Author Topic: Axle Shafts  (Read 3736 times)

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Offline SPARKY

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Axle Shafts
« on: December 12, 2010, 10:24:58 AM »
I have an old non floater axle that I want to try to restore the bearing surface.  Here is what I am thinking about doing.  I have been told the factory Rockwell hardness is about 52.

I am going to turn the surface down to get all the old pits and contamination out, then build it back up by welding with the yet to be determined filler or rod.

Then turn it back down to slightly larger than corect dia.  finish to dia. by 80, then 160, then finish with 320 and then strop with an old leather belt.----Thoughts or comments please
Miss LIBERTY,  changing T.K.I.  to noise, dust, rust, BLUE HATS & hopefully not scrap!!

"Security is mostly a superstition. It does not exist in nature, nor do the children of men as a whole experience it. Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. Life is either a daring adventure or nothing."   Helen Keller

We are going to explore the racing N words NITROUS & NITRO!

Offline RidgeRunner

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Re: Axle Shafts
« Reply #1 on: December 12, 2010, 11:56:28 AM »
Imeadiate thought was Burt hasn't left the salt yet! :-D

Haven't tried it myself but why not?  They weld up and regrind/refinish crankshafts and hyd cylinder shafts with workable results.  Thinking the key would be getting the proper process rod/spray material so it didn't mess up the axle material properties.  Sounds like the axel is worthless as is so what's to lose?

                  Ed

Offline Seldom Seen Slim

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Re: Axle Shafts
« Reply #2 on: December 12, 2010, 12:54:11 PM »
Sparky:

For a long time I've been seeing ads in the heavy truck magazines for companies that do "precision axle rebuilding", so if they can do it for a 20,000# axle -- you can probably do it on your piece.  I don't know much about this one -- but maybe you could call "Axle Surgeons of Michigan" - 1 800 933 2953 (933 AXLE) and get tsome hints on where to start and what to use.  There are probably a hundred other firms -- but this is the only one I find in the Michigan Truck Trader.
Jon E. Wennerberg
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Offline Joe Timney

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Re: Axle Shafts
« Reply #3 on: December 12, 2010, 01:24:30 PM »
May I ask how much is the vehicle worth that you plan on putting this axle in??? I sell new axles starting at $95/ea.
Joe Timney
Retired President of ECTA
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Offline Seldom Seen Slim

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Re: Axle Shafts
« Reply #4 on: December 12, 2010, 01:29:56 PM »
Good point, Joe.  The heavy trucks cost lots of money - as do the axles in 'em.  And worse -- it costs many dollars/hour for downtime so a quick repair is vital - both to reduce the loss of revenue and to keep the cost of labor down.  As I remember, Sparky bills his race car labor at a phenomenal rate -- something like 2 beers/hour - so maybe he wants to enjoy the job.
Jon E. Wennerberg
 a/k/a Seldom Seen Slim
 Skandia, Michigan
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Offline SPARKY

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Re: Axle Shafts
« Reply #5 on: December 12, 2010, 08:17:51 PM »
This truck isn't worth much  but  then I am just trying to learn and do  :-P if for isnt a LSR truck :|
Miss LIBERTY,  changing T.K.I.  to noise, dust, rust, BLUE HATS & hopefully not scrap!!

"Security is mostly a superstition. It does not exist in nature, nor do the children of men as a whole experience it. Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. Life is either a daring adventure or nothing."   Helen Keller

We are going to explore the racing N words NITROUS & NITRO!

Offline johnneilson

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Re: Axle Shafts
« Reply #6 on: December 13, 2010, 10:17:23 AM »
Sparky,

It sounds like the axle doesn't have a replaceable bearing race.
Maybe the answer is to fit a race to it. Torrington has thin section races for needle bearings.
Or is the drive spline too big to fit a race past it?

John
As Carroll Smith wrote; All Failures are Human in Origin.

Offline SPARKY

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Re: Axle Shafts
« Reply #7 on: December 13, 2010, 10:45:07 AM »
John,  Great thought---this is an old GM truck 12 bolt out of a early Blazer  I will get some measurments and go to the bearing house and see what my options are.  I am still intriqued by my other process though. Just might have to try it just to see if its plausabile.
Miss LIBERTY,  changing T.K.I.  to noise, dust, rust, BLUE HATS & hopefully not scrap!!

"Security is mostly a superstition. It does not exist in nature, nor do the children of men as a whole experience it. Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. Life is either a daring adventure or nothing."   Helen Keller

We are going to explore the racing N words NITROUS & NITRO!

Offline johnneilson

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Re: Axle Shafts
« Reply #8 on: December 13, 2010, 11:40:05 AM »
Sparky,

If you don't have any luck with the bearing house, I have an old torrington catalog.
Just need sizes to fit.

I have fixed many machines that needed shafts welded up or completely replaced bushed applications with bearings.

John
As Carroll Smith wrote; All Failures are Human in Origin.