Rear Spindle Service

Google axle surgeon, see if one is near you.

Thanks and I've reached out to them

Spindles can be replaced, it is a specialized procedure. Jasper and others do it. The tube to housing welds likely are cracked also.

Thank for the reply. I've reached out to axle surgeons to see if they can help.

An Axle Surgeon or aftermarket rebuild (Jasper, Randy's etc.) is likely going to be your best bet (cost effective) However if you want to replace the housing the P.N. is … which includes the carrier bearing caps. Only $3204 list from GM.

Thank for the reply. I've reached out to axle surgeons.

Hi Michael, What kind of vibration at 74 MPH? Is this a floating axles design? I am guessing that it is. How did you determine the spindle is bent? Did you check for axle runout to make sure the end is not bent. Axle surgeons like everyone else suggested unless you have a machine shop you can take the housing to that has done those kinds of repairs before. The housing would have to be…

Thanks for the reply. The vibration is similar to a bent wheel. It is a full float. We have reached out to axle surgeons for help.

Michael I have a K2500 Suburban with 13 inch brake drums and the same issue. Vibration between 65 and 80 mph 70-75 mph would vibrate the dash harshly. Relatively smooth below and above these speeds. I tried new drums and turned the drums and the new drums seemed worse than the original drums. Balanced tires replaced tires to no avail. Had a hair brain idea from a previous Ford Ranger i worked…

Don, I really don't see how a bent spindle could cause a wobble as the bend direction stays on the same radial axis line. It should manifest as an alignment issue. The tire wears at the same place and feathers just due to pointing the wrong way all the time. A bent wheel or cord separated tire is a different story, that would be a wobble. A vibration at one speed doesn't add up to be a bent…

I was saying the hub the Wheel/Rotor bolts to being bent not the axle tube.

Those hubs are pretty substantial and I think it would be difficult to distort without the banjo failing first. If the hub flange was knocked off flat in one spot, maybe. A lot like a bent wheel or tire separation but that does not fit the opening scene of this thread as I understand it. Bent hub would just get replaced, no?

This really isn't likely. In the case of a bent spindle on a full-floating axle, the wheel will still rotate on a fixed axis. The axle shaft will flex, and that angle will travel across the shaft as it rotates; this could cause some minor vibration, not severe, but can break the shaft. I think that it is more likely that the axle was severely overloaded, and the tube to housing welds broke on…

Marlin, maybe you are correct and the harmonic of the axle under bend force would show up at highway speed. I don't really know for certain. This poster's situation seems a bit weird to me. I have the thought to imagine the drive axle would cause trouble in the differential nest with constant thrust skewed from the centre line of rotation. That diff would be in trouble real quick as the side…

I am sure that increase wear to the side gear and carrier would occur, but it would never accommodate much of a spindle angle. Plus, it is rotating and self-centering. This is such an uncommon scenario that most of us likely are not familiar with what actually results.

Interesting, I wonder why a bent banjo would cause a vibration and at only one speed? It must really be eating the tire up.

Hi David, I am wondering the same thing. In the past I have seen bad bearings damage a spindle stem or the end get snapped off from someone trying to do burnouts with big tires. Otherwise, I would guess this vehicle is an off roader or suffered a severe “shock load”. The strange part is that it only vibrates at such a high speed. I guess we'll here the solution soon enough.

We do not bother repairing housings that are below class 7. It's just not worth the time and trouble. A new or a good used housing and the truck would be back on the road already. The bigger stuff we get repaired if they can get to it within a decent time frame. Emergency vehicles and any first responder units get new housings.