Dana 44 may be bent?

I got a used dana44 rear installed into my tj and when I look at it from a
distance I notice that the tires have negative camber I think it's called...
looks like this: /-\

It looks like its gonna wear my tires unevenly, and I took it to an
alignment shop and the guy said that there's no adjustment for the rear and
to just rotate my tires frequently.

Since there is no adjustment, I'm guessing the tubes are crooked in the
housing? Can they be bent back into shape?

The shop who did the swap was supposed to put in a detroit locker, but for
some reason put in the detroit truetrac. They're gonna fix it Monday, would
they have to take the rear off again to bend it back?

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.




"Troy" <@ .> wrote in message
nk.net...
> I got a used dana44 rear installed into my tj and when I look at it from a
> distance I notice that the tires have negative camber I think it's
called...
> looks like this: /-\
>
> It looks like its gonna wear my tires unevenly, and I took it to an
> alignment shop and the guy said that there's no adjustment for the rear
and
> to just rotate my tires frequently.
>
> Since there is no adjustment, I'm guessing the tubes are crooked in the
> housing? Can they be bent back into shape?
>
> The shop who did the swap was supposed to put in a detroit locker, but for
> some reason put in the detroit truetrac. They're gonna fix it Monday,
would
> they have to take the rear off again to bend it back?
>
>

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:
>
> 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

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.





"Troy" <@ .> wrote in message
nk.net...
>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
>

Crap

Hmm, now so if I'm sol then I'm going to have to...

Have them remove the pinion, locker, carrier, axle shafts, all that stuff
and keep them for when I get a new d44 case? Is that what it's going to be
called? what's the name of what I'm looking for then? I'm still learning
as I go.

Troy

Hi Troy,
The housing may still be good, but more than likely at least one
axle is bent, as will happen with the force necessary to pop the bead of
a fully inflated tire. I make stands out of my bent axles, like this
washing machine motor and grinding wheel:
http://www.billhughes.com/bentaxle.jpg
God Bless America, ßill O|||||||O


Troy wrote:
>
> Crap
>
> Hmm, now so if I'm sol then I'm going to have to...
>
> Have them remove the pinion, locker, carrier, axle shafts, all that stuff
> and keep them for when I get a new d44 case? Is that what it's going to be
> called? what's the name of what I'm looking for then? I'm still learning
> as I go.
>
> Troy

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...

"Troy" <@ .> wrote in message
nk.net...
>I got a used dana44 rear installed into my tj and when I look at it from a
>distance I notice that the tires have negative camber I think it's
>called... looks like this: /-\
>
> It looks like its gonna wear my tires unevenly, and I took it to an
> alignment shop and the guy said that there's no adjustment for the rear
> and to just rotate my tires frequently.
>
> Since there is no adjustment, I'm guessing the tubes are crooked in the
> housing? Can they be bent back into shape?
>
> The shop who did the swap was supposed to put in a detroit locker, but for
> some reason put in the detroit truetrac. They're gonna fix it Monday,
> would they have to take the rear off again to bend it back?
>

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

"Matt Macchiarolo" > wrote in message
...
> 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...
>
> "Troy" <@ .> wrote in message
> nk.net...
>>I got a used dana44 rear installed into my tj and when I look at it from a
>>distance I notice that the tires have negative camber I think it's
>>called... looks like this: /-\
>>
>> It looks like its gonna wear my tires unevenly, and I took it to an
>> alignment shop and the guy said that there's no adjustment for the rear
>> and to just rotate my tires frequently.
>>
>> Since there is no adjustment, I'm guessing the tubes are crooked in the
>> housing? Can they be bent back into shape?
>>
>> The shop who did the swap was supposed to put in a detroit locker, but
>> for some reason put in the detroit truetrac. They're gonna fix it
>> Monday, would they have to take the rear off again to bend it back?
>>
>
>

The most complex independent suspension may be aligned with just a
plumb bob, level, tape: http://www.stockcarproducts.com/tech1o.htm
http://www.mr2.com/TEXT/BackyardAlignment.html
God Bless America, ßill O|||||||O
http://www.billhughes.com/

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