Well, I started doing some more work on the truck again. The front end is being rebuilt. New kingpins, ball joints, HD tie rod, rebuilding drag link.
I was frustrated when I realized that my "straight" axle was not that straight. I put a level across the length of it and one side was about 5/8" off.
Someone must have hit something big at some point in the trucks life! Maybe it would not have mattered to keep the same axle, but I would have hated to find out otherwise after rebuilding the whole thing. I thought about taking it to have it dropped and straightened out but I don't really have the extra cash right now. Well, I was lucky and I found a completely bare stock axle off of ebay for $50 buy it now and it was in my town so I could pick it up. So I have this one now and I am going to rebuild it as it is straight as can be.

Now, this may be a really stupid question, but which side of the axle is the front? It seems like both sides are the same, but I could imagine there being some kind of camber or something built/forged in and it be designed to face a certain direction?? There are casting numbers on both sides of the axle so that didn't help the orientation question. Is there an easy way to know or does it matter which side I make face front? I looked through my manual with no luck. Thanks for any replies to my ignorance!


Also,
I am still struggling to get the old parts off the original axle...man those king pins have been soaking in PB Blaster for days now and still wont budge (yes I removed the lock pin) and the drag link ends and spindle arm nuts are just as stuck! Anyone have any tricks?

 

I might not be so quick to replace that bent axel.

On single axel I-beam vehicles the only way to set the cambor angle and king pin inclination for front end alignment was to bend the axel. Yours might be that way on purpose.

Does you axel have the studs on it for the shock absorbers? If so they point forward.

Also there is a hole in the axel end that holds the King Pin Retaining Pin. If that hole is larger on one side, the larger opening is on the back side.

But if you don't have either, I don't think it matters - same front and back as far as I can tell.

I just went through all this - you are going to love the difference. Here's my step by step link with pictures:

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/8...-end-savy.html

 

There is a difference supposely once you install the axle it leans back a little, I had the same question last year on my 55 someone said the stamped writing goies in the front so far I haven't had any issues. During that time someone also mentioned if you install it backwards it will steer poorly. I will chek my manaul to see what it says if its different I'll get back with you.

 

I checked my shop manual and it doesn't mention one way or the other if there is a difference, as I mentioned I placed the stamp writing facing forward.

 

hmmm....I have the stamped part number on BOTH sides on BOTH axles?

 

level the spring perches front to back. place a level on the king pin boss if the kingpin leans at all it should lean back. 5/8" would be a loooooong ways to bend an axle to align it. Julies method of checking the kingpin bolt taper will work, it should go in from the rear, so the nut would face forwards if the king pins are installed.

 

Thanks Axe, I will try it that way and see what happens!
Thanks for all the input so far.