replacing bent swing axle.....how difficult?

i have a slightly bent axle on my baja which has, in its bentness forced the drum against the axle nut which has in turn forced the thread over on the axle and the nut.

i have bought a brand new nut which has bitten in and tightend so i can at least drive the thing but i need a new axle.

how much would i be looking at for the axle and what else would i need to replace or need to replace the axle?

how much labour should i intend to pay? does the gearbox have to come out for this?

any insight appriciated.

thanks
Nick

Sounds like you have enough gearboxes, just swap the whole thing out. Would be peice of piss in a baja.

hey Nick,

i'm thinking you could do it yourself. you would be best off taking the box out.

i will look for a couple of links that lay out the operation of changing the axle.

i'm assuming its the axle and not the housing?

i do have 2 spare boxes in 2 other cars but ive never driven either of them so i cant be sure they arent duds.

i assume its the axle.

if u line it up with something rigid and close one eye u can see the axle moving side to side etc.

i reallydont feel like dropping the engine and the box.

doesnt help that im just about to move somewhere out of walking distance to work 😠

It's not that hard...make sure the housings on the other boxes are the same length as the housing on your gearbox.This will tell you if they are short or long axels.Is your car a long axel(i assume it is) makes no difference to the method you just want to be sure the replacement is the same!! Take the axel housing and the axel off your spare gearbox so you know what you are doing.You can change them over with the box in the car or you can make more work and drop the donk and box. Remove all those dirty greasy little nuts holding the axel housing onto your box.Remove the circlip for the axel.Get hold of a manual with a gearbox scematic in it and look at the pictures.It's fairly straight forward.I'm not sure about shimming though,ie. weather you need to use the same axel tube that was on the gearbox or just swap the whole lot.The last one i did we just removed the tube and axel and put them straight onto another box.Cleaned up the gaskets a bit and sealed with ultra grey.That was 5 1/2 years ago and have had no problems....even with a Steriod motor and a nut behind the wheel(not me).:thumb

thanks mick.

the shims are what i was worried about most.

pretty sure my car has short axles.

this is going to be a bitch.

Hey Nick, if you've got to come up to your Dads to remove an axle from one of the beetles at his place then give me a call and I'll give you a hand it shouldn't be that hard.
Barry

thanks for the offer barry ill proly take u up on that.

u might find some bits u need on one of my other cars.. u are free to raid the yellow one and the super for whatever u like.

dont u just love how this problem has come about just as i am moving somewhere out of walking distance to work!!