Need to take out 4" in the center of the axel. Anyone know how to do the cut and splice? Ideas or thought?
I narrowed a 60 ford f100 axel about 8 inches. I used a jig, just thick wall 2 x 2 box. Ubolted axel to tube. made my cut. Bevel ends really good. Slide axel together, retighten ubolts. Crank up a stick welder, (need alot of penetration) and weld. Tack first and move around. I moved side to side, up and down, welding about 3/8 to 1/2 inch at a time. When I got it welded ground welds after they cooled. If you bevel edges good and crank it up, with good penetration you won't be grinding much off. Most of weld should below surface. I am paranoid, so I also cut a 8 to 10 piece of 3/8 flat stock to fit in the I on backside of axle, so wouldn't show. and welded it to axel. On the road 1 1/2 years no problems. Just make sure you bevel ends good, and really crank up that welder, I also used a high tensile welding rod. I don't remember number though. I got the Idea from Hot Rod Deluxe, they did the same thing to a b100 van axle, to put under a 64 dodge dart, they made into an altered wheelbase f/x car. If they can do it, I figured I could too.
A lot of people will tell you to NOT do it. However, I think if done well it would be safe. The axle is a forging, therefore malleable, therefore weldable. It would need to be done in the center, as the 'leverage' is far more favorable than nearer the ends, where bending stress would be the highest. Also, you wouldn't want a straight cut joint (90*)....the shallower the angle of the joint the greater strength it will produce. Lastly, you would want a very competent welder. I understand the emotional tendency to think "never weld steering/axle etc. parts", but it's done all the time.......to my amazement. All the straight axle kits I am aware of have the spindle/kingpin bosses welded on.....talk about leverage. Look at hairpins, ladder bars, various mounting brackets etc., to which comparable force is applied and they hold up fine. Ray
narrowed a 40 axle to do a spring over...been running it for 4 years so far. remember bevel the cut and tig weld it together. a scab plate on the backside won't show. The axle welds very well. It's either forged or cast STEEL...it's NOT iron.
I've got a narrowed (7") Econoline axle on my T roadster. When I cut the axle, I left the web projecting beyond the flanges on one side, and cut the web back the same amount on the other side, leaving the flanges. That allowed the web to project across the splice between the flanges on the other half. I built a jig to hold it in alignment, beveled the joint, and welded it with 9018, using pre-heat and controlled post weld cool down. The weld is the least of your worries, as the axle is 1035 forging steel and not high carbon. Just make sure it's done by a qualified welder. Bob
I cut my Econoline axle ..........right in the very middle, that is where less stress is placed on an axle......welded it with mig. clamped it to a piece of I beam and welded it up, after all you can bend the damn things to get them straight
Yes. I narrowed an early 50's pickup axle for my A roadster years ago, by taking piece out of the middle, beveling and welding it back up. Can't remember the rod I used(stick welder). Welded a piece of round in the web on the backside, of axle, also welded the 4 bar brackets, spring over shackle mounts and shock and panhard bar mounts to it. I was using what I had at the time. I ran the car for 24000 miles, sold it, and it still has same suspension to date, to my knowledge.
In some states, including Washington, the law says no welded steering parts and actually requires an engineers certification and certified welder for any welding on a frame. I've not pursued the process to see how bad it really is, but its not just emotional here, its legal.
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