Bent rear axle
So found out today that my newly purchased 2001 2l ZR has a wobbly right hand rear wheel! So i took it off and the wheel didn't seem to be at fault So im guessing its most likely a bent rear Axle???? so i guess ill have to pull it to bits and find the problem!! I'm finding the brake drum a little stubborn to come off tho...... Any suggestions or comments would be much appreciated! Cheers.
Bent axle flange
Have a really good look at your rims including the spare, to bend the axle flange you need a fair amount of side force. You are looking for a big gutter mark, should stand out!
Typically with the rear, if you slid into a gutter sideways in the wet and hit hard you would damage the tyre, badly gouge or bend the wheel rim lip and maybe bend the axle flange slightly.
If your axle flange is bent expect to find the rear brake shoes worn more on that side and clearance between the drum and backing plate as it rotates.
Let us know what you find!
Thanks Guys for the helpful
Thanks Guys for the helpful info! I havn't had much time to really get stuck into it just yet, but i did manage to get the drum off ( there was about a 15mm -20mm difference in gap between drum and backing plate) So id say the flange is definately bent! (whats the chances of an engineering shop bing able to straighten it out for me?? or am i gonna have to scavenge for a spare somewhere?) Havn't had a look at the spare wheel for damage just yet, but the wheel that was on there doesn't have any evidence of a decent impact on it. next step is to pull the axle out, guesing i'll have to buy a speciel tool since it hasn't come out with a few decent yanks.....
I'll keep you posted. (Keep the comments coming :)
bent flange
So if I understand there is a gap between the flange and the drum, when the drum is fitted? OOPS! not nice. I am not sure if it can be straighten, it might create a weak point, but I don't know. Yes you need a special puller to remove the axle (you might be able to rent one, or make one up?). It might be a good idea to replace the bearing and the seal at the same time as they would probably be damage too (even if it isn't visible).
Any pics?
Happy io (it will be)
Syndicate
rear drum
Hi, I used to tap it gently on the sides with a hammer, but if you go to "suspension, tires, brakes" then go to rear brakes adjustment done by Bob_oz recently, he explained a much better way! (yes the proper way) and you might need to adjust the rear brake anyway:) What do you mean by wobbly? a faulty tyre can sometime be hard to pick if you cannot make it turn on something (like a wheel balance machine). A good way to make sure that the tyre is not "guilty" is to swap with the front one. It is an easy first step, before removing the axle, anyway.
Good luck, no so lazy Larry
Happy io.
My io is now SOLD Thankshttp://pajerio.com/forum/claudes-io-2002-zr-built-thread-onlyhappy-io