I hit a tree sideways and now my wheel wobbles (2003 polaris trail boss, chain drive). Without replacing the axle, can I (A) pump up the tire till it's hard and hit it with a 20lb. sledge hammer, (B) Find a way to bend the axle using leverage, (I have thought about bolting a long 2x4 board to the hub), (C) last resort- having to remove axle and getting it straightened at a machine shop. I'd really liek to avoid having to take the axle out of the bike. I already know that using heat is a bad idea on axles. Thanks for any help you can give.

 

Wideglide,
I feel for you man. i would not try to rebend the axle into shape and i will tell you why. first you have already created a weak spot in the axle shaft, and riding around on this could be bad. it could break at any time, and will be very weak. i dont beleive that a machine shop would be able to do that either. i think you only and safest solution would be to buy a new axle.[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-sad.gif[/img]

 

thanks for the tips matt. I have been told that the aluminum hub should usually bend before the axle does. And some other people also believe that my wheel might be bent. The best way I can explain what is wrong, is that it looks like my wheel wobbles when I go down the road- like it's loose- but of course it's not loose- something is definetly bent. What do you think it is- wheel, hub, or axle- given the symptoms. Thanks

 

If you hit a tree and now your wheel wobbles it could only be one thing wrong or could be three things wrong. my buddy just hit a tree a couple months ago. he sheared his hub. so that would be the first thing i would replace on your bike. i would also take a close look at your wheel it could be bent also. switch wheels from the other side and mount them. take it down the road. if the wheel that could be damaged does not wobble them you know that wheel is not bent. or if they both wobble you have more problems. now my buddy has a 02 griz, and he replaced wheel, hub, shock, and both rear a arms. the dealer over looked the axle. and about a month later when we were riding it broke and you could tell that it was from the tree. so look EVERYTHING over at least 3 times. then replace things that you know are bent and then one at a time replace things you know are probably bent.

 

howdy, I have bent axles before and if you want to check if its the axle or the flange, put a jack stand under the rear swing arm and remove the tires, you can check run out with a dial indicator, and it you don't have one you can put something very close to the axle (wooden block, etc..) and get a "eye ball" reading as to how bad its bent, if goes around pretty strait then look at the flange. theres also a trick I learned, if you take the bent wheel off and turn it 180 degrees then re install it, it will probably be strait, the reason being that the hub and the wheel bend at the same rate. so they would have bent evenly.[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-cool.gif[/img]

 

yeah, I've used the "180" trick before, think thats one of the things I'm gonna try once i determine what is actually bent. Hey, in your experience, where is the AXLE most likely to bend? It makes sense that it would be most prone to bend near the carrier, because they build them thicker there. My bend is definetly at the far end, I already let my girlfriend gas it on ice while I held the bike still and watched the axle turn. I didnt see any indication that it's bent farther in than the hub. So do axles bend at the end too? Hopefully you'll tell me it's rare- I have no problem buying a $30 hub as opposed to a new axle. Thanks

 

maybe its just your rim try switching the left with the right see if the other side wobbles if the same sides still wobbles then its mostlikely your axle or maybe the hub

 

Yes you can get the axle straightened... I had one straightened by at a motorcycle shop. I think the guy only charged me $30-$40.00, way cheaper than a new axle. I later sold the ATV to a friend, and he's still riding it on the same axle.

Rude Dog

 

its really possable to bend one anywhere, it all depends how it hit, if you clipped a tree I would expect that the hub is bent or the wheel,if you landed wrong on a jump I would expect to see it bent tword the center. if the axle really bothers your conscience, then replace it, its aways safer to trust your machine and have peice of mind.

 

Get a machine shop to put it on a lathe and straighten it out. My buddy did this to the axel on his ATC250R and is still riding it 3 years later. Good luck!