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Rear wheel wobble - passenger side

M

Mr.Shhh

New Member
I was approached by someone the other day saying they were behind me and saw my passenger-side rear wheel wobbling. When I got home, I put the rear end up on jack stands and ran it up to ~ 35mph to see for myself. Yep, he was correct - but only on that side. I thought it might be the tire or rim, so I swapped the rear wheels... still happens.

Does this mean I have a bent axle? Any suggestions for diagnosing the problem?

Thanks
 
If you swapped wheels with the same results, then maybe yes that particular side axle might be a little tweaked but I wonder how that ever happened if you don't remember hitting something.
 
They're used - my old ones were really pitted around the seals, so I picked these up from Packy (sp?) in San Jose.

If I replace it, do I need to remove the drum brakes?
 
You could Take the wheels to be spin tested and balanced. But if it only happens on one side, with either wheel installed, it's likely an axle. Let's just hope your housing isn't bent. That could get real expensive.
 
Wanted to add its likely not the housing. Have you checked to make sure the wheel is seated with no interference?
 
Yeah, remounted the wheels twice to make sure it's seating properly. Looks like it's time to order new axles (I'm assuming that I should just do both since I'll have it all apart).
Thanks everyone for confirming what I suspected
 
If you want to be absolutely sure if it's the axle or not, you can check the run out on it. It won't even require a dial indicator. Just remove the wheel and brake drum to expose the axle flange. Take a piece of stiff wire and clamp it to the backing plate (you can use a pair of vise grips). Then bend the wire into a "pointer". You can position end of the wire at the face of the flange or along the flange edge. Just rotate the axle without bumping the wire and watch the gap between the flange and the wire. You won't be able to tell how much run out there is, but you can indeed see if there IS run out. If the gap widens and narrows as the flange rotates, the axle is indeed bent. Just a cheap easy way to check.
 
Couldn't a missing seal or axle bearing cause the same issue?
 
A bad seal or bearing would not normally cause a wobble. It would have to be really bad before you might notice a wheel sitting crooked. It would not wobbling because the weight of the car would keep it pressed to the top of the housing, causing the top of the tire to tip in. Plus a serious noise and leak.
 
I like ponyman66's idea by just removing the wheel and watch the flange while spinning the other tire.
 
A little late here but you could have not seated the brake drum on the studs. The studs at the hub are a little larger in dia. than the threaded part of the stud and protrude from the hub. Have to make sure the drum is centered on the studs.
Ask me how I know this. :roll
 
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