJ? and 4 degree in the front??

Yes.

Figure the angle start is normally the axle center and use a machinist level or short carpenter level and a protractor. If you cut a straight wood piece to fit across the rim to rim cross distance and tape the level to it, you can get it really close by using half the angle rim to rim shows. Use a 2x4 edge on to the rim to clear the rubber and a long level even to see if the rears are vertical like they should be.

If it is visible, you have serious trouble.

If the axle is bent the wheel wobbles, if the tubes are blown, it just tilts the wheels.

Mike

86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00 88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's

Rusted wrote:

Yep, but caster and camber are different. There is no caster for a rear axle, unless you have a GM truck with Quadrasteer.

Man, ya know I can't believe this.

Right after I posted that question about the 44 I was driving to my girlfriend's house, and a guy did an improper lane change and ran into my side... nerf bar and rear left wheel. It pushed me onto the curb, where the right wheel hit the curb and shifted that entire rearend to the left several inches. Oh yeah bent the rim and unseated the tire, had to be towed to a local body shop.

I'm gonna have pictures Monday of it if anyone wants to see a $2000 3 hour old rearend smacked. Ya think insurance is gonna help me out since I have a

4 inch lift and a different rearend than what came with the jeep? Just wondering.

Troy

they probably will if you show receipts

-- Jarod Sprauer

Talk is JEEP at

281-807-JEEP (5337)

Troy did pass the time by typing:

unless your in a no-fault state it's not your insurance, it's the at-fault drivers insurance that will have to pick up the tab for the towing and repair. If they balk just remind them you could involve a lawyer but would rather just get your Jeep fixed. They should also get you a rental car while your vehicle is under repair. Have your receipts ready and an estimate from the shop. At this point I'd just demand a new axle with all new components (after all you don't know what else may have been damaged).

Hell yeah, whiplash is what bought me my '93 Cherokee LOL

Shawn

I think the accident may have worsened the camber problem... at least from what my untrained eye can tell. If the insurance doesn't replace the whole rearend, is there maybe some way I can have the shop kinda bend the tubes back somewhat in place and weld a truss over the top of the rearend, holding it in place? I asked the guy at the shop and he said he's done a couple before that way.

His guess is that the tubes are bent in the diff housing and they can't really be fixed, but the truss may straighten it out.

Any thoughts?

Troy

Not a hope of ever getting it straight again. It will always burn off tires, eat seals and cook bearings.

I would be pretty insistent about a replacement. They got off cheap if that's all that needs fixing....

Mike

86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00 88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's

Troy wrote:

What Mike said.

There is virtually no chance that they will ever be straight again. The odds are against it.

If the flange that the wheels bolt to are bent on the axle shaft, then the wheels will wobble as they go around. This is fixed easily, relatively, by replacing the axle shafts. If the axle tubes are bent where they connect to the pumpkin, then it means the D44 is toast.