Axle question....79 Surfside

[kentj]

Hey guys.....

So had the hubs off the surfside today to inspect/repack the bearings and seen that the axle seems to have a little bend in it, just wondering if this is normal or it got bent somehow.

Thanks
Kent

[Benny K]

Howdy, some axles, Rubber Ride and/or leaf sprung are bent up in the middle in order to give you proper camber angle of the spindles.......or.......yours may have been jacked up in the middle by a previous owner, which could also cause the arch.....don`t know for sure!......I assume it`s usually easier for axle manufacturers to weld the spindles in straight in a jig and then bend the complete axle at the end of production....Benny

[Mark B1]

My 77 Surfside has the same bend. It is normal.

Cheers,

Mark

[Rick G]

Hey guys.....

So had the hubs off the surfside today to inspect/repack the bearings and seen that the axle seems to have a little bend in it, just wondering if this is normal or it got bent somehow.

Thanks
Kent

Hi, I don't know about your particular axle, but my 74 Boler 13 (Winnipeg made) has the same brand with a similar nameplate on it, except I think it is rated at 1200 pounds (not certain because of corrosion). That axle is perfectly straight.

Rick in Edmonton

[kentj]

Hi, I don't know about your particular axle, but my 74 Boler 13 (Winnipeg made) has the same brand with a similar nameplate on it, except I think it is rated at 1200 pounds (not certain because of corrosion). That axle is perfectly straight.

Rick in Edmonton

Thanks for the info...my axle is rated for 1650lbs and seeing mine and another have that bend I'm thinking that it should.

[Pete Dumbleton]

Many (most?) axles have a little bit of upward arch for additional strength. That's why the term 'flipping' a leaf spring axle is often incorrect.

[Roy in TO]

just wondering if this is normal or it got bent somehow.

Like most others have said, it is probably a normal part of manufacturing.

Have a look at the location and symmetry of the bend. If it is centered and symmetrical most likely it was built in. Off center with a dent in the axle most likely abuse.

I gotta stop watching CSI ....