axle, what?!

[LauraBoston]

So, the dealer tells me my axle is all messed up. It's about an inch off..

Could someone please explain how this is..

 

[redrooster]

An inch off What?

 

[Sully]

Front or rear?

 

[LauraBoston]

An inch off, I don't know..i didn't understand. It's the front.

He said the front drive shaft doesnt line up..

I thought the control arms keep the axle in place, I can see if it's bent, but he just siad "It's an inch off, you need a new one"

I'm gonna head up there after the tcase is done, and he's gonna show me what's up..i'm gonna try to take pictures while it's on the lift.

LOL, sorry, I was VERY vauge

 

[redrooster]

Inspect the control arms, brackets and track bar. If they are all straight then it can't be off. The driveshafts rarely point directly at the case. The u-joints can handle misalignment on multiple planes.

 

[avyoung]

Have him show you then go to another mechanic just tell him you would like a second opinion. If he gets mad then you know he is lying.

 

[L33TJ33P]

If he is replacing it for free who cares what he says, get the new one :-D

 

[mingez]

Just make sure they don't try and sell you a new cah-nutter valve. I hate to say it, but many mechanics are shady. It gives the honest ones a bad name.

 

[L33TJ33P]

or try to grease your Muffler bearings :-D

 

[redrooster]

or change the blinker fluid

Here's a hijack:
If you want to mess with the rookie at the parts counter, tell him you want to buy a body lift for a 91 Cherokee.

 

[LauraBoston]

OK, OK..

It's the bracket on the passanger side that is all messed up.

They are NOT gonna 'give' me a new axle under warantee...they want me to put a claim in with my insurance company so they will pay for it.

I asked if i could cut the bracket off, and get a new one welded on...he was like, ahhh...i guess...I'll take pics of it tomorrow..becuase I really don't know what the heck to do.

Not to metion I have Paragon coming up the weekend after Easter, and I don't want to be leaving my Jeep in PA, because the bracket snaped off...

Any suggestions?

 

[Sully]

or change the blinker fluid

Here's a hijack:
If you want to mess with the rookie at the parts counter, tell him you want to buy a body lift for a 91 Cherokee.

:lol:

 

[brian4.2]

Its a TJ right? Track bar aligns the axle to center. Yes you can cut the bracket off and reweld another. Calm down cause you dont need a new axle. you can buy these brackets online, i cant remenber where.Currie? I'd call Jason at Redrocks4x4.com. do you have a lift installed, what brand? Oh and make sure you have summer air in ALL your tires.
When I have a TJ technical question I go to jeepforum.com, plenty of traffic and not as harsh as JU or Pirate.

 

[LauraBoston]

AC Compressor/Idle question - **updated**

Yeah, it's a TJ. The track bar isn't that in the rear?

What do you mean make sure i have summer air in ALL my tires...

 

[brian4.2]

Uh OK you got me. Put spring air in there till June.(unless you have some summer air around) Track bar front and rear. This is what aligns your axles to center. Its actually OK to have the rear off center a little but not the front.

Picture would be great. Now what about a lift? do you have one?

On les expensive lifts they use rigid control arm bushings which have a tendancy to rip the brackets off the axle. Also with the less expensive lift kits they dont give you an adjustable track bar which is kind off neccessary to center the axle. :wink:

 

[TwistedCU]

Also with the less expensive lift kits they dont give you an adjustable track bar which is kind off neccessary to center the axle. :wink:

Many come with a fixed bracket designed for the lift height that the kit is designed for. This works fine, but if any additional lift (spacers, etc) are added there is no adjustment.

Laura, what kind of lift do you have? If you have a Budget boost, your axles will be off center slightly. Is the bracket actually damaged???

As Brian said, relax, no big deal if it is. Know anybody with a welder? I'm sure one of your Boston jeepers must? If it's just bent, maybe you just whacked a rock or something. It may be able to be straightened out and reinforced (a good welder should be able to hook you up there).

Sorry to hear that turned into such a fiasco :roll:

Keep us posted

 

[Sully]

Dont forget the spring air, but like the man said, summer air is best.

 

[LauraBoston]

I just got coil spacers. The bracket is torn, I am gonna try a welder, see what he can do.

Thanks for all the info.

 

[Bounty__Hunter]

Have it rewelded, then add some more metal to it to make it thicker, with more weld on the axle tube. Now that it's cracked once, it's more prone to it unless you reinforce it.

He's crazy saying that you need a new axle, but a stealership looks at it like it's not fixable, the entire axle housing has to be replaced. Hogwash.

 

[Snitty]

if the axle housing is not bent... it is fixable