Landracing Forum
Misc Forums => How To Section => Topic started by: SPARKY on December 12, 2010, 10:24:58 AM
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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
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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
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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.
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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.
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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.
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This truck isn't worth much but then I am just trying to learn and do :-P if for isnt a LSR truck :|
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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
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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.
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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