Possible Bent Front Axle

[Samlang847]

Good day everyone, so I have a 2003 jeep wrangler, I just had a wheel bearing on the front riverside give out and I was unable to drive the vehicle, I had it towed to a shop who just told me that my axle is bent. However when the wheel hub gave put, I was not moving at speed, I stopped immediately and did not try to drive it. I have new wheel bearings for it that I plan on installing myself. My question is can a failed wheel hub cause an Axle to bend or do I just need to replace the hubs and get an alignment? Thank you all for the help with the issue.

 

[Rickyd]

Good day everyone, so I have a 2003 jeep wrangler, I just had a wheel bearing on the front riverside give out and I was unable to drive the vehicle, I had it towed to a shop who just told me that my axle is bent. However when the wheel hub gave put, I was not moving at speed, I stopped immediately and did not try to drive it. I have new wheel bearings for it that I plan on installing myself. My question is can a failed wheel hub cause an Axle to bend or do I just need to replace the hubs and get an alignment? Thank you all for the help with the issue.

It normally takes a wreck,hitting a ditch or jumping the jeep to bend an axle tube. I would change the wheel bearings and see if camber is within spec.

 

[LONGJP2]

Good day everyone, so I have a 2003 jeep wrangler, I just had a wheel bearing on the front riverside give out and I was unable to drive the vehicle, I had it towed to a shop who just told me that my axle is bent. However when the wheel hub gave put, I was not moving at speed, I stopped immediately and did not try to drive it. I have new wheel bearings for it that I plan on installing myself. My question is can a failed wheel hub cause an Axle to bend or do I just need to replace the hubs and get an alignment? Thank you all for the help with the issue.

IMO, it's more likely that a bent axle (shaft) would take out a bearing than the other way around.
Although, that would be more common in the rear.

 

[Steel City 06]

Perhaps they are referring to the axle shaft being bent? If the stub shaft is bent, it would destroy bearings in no time. You cannot drive without stub shafts or the wheel bearing will fall apart.

 

[Samlang847]

IMO, it's more likely that a bent axle (shaft) would take out a bearing than the other way around.
Although, that would be more common in the rear.

I'm at work right now, plan is to go to the shop here in a bit and see it for myself, if it's an axle shaft I can pull a junkyard replacement pretty easily

 

[Samlang847]

It normally takes a wreck,hitting a ditch or jumping the jeep to bend an axle tube. I would change the wheel bearings and see if camber is within spec.

From what I understand it takes a lot to bend an axle shaft as well other then the hub separating. Mechanic also said my main axle nut vanished and the bold that hold the hub on have some slight damage. The bolts I'm not surprised on cause there right near the knuckle but I don't know how the main axle nut could have vanished

 

[LONGJP2]

From what I understand it takes a lot to bend an axle shaft as well other then the hub separating. Mechanic also said my main axle nut vanished and the bold that hold the hub on have some slight damage. The bolts I'm not surprised on cause there right near the knuckle but I don't know how the main axle nut could have vanished

Losing the axle nut allowed the hub assembly to come apart.
One thing led to another.
Next could have been the whole wheel.
Ask me how I know.

 

[macleanflood]

This is how you bend an axle... except mine was sleeved and trussed (yeah yeah yeah) and my bump stops were set wrong so I just ended up pushing the oil pan into the rods and beating out the pan and girdle in a parking lot.

Ever align the Jeep?

You the original owner? Who knows what heinous crap your PO did.

-Mac

 

[Samlang847]

Update from the shop, the Axle nut disintegrated, cocked the brake caliper on its pins so that it is not repairable and chowdered up the end of the axle shaft to where it looks like the splines on the wheel hub. Not as bad as I thought, working with them to replace the short axle shaft, hubs which I already had, new calipers and a new axle nut. As well as getting an alignment done and replacing/ checking the opposite side as well

 

[MikeE024]

This is how you bend an axle... except mine was sleeved and trussed (yeah yeah yeah) and my bump stops were set wrong so I just ended up pushing the oil pan into the rods and beating out the pan and girdle in a parking lot.

Ever align the Jeep?

You the original owner? Who knows what heinous crap your PO did.

-Mac

That’s all it took?!!! FML