Rear End Allignment Question
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From: Usa
Rear End Allignment Question
I just noticed a few minutes ago that the passenger side REAR ( not front but REAR ) tire is wearing badly on the inside,,, I think I changed the same tire a little while back for the same reason (used tire ) and have not put very many miles on it!!! My buddy Joe and I replaced the wheel bearing and ball joints on the front of his truck a few months back and did a youtube video front end allinement using a tape measure a couple of jack stands and a level and some string a little head scratching and believe it or not it worked out very well,,,( not as good as a tire shop would do but got very good results),,, is there a way to do this on rear,,, do I need to replace some parts and if so what are they,,, or is this just a pay tire shop job ????? Never tried a rear end allinenment before and just dont know where to start and what to look for,,,, any one got any ideas ?????
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Joined: Apr 2004
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You are talking about a solid axle on leaf springs. There is no adjustment. It's either right or something is bent or was manufactured out of spec.
The axle should be perpendicular to the frame, with a little deflection allowed so things don't snap if you hit a pothole or curb.
Was that tire previously on the front, setting a wear pattern that now shows up?
Was the truck overloaded, causing the axle housing to bend?
Check the axle mounting for square vs. the frame, and check the axle housing for straightness.
The axle should be perpendicular to the frame, with a little deflection allowed so things don't snap if you hit a pothole or curb.
Was that tire previously on the front, setting a wear pattern that now shows up?
Was the truck overloaded, causing the axle housing to bend?
Check the axle mounting for square vs. the frame, and check the axle housing for straightness.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Mar 2004
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From: Kansas
A bad bearing (bad enough to wear a tire) would have been complaining loud enough to hear.
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A bent wheel or bent end of the stub axle would not wear the tire evenly on the inside. Those are going to cause the wheel to wobble as it rotates.
A bent housing would, as the wheel will run true in rotation but will be at an angle instead of perpendicular to the centerline of the entire axle housing. In other words, not parallel to the other wheel.
A bent housing would, as the wheel will run true in rotation but will be at an angle instead of perpendicular to the centerline of the entire axle housing. In other words, not parallel to the other wheel.
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From: Usa
Ok I took my truck to my friends house and gave it a good looking over,,, there is no way to get a level on the axle because of all the shock mounts and brackets and and lines,,, was hoping the bearing was going but no such luck,,, it is fine,,, the leaf springs looked ok,,, was hoping it might be bent or the bushings where bad,,, but it all looked good,,,, donot think the frame could be bent( would take a lot to bend it ) so I guess it has to be the axle housing bent,,, is there a way to tell ???? of course the rim is straight too,,, knew it would be from other posts,,, but checked it anyway,,, is there any place I need to measure from to make sure it is the axle housing bent,,, or just go try and find anther rear end ??? It can only be the axle housing bent or frame bent right ?????????? Is there any way the axle could slide and cause this tire wear ?????
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Joined: Mar 2012
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From: WA
What if the axle was biased a little? By that I mean, what if the axle were not 100% straight across in the leaf springs but more like the drivers rear side tire is closer to the drivers side front tire than the passenger rear tire is to the passenger front tire? Or vice versa?
For example: Drivers side distance between centerline of front and rear tires is 108". And passenger side distance between centerline of front and rear tire is 110".
Would that cause odd tire wear at the rear?
Edit: Oops. Just saw the axle perpendicular to frame suggestion from 85e150six4mtod.
Edit-2: Wait, are you running stock wheels/tires or aftermarkets? If aftermarkets, what are the wheel and tire specs? And have you taken it in to have a Thrust Angle alignment done?
For example: Drivers side distance between centerline of front and rear tires is 108". And passenger side distance between centerline of front and rear tire is 110".
Would that cause odd tire wear at the rear?
Edit: Oops. Just saw the axle perpendicular to frame suggestion from 85e150six4mtod.
Edit-2: Wait, are you running stock wheels/tires or aftermarkets? If aftermarkets, what are the wheel and tire specs? And have you taken it in to have a Thrust Angle alignment done?
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From: Usa
Ok from other posts and from what I have been told by friends ,,, either the axle housing is bent or the frame is bent,,, RIGHT ??????? But if the FRAME is bent replacing the rear end will be a waist of time and money... RIGHT ????? what I need to know is there a way to measure or test to see which is bent,,, instead of trowing another rear end at it and hope it fixes the problem !!!!! any help here would be great,,,if I had the front tires prefectly straight could I measure rim to rim front to back on both sides ,,, there has to be some way to tell if its the axle housing or frame bent,, RIGHT ?????
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I have been DIY working on cars and trucks for 50 years, and I just don't believe a tire can wear on one edge on a rear live axle. Even if one side was forward or back of the other, the truck would just dog track. I think most of the wear happened on the front, and when the tire was switched to the back, the additional normal wear made you think it happened while on the rear.
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From: Usa
I went and picked this used tire out ( looked at a bunch of them),,, tire was wearing even on whatever car it was on ,,, looked nice no broke belts,,,, the tire it replaced was wearing to the inside,,,, I thought it was worn due to being on the front and ran out of line and the used tire would solve my problem,,, it did not and I have not put that many miles on and the (new) used tire and it is all ready worn the same way,,, something is bent somewhere,,, I just need to know if it is the AXEL HOUSING or the FRAME,,,, and a way to measure or something,,, if it is the frame and I replace the AXEL HOUSING and still have the same problem then I am just throwing parts at it and wasting time and money,,,,, trust me Nelbur believe it or not my truck is wearing it on the edge and doing it (PDQ) pretty darn quick
Believe Nothing
Joined: Jun 2004
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From: W. Central FL.
Are you sure it is not something as simple as a broken spring center bolt? Yes, the truck will dog track. Measure center of front spindle to center of axle on both sides and compare.
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From: Usa
broken spring center bolt is a new one on me,,, is this in the center of the U-Bolts ( holding leafs together) that hold the axel to the leafs ?????? Oh and just found a guy on facebook parting out a 96 Mazda B2300 with 5 speed this would make a great doner rear end right,,, and would it be easy to just change leafs and all or just replace the rear end,,, like doing things the easy way if possible LOL
Believe Nothing
Joined: Jun 2004
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From: W. Central FL.
You are correct. It is a special hardened bolt with a long round head that fits into the spring pad and positions the axle relative to the spring. Quite common for them to shear.
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From: Usa
OK thinks Ray for the info ,,, I have worked on a lot of starters water pumps and everything else but this rear end stuff is all new to me,,,,, a sheared bolt would be a quick easy fix ,,, hope that is what it is,,,, any chance that it could have wobbled the holes threw the leafs if it is sheared,,,, I would not think so those leafs are hard steel right ????? will let everyone know if it is something as simple as this center bolt sheared,,,, Thanks again Ray for your information and I hope it is my problem and if this is common as you said it is very high on my check list
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Well good idea Ray but not a sheared bolt,,, wish it could have been that easy,,,, OK as I posted earlier I found a guy that is parting out a 96 Mazda B2300 ( 5 speed stick) this would make a good doner rear end right ???? as long as my frame is not bent,,, would it be easy to just change leafs and all or just change the rear end alone and not leafs,,, never done a rear end before and would rather do it the easy way