I'm having some issues with my 78 4x4 f250 wearing the tires real weird. I have about 10,000 on these tires and they're shot. BFG A/T ko's. About 5,000 miles ago I got tboned and a car swept the right side rear axle back, sheared the hanger off and bent the spring. It wasn't terrible, at least I thought. Replaced the hanger, springs and everything bolted right back together. Had the frame straigtened also, bed lines up pretty good.

Put about 5,000 more on and the insides of the rear tires are almost bald while the outsides are pretty much 90% tread. Fronts are wearing just fine. The truck runs down the road just fine, no vibrations, pulls to the right just a tiny tiny little bit. Checked the wheel bearings, haven't got an alignment yet but considering I'm not having issues with the steering tires, do I have a bent axle? Its a Dana 60, anything I can do about it? thanks

 

While not impossible, I highly doubt you've got a bent axle. Start with the simple solution and get yourself an alignment. Last one I got was sub $100 for all 4 wheels, computer controlled. While I didn't notice much while driving it before the adjustment, there were some serious adjustments necessary all around. Since both of the wear is on the inside, I'm willing to be that you've got either positive toe, improper thrust angle, or a combination of both as a result of the accident.

 

It would not be a bent axle but a bent axle housing. If the impact was a strong enough hit to shear the hanger and bend the spring I can almost guarantee the housing is bent.


So yes get a 4 wheel alignment done let the service center know that you suspect you may have a bent rear axle housing due to an accident so they actually do a 4 wheel alignment and not just a 2 wheel since it is solid rear axle vehicle.


If the Axle housing is bent the whole axel and housing assy will be scrap as the wheel bearings and diff bearings will be shot and potentially the crown and pinion to.


It would not be the first bent Dana 60 rear axle housing I have seen bend after an accident or winter time sideways slide in to a curb. The Dana 60 housings are not particularly strong when it comes to sideways impacts.

 

Bent housing is a good possibility here. You could have an alignment done just to see what the numbers are. But.....there is no adjusting that housing. At the most the entire axle may be able to be shifted (Thrust Angle), but I don't think that will get you where you need to be.
On the print out from the alignment shop, it should show the camber, and possibly a total toe. These will tell you if, and how bad the housing is bent.
Most likely would have to do a swap for a good straight housing.

Unk Bob

 

I got an alignment check and the rear is defiantly out of wack. Can any one decipher these numbers for me?

 

Camber:
Is the is the angle of the tire of the on the vertical.

Positive, Tire points out ward at the top.
Negative, Tire points inward at the top

Toe:
Is the angle of the tire on the horizontal plane.
Positive, Leading edge of Tire points inward
Negative, Leading edge of Tire points outward

Cross Camber:
Is the total difference in Camber from one side to the other.

Total Toe:
Is the Sum of the Toe Angel Readings.


Thrust Angle:
Thrust angle is the direction that the rear wheels are pointing in relation to the center line of the vehicle. It also confirms if the rear axle is parallel to its front axle and that the wheelbase on both sides of the vehicle is the same (Setback).

Sorry to have to break it to you but from the looks of your 4 wheel, your rear axle housing is bent, and the readings are consistent with your tire wear. Since you have several thousand miles on it since the impact all the bearings in the rear axle will be shot. You will need a whole new axle assy. The Crown and Pinion should be fine as should the brake assembly minus the drums the, rest of it is scrap.

Replace the housing then take the truck back in for another 4 wheel to confirm that it is with in spec. If it is not then you should go back to the frame shop as the frame could still be tweaked or there are spring and/or mounting issues.

 

You may be able to correct those minor alignment issues. From reading the tire wear I would say the alignment shows just that. Negative camber will wear the inside of the tire. Like on most sports cars, they do it for handling. Not such a good thing on a 4WD pickup. The other tire is from negative toe (toe out) that is like turning your foot slightly out and dragging your foot. That also wears the inside tread of the tire.

 

Yup... bent housing. In theory possible to fix by cutting out and welding in new axle tubes or maybe a big press at a good rear end shop like Moser or Strange... but much more cost effective to find a used D60 I think.

 

You have a double whammy going on there.
Both, the negative camber, and negative toe, are wearing the inside of your tires.
It would take another "Straight" axle housing.