Yes, my backing plate on my axle in my truck is mangled (again, from being drug across/into rocks) but the axle itself is still straight.
Is it possible to bend an axle? YES. Is it likely in your case? No.
I'm not 100% familiar as to what type of axle you have in the rear of that thing, but im about 90% sure it's full floating, which means that your backing plate isnt even connected to the shaft itself via bearing or anything like my toyota axle is.
thadoggma, lockers and tq numbers aren't a standing argument.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nzk5IMZ11zY
1372.12 crawl ratio, a toyota 4cyl 3rz (which was swapped into the truck) does about 185-190WTQ on stock gearing. Through math/equations this would put it at well over 2500 wtq in that crawl ratio without any issues.
My point here, it is EXTREMELY rare to bend a shaft when wheeling, and beating hard on a truck. I've NEVER heard of one bending on the street. Especially under braking.
so the backing plate has nothing to do with the axle? im starting to think merchants just didnt want to fix this under warranty so they bullsh*tted me. its just so hard to tell when their lying. last time i went in there, my truck came out with the e-brake light on and it still hasnt gone off. they told me since my abs light was already on, as the abs gets worse it triggers the e-brake light too. i raised hell in that place only to find out what they were saying was true.