I had my rear wheel off of the bike noticed that as I spin the axle it appears to be bent – the freewheel end of axle, for lack of a better way to describe it, orbits the centerline of the axle.
First, I'd like to know if there are typically causes – things I should check in addition to repairing the axle.
Second, what should I be looking for to determine if a repair is viable? Could there be damage to the races in the hub? Are there better or worse grades of axle?
It is a 6-speed, quick release (hollow) axle, the hub brand appears to be Quango (marked on the bearing cap/seal) threaded for a freewheel (not a freehub).