cutting an axle

If the axle shaft happens to be large enough at the 30 inch mark, cut it and re-spline it without affecting the heat treating. Otherwise you are pretty much wasting time unless you are going to be using it for some low power application.

Sounds like an axle shaft from a Dana 60 maybe? I get my short ones from Dutchman Machine in Portland Oregon.

John Hofstad-Parkhill wrote in news:qNPLf.34$8r4.1070 @news.uswest.net:

Hi John. I would send it and the housing to Moser Engineering. Especially if this is going to be used in some sort of Race Car application?

Its an art best left to the pros that do it on a routine basis IMHO. Marty

Axles are tough. I used to use a torch to cut off just the bit I wanted, then anneal it so it could be machined. Now I use a big abrasive cutoff saw. I really think it would be a nightmare trying to cut off a big axle like that on a mill or lathe, John.

Grant Erwin

I made a hybrid axle splicing a VW engine to a Harley Hog years ago. Centered and bored both ends and inserted a 3/8" alignment pin. Chamfered the mating parts and tacked it all together before welding. It made a nice looking job and the owner was very happy with it. I think it was just a street rod, not competition. Bugs

Depends on the axles, some of them are tough stuff to cut. (Been there & regretted it)

Tony

it is EASY to cut it.

welding it back togehter is easy.

having it hold together is the hard part. the ONLY way to have it hold together is to lathe it apart, then taper one end down to a point. maybe taper both ends. weld it back together on the lathe wth a weld at least 3 inches wide. do it right, and it will shatter at the area next ot the weld, and not the weld.

PS: easiest to find someone that knows how, and watch them the first time.

talk to teh drag racers and circle trackers. they are always doing this stuff.

Most of them are made of steel similar to "stress-pruff" what is tough but certainly not impossible to machine. If you machine the 1.25" axle down to about .5" for an inch or two at the splice and chamfer the

1.25" edges, then take a piece of stress-pruff 1.25" diameter and several inches long and bore it for a snug fit on the resulting "pins", chamfer the ends of the resulting slug, press together and fill the two reuslting "V"s with weld, you end up with an accurate straight axle without too much reduction in strength. Good for a narrowed auto rear end for use on a light tractor, or for a light sports car - but not for drag race use or use with a locked spool in track racer. *** Free account sponsored by SecureIX.com *** *** Encrypt your Internet usage with a free VPN account from ***

Axles are made of 4140 and HT to 50 RC. Yes they can be machined. Also you can have them annealed, then machine them and HT them again. Also they make good lathe chuck keys. Never seen one brake and you have to use them a lot to show any wear. I have one laying around for such projects.

You must have a really big chuck!

12" steel 4 jaw. I will be making a chuck key for it from an old axle, but not for a while yet. Don't have the mill set up the way I want it yet.

What types of vehicle would have a 1 1/2" dia axle ? I wouldn't mind getting my hands on some to make some blackpowder cannon barrels out of :)

BK

Medium duty trucks (grain trucks, fuel delivery trucks, and other similar ones) often have a 1 5/8" axle in them.

Thanks, Wayne :)

I'll start watching out for old vehicles of that type.

BK