History Axle help

I picked this up yesterday. I believe it's an old super bell. Can anyone confirm that? 2nd question - The brackets tell me it was on a.....? Question C - there is a gradual bend in the axle that is hard to see in the pictures. If you look down the length of it the bend is slight maybe 1" out of true but looks intentional. Help me out.

Thanks
David

 

Sure looks like a Super Bell. Those added brackets are really weird, but should be able to be ground off. The middle tube should NOT be bent forward, so that may be the death knell of that axle. Bending tube around like that is not good for it. Maybe it can be carefully bent back, but I'd sure check it over completely before using it.

Also, be aware that Super Bell sold axles for use with Chevy spindles, so confirm the kingpin size before you drop time and money into an axle you can't use.

 

Brackets look to be for shock mounts and a pan hard bar mount on the right, home made for sure. Could be off any old hot rod. Functional but ugly, I'd grind them off as well.
The 1" bow, which direction? Up and down or front to back? The arch you can see in the pics would be normal I believe. Or does it not lay flat on the ground when you have it sitting like it is? That would not be good.

 

You can check with Nostalgia Sid's about the details. Our local axle expert...........
He's helped us many times................

 

Didn't the old super bells have forged ends welded in?

I got a tube that resembles that (without the added brackets) that predates super bell. Lots of people were making tube axles in the late '50s and '60s.

 

I actually think Super Bells had cast ends welded in, not forged, but don't take that as gospel.

 

You may be correct, they are big on cast.

 

The 1" bend is back to front. It bows toward the front assuming the brackets were for a 4-bar or suspension setup of some kind.

 

The guy I got it off of said it came off a running driving 40 Ford P/U. I intend to grind the brackets off and take it down to bare metal this weekend. I'll update with some measurements later. Thank you all for the knowledge.

 

I never have seen an axle with a bow front to back but....
As long as the king pin inclination (caster/ camber) and the distance back from the perch mounts are the same side to side it should be usable, assuming it's a bow and not obviously bent or otherwise structurally compromised. A strait axle doesn't care as long as camber and caster are good. Technically it doesn't matter too much if one side is back a little, heck some race car axles are purposely set up that way where the wheel base is off side to side to increase roll out.

 

If that was mine it would be a forever Wall Hanger. You don't know the history as to how the bend happened but you know it don't belong there. To many of those welded end tube axles have come apart over the years for me to want to Gamble with. Specially when it comes to steering. Life is short enough with Good luck.
The Wizzard

 

I have bought lots of old cars that were running and driving. Some of them I made right. Running and driving don't make it right.