I got a solid axle housing from my buddy to build and do a SAS on my truck. I still need to get knuckles, a 3rd member, axle shafts and everything else for it, but before I start buying all the parts is there a way to check if the housing is bent? I would hate to start putting it together and come to find out the housing is bent.

 

there is no real way that i am certain to check for true-ness in the housing. however if you know how to look for stress marks in the metal it will tell you. if its a bare housing, check all the knuckle areas and see if they are wallowed out from excessive abuse. also, right at the knuckles the cups are machined so if you notice stress cracks, or stretch/warping it will be noticeable. beyond that the most common side to look for bends is the drivers side.

what year was the front end of it off of? if its early, there are no trusses on the housing. but as the years went on there are factory trusses welded into the housings along the drivers side upper and bottom area. the latest 85's had trusses reaching nearly all the way across to the knuckle ends. look along all these to check for stress cracks, fractures, bends, or warping. if its not clearly visible. then it should be fine to build up. hope this helped.

 

Yeah there dosent seem to have and stress cracks or things like that . And its an 84-85 axle with the truss under. Thanks for the advise . The truck that the axle is from a truck thats been rolled at about 50mph or so.