Hot Rods quality of ebay chrome drop axle?

This is another case of where a little information goes a looooooong way; to misinformation. Hydrogen embrittlement does not affect mild steel. It only becomes a problem in high-hardness, high strength steel. As a reference, the steel in a grade 5 bolt will not be affected, a grade 8 bolt could suffer damage. The steel in suspension parts (except for springs) is much softer than necessary to be embrittled. Springs are hard enough and should be baked. The Mysterion frame is the poster child for this misdiagnosis. constructed most assuredly from mild steel, suffered from bad welds and poor structural design, not from hydrogen embrittlement.

 

Willys 36 is correct , there are mil specs to deal with hydrogen embrittlement . Decorative chrome isn't the only plating process in metal finishing that this reaction effects. But 400 degrees plus before plating and after plating generally takes care of the reaction. Our shop has plating & powder coating the oven gets used for both