Bent Rear Axle?

WOW, This reads like a "no information troller", trolling.

 

Axels don't bend for no reason. Curb bumping when you parallel park wouldn't mess up the axel. It might scuff the wheels, though. Got any kids that drive? That's usually a good place to start for anomalies.

 

I bent the front locating arms but that was when I was hit from the side hard enough to spin the car around.

Have you ever slid into a curb/hole/anything? That can generate huge forces that can bend things pretty easily, not matter which car you're driving.

Eric

 

There really isn't a rear axle, but for sure the rear wheels can be in 'not the same plane'. Start by learning the current alignment values. See if Galaxee or Bob Wilson here can help you with shim kits. If not that, a rear suspension assembly looms as the ultimate fix. Toyota sells them for a lot, and salvage vehicle dismantlers will also for much less, out of a 'front-ender'.

Good luck

 

I have a 2006 Prius and recently had a flat (both tires were worn to steel belt on the inside at 19,000 miles)that led to the discovery of a damaged rear cross member band (part is $1,220). The car has always pulled to the left (serviced but always returned). The dealer service department said they have never seen this before and it must be from me hitting something - but not noticing that I hit something (highly unlikely). It seems that several people using the Prius chat have similar stories. What could cause this ? I don't seem to have any choice but to replace this part, but no guarantee that it won't happen again. I hate to think the money I am saving on gas is being dumped into repairs on a brand new well maintained car!

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(andrewe2 @ Jun 14 2007, 04:26 PM) [snapback]461864[/snapback]</div>

I just changed to winter tires and was told that 2 tires were worn so badly they won't put them back on in the spring. These are stock tires that have less than 20,000 miles on them (I change to winter tires for 5 months) I was told to get an alignment. When I got the alignment I was told that it was so badly out of alignment, they could not put it back in and that the rear axle was bent. This is a 2005 Prius with 27,000 miles.
The dealer does not believe that this is a warranty issue, that it was caused by impact. I don't think that going through a few potholes (which you generally hit with the front tire) or hitting the curb when you back up (at slow speed) should cause the axle to bend.

If anyone else has had this problem, please email me. The quote for fixing it is almost $2,000, unless I can get a used axle (then it's $1,600). Until then I'll wear my tires out a lot faster than I should.

I called Toyota at 800-331-4331 and reported this. Everybody who has this problem should report it to Toyota, because it is not an isolated problem. They should repair this under warranty. (The warranty for the axle is 36 months/30,000 miles)

 

Do people walk up to their cars with their eyes closed?
It is prudent to look at the tread on your tyres from time to time. It is also advised on many threads on this forum to rotate your tyres and have you wheels aligned at least once early in the life of the car. It is a mass produced car after all and is built within tolerances like every other mass produced car on the road.

A tyre rotation and wheel alignment at a professional tyre outlet at 5000 miles would have uncovered any defect, if indeed there was one early enough in the life of the car to have it repaired under warranty, the more likely scenario is the car has been bumped into a curb quite hard.

The wheel alignment can be corrected with shims unless the axle assembly really is badly bent in which case for safety it would be best to replace it. It may be best to search rear wheel alignment and tyre (tire) rotation as well.

Driving on high camber roads which are common in areas of high rainfall will accelerate wear on the inside edge of the tyres.

 

ok... you're about to hear something you won't like so don't shoot the messenger. i hate being shot at for being the messenger.

just because your rear alignment is technically non-adjustable does not mean it is resistant to going out of adjustment through road impacts and such. we're talking about hundredths of degrees here, you don't have to have a major accident to throw that off. all beam axles are susceptible to this, not just the prius and not just toyota. (ie, even my buick had to have the rears shimmed regularly)

the issue is that there are no commercially produced shims, so the only answer the techs know of is to replace the beam.

sorry.

 

Does anyone sell the shims on the board or will people have to make their own from some shim sheet?
What material is best? I would think steel but I could be wrong.
Would you use shims front and rear so the shim material has some thickness to give it strength? Like .009 front and .006 rear rather than .003 in the front?

 

well.... we kinda sorta sell shims. we're trying to ramp it up to a regular professional looking operation rather than how we do it now. as we do it now we're pretty limited in what we can do. but... this is only one of about 20 projects we're trying to catch up with after DH spent all these years working 12+ hour days and coming home in pain too great to do much else.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(patsparks @ Nov 2 2007, 09:55 PM) [snapback]534197[/snapback]</div>

Since I went to the Toyota dealer every 5,000 miles and they did the service and tire rotation, they should have caught this a long time ago. I also change to winter tires, so there is another change in tires and a chance for someone to check the alignment. Don't know how hard you could possibly bump into a curb going backwards to damage anything.

 

a chance for them to check the alignment? they're not gonna put it on the alignment rack unless you ask for it and pay for it, you know. you know where assuming things gets you.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(andrewe2 @ Jun 15 2007, 01:05 PM) [snapback]462381[/snapback]</div>

The exact reason I rarely post here any more. For some reason this forum is frequented by an unusually high number of self-appointed moderators who apparently look under their beds for trolls before retiring each evening.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(mootsman @ Nov 3 2007, 03:57 PM) [snapback]534424[/snapback]</div>

They must have heard of that new strategy employed by trollers to avoid suspicion. Register for a forum, then wait three years before making a troll post. :lol: Wow, those trollers are a patient group.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(RedHotPrius @ Nov 4 2007, 07:08 AM) [snapback]534407[/snapback]</div>

I was refering to the post above yours RedHotPrius. Tyres worn to the steel belts, I would be too ashamed to post that. It was their first and only post too!

I personally think it is correct practice to have a 4 wheel alignment soon after buying a car, it isn't expensive. Also tyres are expensive, it only takes seconds when washing the car to look at the tread and determine that the tread wear is even with no feathering. It isn't rocket science just a quick visual and run your hand over the tread. If the rear axle was bent from the factory how are your winter tyres? If they are worn evenly I would think the axle was bent during this summer just gone.