Bent Ford 9 Housing???

[DirtDonk]

Oh, and did you note my comments on brakes in an earlier post?

Paul

 

[nvrstuk]

I am a HUGE proponent of replacing the axle housing if it's got even the smallest tweak.

These housings were so light duty even brand new, add 50+ years of abuse and an oil leak is nothing. Wait till the brg seizes up and the axle shears off and your driving down the highway at 50mph without a tire/wheel. Just saying it happens a LOT. Some guy just last week lost an axle coming back from a Bronco event. Totalled his Bronco.

Be safe.

 

[BanditBronco]

I am a HUGE proponent of replacing the axle housing if it's got even the smallest tweak.

These housings were so light duty even brand new, add 50+ years of abuse and an oil leak is nothing. Wait till the brg seizes up and the axle shears off and your driving down the highway at 50mph without a tire/wheel. Just saying it happens a LOT. Some guy just last week lost an axle coming back from a Bronco event. Totalled his Bronco.

Be safe.

Agreed, I seized a bearing, broke a shaft, and the only thing that got me to the side of the road safely was my disk brake swap. Caliper kept ahold of the rotor so the tire didn't pass me.

 

[Geiri]

I have not read all the post, but I would get a laser and point it at the rear of the housing. You should be able to determine if the housing is bent by measuring from the line. Stay on flat surfaces with both car and laser. You could try and lift the laser to the top or the bottom of the housing.

 

[DirtDonk]

That's a great idea too! I know that not everyone has quick access to a laser yet, but I bet more and more do.
I picked one up at Sears a few years ago to check the level of the underpinnings of my house. Might come in handy for all sorts of things!

Paul

 

[Broncobowsher]

At what point is it bent or is it just flexing?
Back when I did a bunch of alignment work it was interesting to watch the rear axle camber change as you loaded (and unloaded) the rear axle. Do a frame lift to compensate the heads you get one camber reading. Set it on slip plates and get another. Run the jack on the axle (narrow lifting on the axle) and get a different reading. Wasn't the fault of the heads, it is the axle flexing depending on where the forces are applied at. As rigid as you think that axle is, they do flex.

 

[nvrstuk]

... but if your Bronco is sitting with normal load on your garage floor and the axle is bent... then you'd better upgrade! It's not flex then and it's important for people to know things (steel) flex but if it's already "flexed" then it's time.

99% of the bent axles that take out brgs and axles can't be seen with the naked eye. Just ain't gonna be seen w/o a jig setup.

I've only repaired a handful but brgs kept failing on them so I knew something was wrong but with the naked eye you couldn't see anything wrong at all. Slide the alignment tool in a WHOA, time for repair...

 

[blubuckaroo]

There's enough slop in the axle and side gear splines to handle a certain amount of misalignment from flexing. However, you housing should be straight while unloaded.

I just had an 8.8" axle set up for my '62 Ranchero project. The axle I started with was from an Explorer., so it had to be shortened.
My axle guy and I checked the housing straightness with an axle mandrel before doing any work on it, and we found the passenger side tube bent a bit.
He said, It's not a big deal, lots of axles come in bent like this. It wasn't a big deal to straighten it. He's got a hydraulic press that the housing gets chained down to.

 

[nvrstuk]

Quote:
"He said, It's not a big deal, lots of axles come in bent like this. It wasn't a big deal to straighten it. He's got a hydraulic press that the housing gets chained down to."

The quote above really simplifies what is an extremely serious understatement. Ask all the guys who have rolled or totalled their vehicles when a bent 9" rear axle was the cause of the accident. 8.8 axles have "C" clips to prevent axles from walking as Ford fixed the major flaw in the design of the 9".

 

[blubuckaroo]

Quote:
"He said, It's not a big deal, lots of axles come in bent like this. It wasn't a big deal to straighten it. He's got a hydraulic press that the housing gets chained down to."

The quote above really simplifies what is an extremely serious understatement. Ask all the guys who have rolled or totalled their vehicles when a bent 9" rear axle was the cause of the accident. 8.8 axles have "C" clips to prevent axles from walking as Ford fixed the major flaw in the design of the 9".

nvrstuk, what he was saying to me was the housing wasn't trash. I could be straightened easily.
Also, the debate whether "C" clips is more secure than pressed rings will go on forever. It's like all other opinions.

 

[nvrstuk]

OK, "wasn't trash" I'll agree with that!

 

[EricLar80]

Suggest that you also look at Quick Performance axle in addition to the one at WildHorses.

 

[SSDDBRONCO]

Suggest that you also look at Quick Performance axle in addition to the one at WildHorses.

I was taking a look at their website doesn't seem like they have a Bronco specific housing? Am I wrong about that?

I'll probably most likely get the Wild Horses Super 9 Housing

 

[SSDDBRONCO]

Just want to say thanks for all the help and tips. Hopefully by the end of this year I'll get a new housing just for the peace of mind.

 

[surfer-b]

I haven't read through all this but I bet if you place Bronco on jack stands and place in gear you will see alot of wobble in the tires, most if not all rear axles I have seen do this. When the ends were welded on from the factory the alignment was terrible, no quality control at all. You really need to place an alignment bar in the housing and see how far off the housing ends are, I have always cut them and rewelded to correct alignment with good results.

 

[SSDDBRONCO]

I haven't read through all this but I bet if you place Bronco on jack stands and place in gear you will see alot of wobble in the tires, most if not all rear axles I have seen do this. When the ends were welded on from the factory the alignment was terrible, no quality control at all. You really need to place an alignment bar in the housing and see how far off the housing ends are, I have always cut them and rewelded to correct alignment with good results.

I figured by the time I have a shop take a took at the housing and fix whatever needs to be fixed I'll be close to the price of a new housing. Labor out here in California are crazy. This guy quoted me $1200 if it needs to be straigtened up. May as well buy a fabricated 9 inch! Lol

 

[surfer-b]

I figured by the time I have a shop take a took at the housing and fix whatever needs to be fixed I'll be close to the price of a new housing. Labor out here in California are crazy. This guy quoted me $1200 if it needs to be straigtened up. May as well buy a fabricated 9 inch! Lol

ha, yeah that a no brainer, looks like you will be ordering a new housing

 

[Timmy390]

I figured by the time I have a shop take a took at the housing and fix whatever needs to be fixed I'll be close to the price of a new housing. Labor out here in California are crazy. This guy quoted me $1200 if it needs to be straigtened up. May as well buy a fabricated 9 inch! Lol

That's why I took the gamble of $65 and welded new cups on. Figured it was worth a shot.

Tim

 

[SSDDBRONCO]

ha, yeah that a no brainer, looks like you will be ordering a new housing

Hopefully sooner than later haha

 

[SSDDBRONCO]

That's why I took the gamble of $65 and welded new cups on. Figured it was worth a shot.

Tim

That's my problem I don't have a welder and if I did I wouldn't trust my welds haha