narrowing a straight axle, good or bad???

When I was a kid I had a friend that was racing a 40 Willys pickup with a 440 motor and 4 speed. He had problems with it wondering all over the track when he shut her down. He had one of the local car guys and myself take it out for a test run. At around 85-90 when you let off it would try to throw you into the barrow pit. We got it back to the local service station hangout to check under the car. His biggest problem was there was no caster built into the I-beam axle but what we saw scared the hell out of us. He had cut an old 40 axle in the middle and welded it back together. He did however reinforce it with welded steel pipe just for safety reasons.

 

here is a related thread
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=168603&highlight=narrowing+an+beam+axle

Seems like hot rod magazine had an article on this stating it was common practice in the late 60's

 

I would do it and never give it a second thought. But if you are not able to do it yourself make damned sure whom ever you get to do it knows their shit.

 

Yep, just don't experiment on the welding. Get somebody with the skill with a machine with the capability. Personally I would take it to Johnny's Boiler Shop, ask him to use a doubler on both sides where the splice is.

 

Exactly.

Hwey Nash when you gonna be in KC. We got an extra room and I think its time you and I had a Burger.

 

48 ford pick up i beam works nice stricknine has one and I just bought another one to put under my 57. it is 50.75" + or -

 

I believe you could safely weld it. Reinforce as suggested. However, on mine I just kept the spindles and brakes and whatnot and had Challenger make me a heavy wall tube axle with the width and drop I wanted. kept all the Econoline steering and stopping with correct width and hight. To easy to be traditional. I should have had to work more.

 

May be going to Wichita for Pre-war Swap in '11. Too early to tell, I'm busier than a one legged................you know..... If you ever end up over here near I-25 and US-50 give me a howdy.

 

Dick Landy's 64 Dodge has a narrowed and drilled A100 axle still there after 46 years.

 

Your one of those people that looks at pictures instead of reading first.

 

As said before the 49-54 Chev P/U is a good one to use.
I don't care for the Speedway axles they are to narrow for a 55.
And ShakeyPuddin55 had his axle built by Jim Tinsmith.
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=230636&highlight=front

 

Those hubs/spindles/discs are wrong for some reason.
Thats where you need to do your work.

Regarding the idea of narrowing itself...
Rather than professionally weld a forged steel I beam axle in one spot in the middle...better to get a tube axle?
Hmmm...then you get TWO weld areas right at the kingpin slugs. A very high stress area!
To each his own, I guess.

I'd save the money, narrow the I beam and feel safer.

Still...this car's axle needs to have the hubs/spindles looked at. NOT a narrowing.

 

WTF?? I DID NOT use a Speedway axle.
Shit, the whole point of the post was to show how to build a strong straight axle setup that could withstand wheelies and 9 second passes.

 

oh im sorry dont mean to offend

An east coast gasser racer gave me the number for Jim Tinsmith (Tinny) from PA. After a few conversations with Tinny, I was sold on his Chromoly axle.

this is the correct axle set up that was used ... i stand corrected ...

 

[Regarding the idea of narrowing itself...
Rather than professionally weld a forged steel I beam axle in one spot in the middle...better to get a tube axle?
Hmmm...then you get TWO weld areas right at the kingpin slugs. A very high stress area!
To each his own, I guess.

I'd save the money, narrow the I beam and feel safer.
Yes there are two welds, still it was done by people who build sprint car axles and using .250 wall tubing. In 1980. Hasn't fallen apart yet. I'm starting to feel safe about it. But i did say I thought welding a forged axle would work well.

 

Rather than a straight cut in the middle, you could do something like this, but the springs will have to be moved in of course.

http://2loose.chevytalk.org/55straightaxle2.html

 

I'm not 100% positive, but that axle looks like the factory axle in my '37 Chevy truck.

As for narrowing it - done properly - I just don't see the problem.

 

Absolutely!
I was just making a general point because people don't seem to realize that, when done correctly, a weld is a weld.
Ordered over the phone or done locally makes no difference.

If the Weldor is properly trained and the structural aspects of the parts are within the required parameters, welding will be fine.

 

55 cheiftain good post, like the idea of a z pattern cut and re-weld, Im not opposed to it at all as long as the welds are done correctly, as far as the speedway axle i have heard they are week. I don't know anyone that has one that races one so i cant back that up. Im getting part numbers off the axle if any, brake calipers and also find out what rotors are on the car. If anyone knows a credible welder that has done this kind of work for racers in the past or present im not opposed to talking to him. I have a bad feeling that im going to end up swapping it out and at that point redoing the whole front end and starting from scratch which i really don't want to do. Everyones posts really helped and i thank all of you for giving me your suggestions. Thank god for the internet and the Hamb. But seriously if anyone knows of a axle wizard that can help please let me know. Ill post pics this weekend of all the part numbers for help with cross referencing parts to make this work if possible. Everyones input Greatly appreciated.

 

Hear, Hear! Is this an school forum or a kit car forum? It's no big trick to narrow an I-beam straight axle. Welding wire is rated E70, that's 70,000 psi per sq. inch. I think it'll be alright!

 

3 words. measure, cut, weld. isnt that speedway b.s. made in china anyway. if your goal is to put together a traditional car, well then MAKE it that way. if not buy an aftermarket axle, along with a 350 and th350, s-10 rear. i would use a 41-54 chevy 1/2 ton with drums. take some measurements and lookup dropped axle .com