Need New Front Axle....Dealer Says?
 

I banged up the rig at paragon pretty good last Sunday. Took it into the dealer for service. Oil change, tire rotation, alignment and a fix of the spring shakle mount and bolt that came out covered by warranty(temporarily fixed on trail). Everything was done and fixed except for the alignment. The dealer says that the right front axle is probably bent and is causing the truck to pull left. They are estimating $1500 for the axle obviously not covered in the warranty. On the report the alignment specialists notes that he has to "Get into the right front axle to check for damage." I'm driving it now but it pulls to the left a bit and I'm worried about tire wear. I'm trying to find a used front axle at a junkyard or something as I intend to continue wheeling. Any suggestions, please help :( .
I love my truck and I just want it to feel right right.

Re: Need New Front Axle....Dealer Says?
 

Some one told me, a long time ago, there is a site that Auto Junk Yards use to ASK for hard to find parts.

Don't know the site but try google. Pretty sure there is not a lot of totaled H-3's out there yet.

Good luck

RYD

Re: Need New Front Axle....Dealer Says?
 

I'm sure you are aware of this, but what exactly does he mean by bent front axle? There are so many parts that make up an axle......

Axle shafts usually break before they bend. What symptoms are you experiencing? Are there any noises that go along with the pulling?

What were you doing to have bent an axle shaft.

Pulling in one direction or another can be a multitude of things, bent wheel, bruised tire, lower or higher air pressure, etc etc.

It is very unlikely you will find a used front axle. The real cost would be in the labor, not the actual part.

Re: Need New Front Axle....Dealer Says?
 

I don't buy the bent axle story. Even if the axle is bent, it's not connected to the steering in any way. I've broken a handful of halfshafts in my old Chevy, but never did they affect the steering (not full-time 4wd either though). Did they check your idler arm and pitman arm? Could also be a bad wheel bearing or balljoint or tierod end. Double check you're tire pressures too, just to be sure. But I'm having a hard time believing that you bent a cast aluminum housing, (seems to me that it would rip or tear first) let alone that it's what is causing your steering troubles.

Re: Need New Front Axle....Dealer Says?
 

A bent tierod would be obvious, so would a bad pitman and idler arm if they checked it.

I'm leaning towards bruised tire.....I've one on my truck now, it's the spare.

Have them balance a rotate everything again... someone's being lazy...

Re: Need New Front Axle....Dealer Says?
 

Dealer said they rotated the tires 5 times, I don't know if they checked all the arms and tierods as they didn't mention it ...I have that strange feeling too, that someone was being lazy. I am going to take it in for a second opinion but to what type of shop? I guess a tire/alignment specialist; but that is supposedly where the dealer sent it to be diagnosed for some $320 to just give it back with it pulling to the left. :rant:

Re: Need New Front Axle....Dealer Says?
 

I know it sounds silly, but rotating and balancing are two separate things.

See if you can find someone who has one of those fancy laser balancers like my dealer. They'll be able to tell right away if a tire is bruised or if it's bad.

Re: Need New Front Axle....Dealer Says?
 

I think someones blowing smoke.
The halfshaft has nothing to do with steering. If the tires out of balance you'll get wheel hop at speed. Pulling to the left/right is either tire pressure or allignment. You could also have the rear end out if a shackle bolt broke or fell out. Take it somewhere else, spend $50 and get a second opinion.
Besides I can crawl under my truck and get a great view of the front halfshafts.

Second opinion and check your tire pressure.

Re: Need New Front Axle....Dealer Says?
 

As a tech, I'd say go else where for an alignment...... Did they try to align it? Also have them check mount on the right side of the rack, as Paragon killed mine last Sat... Had mine aligned it's better, But still waiting for mount and bushing ( no stock any where :( )