Featured Technical Broken Super Bell axle

That’s cast.

Superbell made cast axles for decades before they bought the rights to the Ch***is Engineering axles. But I’m not sure if they put their S logo on the CE style forged axles.

 

Thanks for the detailed pics. Sure looks like a cast fracture to me. I don’t see any elongation at all.

 

Stick a magnet on it. I'd say it's cast aluminum.
edit:
Maybe it is cast iron. The web is definitely thicker than Ford's forged. However, there does seem to be a "shell" of chrome outer skin.

 

Here is a cut & paste from the Pete and Jakes website with a description of your axle. It is CAST ductile iron.
Get yourself a proper forged axle...!!!

Part #1102A-D-C Super Bell 46 inch I-beam 2 1/4 inch boss (drilled chrome)
Part#: 1102A-D-C

Description

• Cast from high strength 65-45-12 ductile iron, Super Bell’s I-Beam axles are designed to accept 1937-48 Ford p***enger car spindles.
• Applications include 1928-34 Ford, 1/2 ton Ford trucks up through 1941, and 1935-36 Fords when you split the original bones. Split wishbone kits and instructional sheets are available.
• Inches of drop: 4”
• King pin centers: 46”
• Perch centers: 34”
• Perch Boss: 2 1/4 ”
• Spring width:29”
• Spindle: Ford
• All parts are in chrome

 

Maybe hard to tell from the picture the frame horns are not bent. It’s your prerogative believe whether I’m truthful or not, no reason not to tell the truth it’s not being turned into insurance

 

Back in 2006, I was beginning to make a parts list for a 32. I went over the axle questions on different forums. Back then it was already a known fact that forged were the strongest. The Superbell tube was next. I purchased a Ch***is Eng. unit based on price and history. For a while when they were out of stock, there weren't any. The last time I checked, Socal had one and Speedway used to have one. I had mine drilled and never thought anything about it. Depending on where your holes are, it could be a problem but I remember seeing a pic of a forged axle that was bent from a collision but not broke. I wasn't worried about a collision, just those huge pot holes at 75mph.

 

Yes

 

If the area circled in red is actually discoloration and not shadows, then there was probably a pre-existing fracture.

 

Looks like it was nearly completely broken before this last incident! An part of the broken surface that is a fresh break will be very light in shade. A previous crack will show up as a dirty part, starting at the outer edge. The darker the shading, the longer it has been cracked.

The first picture pretty clearly shows a pretty dark area at the bottom of the axle, which would lead one to believe that crack may have been there for a long time.

The 2nd picture almost looks like the area above the hole was nearly completely broken before the last impact. The only real bright area is very close to the hole in the casting, the rest of the top surface appears to have shadowing, indicating it has been cracked, but not as long as the crack on the bottom as seen in the 1st picture.

Both of your pictures are not directly at the broken end of the part, so some of what I'm seeing may well be shadows the camera is picking up. To be accurate, those pictures have to be straight on at a 90 degree angle to the break. They are better then the first pictures though.

 

Time bomb...... He was a lucky man.

 

I have seen forged axles bent terribly and not broken. I’ll stick with those.

 

No. This isn't what a pre-existing fracture looks like.

 

Can anyone post up the pic of the early ford axle twisted up like a coil spring? I can't find it.

 

Sid has actually twisted up axles that guys are running. I thought he only did them for his displays. Found that out this past weekend.

 

Found a couple of old pics. Nothing beats a proper Ford forged axle.
If you can't find an original, make sure the aftermarket one you choose is actually a forged one.
One way to tell is to give it a light tap with a metal hammer. A forged axle will ring like a bell.

 

When you think about it, drilling an I beam axle that your life depends on, just for looks is kind of stupid. Just my opinion.

 

I think the picture is a little misleading we had to drag the Coupe back into the garage and that is asphalt where it dug in

 

I believe Irontrap Garage in Pennsylvania keeps genuine Ford axles in stock, mostly undropped but they also have dropped ones available from time to time. Matt from Irontrap is a member here, they also have a website and an Instagram account where you can contact them.

 

A cast axle seems insane, I'm surprised that they are on the market.

 

It's a gamble with a cast axle. Not so bad if the axle is forged and you are sensible with the hole size and spacing.

 

Jason@pete&jake's.com 8 AM Central Time. Talk to him before this thread turns into a **** slinging contest. I've used 100's of P&J's axles over the years in my ch***is business, not a problem to date. There may be other cir***stances that caused yours to break?

 

Is this a D.O.T. approved axle?

 

I have that axle 2015 ish when purchased
Not chromed thou .
I started to drill a small hole slither's came out of the flutes

 

If it was forged, would it ring like a crankshaft does if you hit with a hammer? I've never tried it.

 

My self Did not think to do , I do know it does work on a F Anvil vs cast one ,
If crack on F Anvil it will ring then instantly stop Vs steady ring to end non cracked , harmonics slowly stopping to a low tone / pitch

 

If @twenty8 is correct about the material, here is the tech spec. Says it has optimal impact strength. Not sure how they quantify that property though. Maybe the plating weakened it. The top surface looks like an almost perfect 90 degree break.

https://www.dura-bar.com/products/ductile-iron/65-45-12

 

My post was only to show the information from the Pete and Jakes website concerning the axle part number given by @ocool25 to establish that the axle is cast iron, and not forged as he was claiming.