Rear axle is hooped - worth fixing?

mrmisanthropy · Post by **mrmisanthropy** » Sun Dec 02, 2007 2:01 pm

Was 4 wheelin' in the snow last night and I took a corner too fast. The right rear tire smacked the curb and moved the whole rear axle about 6 inches towards the left of the car. Now the left rear tire sticks out past the body and the right rear rubs on, umm, that L-shaped thing. I'm debating whether or not to take it out and throw the left rear into a curb to even it out. I guess the other oakie-fix is to jack it up and smash the left rear hub with a sledge to try and move the axle back. Anybody gone through this before?

Mac · Post by **Mac** » Sun Dec 02, 2007 11:57 pm

shocking it like that with a hammer is only going to make everything worse. your rh wheel bearing is probably shot now, so hitting the other side will simply wreck the other side.

if the frame isn't bent, replacing the panhard bar will probably straighten it out again.

Post by **Petros** » Mon Dec 03, 2007 9:23 am

I would also guess it is either the panhard rod, or the mount for it. Bashing it again will not likely fix it. If the panhard rod is bent, take it out and either replace it or simply straighten it. If the mount is bent you might consider putting a hand winch ("come-along") on it and pull it back into position.

mrmisanthropy · Post by **mrmisanthropy** » Mon Dec 03, 2007 7:00 pm

Thanks for the replies. Not worth fixing, so she's going on craigslist for parts in a few days(in vancouver in case there r any other Canucks on here). Now I'm curious about what exactly a panhard rod is, cuz I've never heard of that before. Research time.

Mac · Post by **Mac** » Mon Dec 03, 2007 7:57 pm

any good parts on it worth taking?

mrmisanthropy · Post by **mrmisanthropy** » Tue Dec 04, 2007 6:17 pm

Yup. I wasted tons of money on incorrect diagnosis and parts. Carb, fuel pump, cap, plugs(plat +4!)/plug wires, fuel/air filters are brand new. Plus it got a new clutch and brake pads/shoes/rotors in the summer. Don't want to throw any more money into the pit

. I'll paste the craigslist link in here as soon as I post it.

neonsport · Post by **neonsport** » Tue Dec 04, 2007 6:53 pm

What year is your Tercel, and what color combination? SR5 or Deluxe?

Post by **Petros** » Tue Dec 04, 2007 8:06 pm

The panhard rod is an easy fix, it is worth it to keep it if that is all that is wrong.

A pull-a-part would only charge about $7 for and it only takes two bolts to remove to replace it.

It is the diagonal link that goes transverse between the mount on the body and the axle. It keeps the axle from moving side to side. It looks like a pipe about 3.5 feet long with a rubber rod end like bushing in each end.

If the body mount is damage that might be a lot more trouble to fix, and it is not likely the mount on the axle end is bent or damaged.

check it out before you sell your car. It would take less time and effort to replace the panhard rod than changing a tire, and a lot less than selling it.

83toybeater · Post by **83toybeater** » Mon Dec 10, 2007 8:31 am

i did the same thing last winter , it destroid the mount and bent all 4 control arms and the axel. i just grab the all the parts off another tercel, cut off both mounts and welded the non smashed one on. then when i went to re align it the front sub frame was moved over a good inch as well. i put a bottle jeck between the front diff and pumped away , shes as good as new now but it was a lot of work.

mrmisanthropy · Post by **mrmisanthropy** » Wed Dec 12, 2007 1:30 am

86 Dark Blue SR5. Hmm, interesting last two posts, easy job and difficult job. Easy fixes seem to be pretty rare in my experience

. Even If I could fix the panhard rod, the axle still needs to be moved back to it's normal position first somehow. Looking at the axle from the rear and I see the one panhard rod going from the body on the left down to the axle on the right. Thing is, I though there were supposed to be 2 rods.

Anyway, selling the tercel has been postpoed as my truck just died too, so I'm without any vehicles. Cuz I like them so much, I'm gonna try and find another tercel wagon and rape my '86 for some parts before I sell it. I'll be able to compare the two and get a better picture of the damage I did.

The reason the axle thing isn't worth fixing is cuz of the mysterious vacuum leak that neither I nor the mechanics can seem to find. Brand new carb has to run ultra rich and the idle goes all over the place. Less than 10 miles/gallon on the last tank I burned through

.

Off Topic: 83toybeater, if you happen to read this post again, does your '83 allow you to downshift into first gear while you're moving? My first car was the 83 wagon and you had to be completely stopped to shift into first, which was sometimes annoying on hills/traffic in such a low-torque vehicle.

keith · Post by **keith** » Wed Dec 12, 2007 7:08 pm

There is only one panhard rod.

Mac · Post by **Mac** » Thu Dec 13, 2007 2:57 am

I should have realized this earlier, but his panhard mounts must be the problem.

reason being the panhard bar mounts to the frame on the RH side and the axle on the LH side, unless the bar stretched(which is impossible given the circumstance), his panhard mounts have bent.

83toybeater · Post by **83toybeater** » Thu Dec 13, 2007 10:35 am

yes it does let me shift into first wile moving, however the sincros are mest up so i have to rev match it and push in and out on the clutch as im puting it into first. most people that drive my car cant get it to go in, my tranny is really loud making all sorts of grinding noises. i have a spare one for when she blows.

if the ban hard bar mount is bent i bet the control arms and the axel itself is to. the axels are really easy to bend even without bending anything else.

mrmisanthropy · Post by **mrmisanthropy** » Sun Dec 30, 2007 5:46 pm

Well, got a new beater, so the tercel is now on craigslist if any1 wants to but and scavenge it for parts.

http://vancouver.craigslist.ca/car/523792091.html

Mac · Post by **Mac** » Sun Dec 30, 2007 6:29 pm

pics asap!