Got Rear-Ended - Rear Axle Question

long_tall_texan · **Posted:** Thu Aug 07, 2014 11:55 am

Hey everyone. I've been away for quite a while. I'm not driving my KJ anymore. I've passed it on to my son when he turned 16 in January. But this has always been the first place I turned for answers. So here goes...

Last night, mu son got rear-ended in my KJ. He's fine, other driver was fine. Both vehicles drove awy from the accident. Honda Civic clipped him from behind. Low speed impact. My son was almost to a complete stop at a red light. Honda wasn't going more than 20 MPH. Civic right font fender went right under the left rear of my KJ. Since I'm well lifted, bumper trimmed, etc, no body damage all to KJ. Tore up the Honda though. However, Honda went all the way under and jolted the rear axle/left rear tire. It seemed to test drive fine by me initially, but as I was following my son home, it appeared that the tail of the Jeep was riding to the right of the front. Sure enough, when I got home, I measured the gap between rear tire and front edge of rear fender. Left side that was hit is about 1/2" closer to the fender than the right side. So I guess the axle is no longer parallel.

Now to the question. Any idea what might be bent? Looking under it last night, all looks straight. I don't recall any forward/backward adjustment for the rear axle. Basically the force of the hit would have followed right up the rear control arm to where it connects to the uni-body. Everything there looks OK. Nothing bent. Any idea what might have slipped to allow the axle to twist like that?

JeepMorrison · **Joined:** Thu Jul 16, 2009 11:34 am **Posts:** 1236

Take it to a collision shop. They can put it on the frame jig and see whats twisted

Sent with the power of children's screams!!!

long_tall_texan · **Posted:** Thu Aug 07, 2014 12:48 pm

That's what I plan to do this evening. Just wondering if anyone is aware of an obvious "easy" fix.

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lfhoward · **Posted:** Thu Aug 07, 2014 9:41 pm

LTT, someone hit (and run) my KK in the same spot while it was parked on the street outside my house. They knocked it 3 inches onto the sidewalk and popped the left rear tire. The axle was no longer perpendicular to the center line, so the Jeep drove slightly sideways with the steering wheel off center. It turned out the attachment points for the rear control arms on the rear axle were bent. Because they were bent they couldn't be straightened without weakening them, so I ended up with a new (used) rear axle, compliments of my insurance. However, the rear end of a KJ is not the same as on a KK, so you might have better luck.

Gageraid · **Posted:** Thu Aug 07, 2014 10:03 pm

lfhoward wrote:

LTT, someone hit (and run) my KK in the same spot while it was parked on the street outside my house. They knocked it 3 inches onto the sidewalk and popped the left rear tire. The axle was no longer perpendicular to the center line, so the Jeep drove slightly sideways with the steering wheel off center. It turned out the attachment points for the rear control arms on the rear axle were bent. Because they were bent they couldn't be straightened without weakening them, so I ended up with a new (used) rear axle, compliments of my insurance. However, the rear end of a KJ is not the same as on a KK, so you might have better luck.

WTH? I don't recall you mentioning this. I would have been beyond pissed. Guessing you paid out of pocket for the repair?

lfhoward · **Posted:** Fri Aug 08, 2014 11:22 am

Gageraid wrote:

lfhoward wrote:

LTT, someone hit (and run) my KK in the same spot while it was parked on the street outside my house. They knocked it 3 inches onto the sidewalk and popped the left rear tire. The axle was no longer perpendicular to the center line, so the Jeep drove slightly sideways with the steering wheel off center. It turned out the attachment points for the rear control arms on the rear axle were bent. Because they were bent they couldn't be straightened without weakening them, so I ended up with a new (used) rear axle, compliments of my insurance. However, the rear end of a KJ is not the same as on a KK, so you might have better luck.

WTH? I don't recall you mentioning this. I would have been beyond pissed. Guessing you paid out of pocket for the repair?

I bought the Jeep in July of 2011 and this happened in August of 2011. The Jeep was in the shop for a month. There was bodywork to be done as well as suspension work. My insurance covered it, except for the deductible. It was a hit and run, and the other person was never found. But I am certain there was more damage to their vehicle than mine, based on the white paint and car debris I found next to my Jeep.

long_tall_texan · **Posted:** Tue Aug 12, 2014 4:13 pm

Finally got a diagnosis today - after 2 other shops that were useless. The upper control arm bushings and ball joint are toast. Looks like the lower control arm bushings are squashed little too.

So, that's great news. Nothing else is bent. That said, any suggestions on what brand upper control arm "boomerang" to buy to replace it with? And, has anyone ever replaced the rear lower control arm bushings? How much of a pain are they to remove from the arms?

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John3:17 · **Posted:** Tue Aug 12, 2014 5:55 pm

long_tall_texan wrote:

Finally got a diagnosis today - after 2 other shops that were useless. The upper control arm bushings and ball joint are toast. Looks like the lower control arm bushings are squashed little too.

So, that's great news. Nothing else is bent. That said, any suggestions on what brand upper control arm "boomerang" to buy to replace it with? And, has anyone ever replaced the rear lower control arm bushings? How much of a pain are they to remove from the arms?

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Rear upper control arm - Mopar only

Lower mopar arms can be found online for around $65 for the pair. Don't know how hard the bushings are to replace, but it was easy changing the arms out.

lfhoward · **Posted:** Tue Aug 12, 2014 7:56 pm

Glad to hear it's just the arms & bushings. Should be a fairly simple fix.

long_tall_texan · **Posted:** Wed Aug 13, 2014 12:29 am

Guess I should probably add JBA's Rear UCA extension bracket too, since I'm riding so tall. Would probably increase the life of the new UCA.

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tommudd · **Posted:** Wed Aug 13, 2014 8:12 am

long_tall_texan wrote:

Guess I should probably add JBA's Rear UCA extension bracket too, since I'm riding so tall. Would probably increase the life of the new UCA.

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It does help :wink:

long_tall_texan · **Posted:** Fri Sep 05, 2014 2:20 pm

Update. Turned out to only be the rear UCA. Replaced it, along with adding JBA's extension. Alignment adjusted right back in spec without any problems. No need to replace LCAs. And it drives straight again. No more dog-legged cruising down the road.

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lfhoward · **Posted:** Tue Sep 09, 2014 9:27 am

LTT, glad to hear it was a relatively simple fix, and it's now even better than before. :JEEPIN:

senatorjohn · **Posted:** Thu Oct 02, 2014 7:28 am

Bought an 06 KJ which ran over a high kerb with the right side wheel. Tore the lower control arm bolt rearwards out of the mounting and bent the axle assembly. Tore out two strips the width of the bolts in both cheek plates and elongated the bushings in the lower control arm. Welded in two strips of metal, replaced rear axle assembly and lower control arm, and all is good. Tough little trucks.
John

Got Rear-Ended - Rear Axle Question

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