Helping a friend - Rear Axle

[TFaoro]

So a buddy of mine, messing around in the snow today hit a curb with the rear right tire on his 01 HO truck. Now when I say hit I mean HIT it hard. The part of the rim where they clip weights on folded over onto the rim and broke. The axle is sitting 1/2in or more to the driver side, and the tire is sitting further back in the wheel well, almost rubbing the mudflap.

It was packed with snow when he called me over, but from what I could gather the U bolts on the passenger side are bent, shifting the axle to the side. The block is also not centered between the U bolts anymore. It looks like it may have sheared the bolt that sticks through the bottom of the spring and slid the axle back. We are going to tear into it Friday or this weekend. 

Is there anything else I should be looking for that could be bent? What's the best way to go about the process if anyone has done it?

[CSM]

Hopefully the springs, frame, and perches aren't bent.  The link between the spring pack and the frame could be bent as well.  If so, it is junkyard time.   

[TFaoro]

The spring mounts, frame, etc all looked okay from when I looked at it. Springs were siting normal  so that didn't have me worried. I wonder what it felt like to be in the dang thing. I've never seen something like this on such a beefy suspension setup.

[notlimah]

You guys and your snow antics! 

[Buzzinhalfdozen]

Gymkhana Colorado edition? I would replace the U bolts on both sides and takes a good look at the leaf springs for cracks or twists. Should be pretty easy to tell if the spring perches are bent with some careful measurements comparing both sides. Maybe put a straight edge on the axle tube. I wonder if the bearings took any damage getting shocked loaded like that?

[notlimah]

1 hour ago, Buzzinhalfdozen said:

Gymkhana Colorado edition? I would replace the U bolts on both sides and takes a good look at the leaf springs for cracks or twists. Should be pretty easy to tell if the spring perches are bent with some careful measurements comparing both sides. Maybe put a straight edge on the axle tube. I wonder if the bearings took any damage getting shocked loaded like that?

Oh and also...

[TFaoro]

6 hours ago, Buzzinhalfdozen said:

Gymkhana Colorado edition? I would replace the U bolts on both sides and takes a good look at the leaf springs for cracks or twists. Should be pretty easy to tell if the spring perches are bent with some careful measurements comparing both sides. Maybe put a straight edge on the axle tube. I wonder if the bearings took any damage getting shocked loaded like that?

Hope not... he'd be calling me if something else went out!

5 hours ago, notlimah said:

Oh and also...

Looks like sunday is going to be the day

[KATOOM]

I would suggest taking everything apart down to the perches and closely inspecting all components as you go.  With it sounding like as you described, something is seriously tweaked.

[Dieselfuture]

Might not be a bad idea to spend 80 bucks for an alignment, just to see how bad it may be. That is after you do everything else and it looks good with tape measure. It may save in a long run on tire wear and mpg.

Edited April 2, 2016 by Dieselfuture

[TFaoro]

Sorry I forgot to update this. 

So as you can see in the pics, the cast block broke when he hit the curb, allowing the axle to shift backwards. I did a temporary weld on it so that we could put the truck back together. He's now on the hunt for a block. We also straightened all 4 U bolts and put them back in. Those will be replaced when the block is replaced. We thought the rear shackle was cracked, but luckily it turned out to be paint / rust that was cracked. Everything else looked good. No bends, cracks, or twists.

 

 

Edited April 3, 2016 by TFaoro

[CSM]

I've always been told not to reuse U bolts, especially if they are questionable.  

 

Your buddy's truck looks like another 02 or late 01. 

[TFaoro]

01 HO. I think all of the HO trucks had the rear disc brakes, but wouldn't swear to it.

You're 100% right. Like I said they'll be replaced once the block is replaced. I didn't want to crank new ones down then "re-use" them when he finds a block. It's not a high hp truck, and he isn't towing anything so it should be fine until he finds a block. 

[notlimah]

Looks like he made out with fairly minimal damage for what happened. Wish I had welding skills (or a welder ) for situations like these. Do you guys have almost the same truck?

[TFaoro]

6 minutes ago, notlimah said:

Looks like he made out with fairly minimal damage for what happened. Wish I had welding skills (or a welder ) for situations like these. Do you guys have almost the same truck?

 

Luckily we were able to use the school welder!  I wouldn't trust him to weld anything though haha

Yeah he got really lucky. Removing the rear shackle would have been a bear!

They are nearly the same. Only difference is mine is a SO 5 speed and his is a HO 6 speed. His is also nearly stock with only a smarty, and mine is not.