Chromed axle questions

I'm yet another joker building a car with a straight axle, in particular a '66 Valiant. I'm thinking about having the axle plated. It's a '48 Ford p/u axle. To those that have had this done, do the king pin bushing get installed prior to plating, then reamed afterwards, or installed after plating? Is Hydrogen embrittlement a concern on something this heavy, or not? I've seen a few pics of cars with broken axles after a wheelstand, I don't want to be one of 'em. Thanks all.

 

we have a chrome A100 axle under the one nite stand wheelstander ,its been there bout 15+ years no problem.............

 

The kingpin bushings are installed in the spindles, not the axle.

 

Hydrogen Embritlement is a concern on any critical component that you chrome. A GOOD plater will know how to deal with this and it should be no problem - a fly by night plater maybe not so much.

 

Oh yeah, don't I feel like a dumb shit. Thanks though.

 

As a plater of 27yrs exp ,I can strongly recomend you get the parts to a case hardening outfit within 12hrs of the plating process.The quickness of doing this ,is an issue as well as how thoroughly it is done .Treat all springs and stubs as well .You may well get away without de embrittlement baking,but I wouldnt risk it .Imagine it snaps and you take someone OUT ! Then the investigating lawyers ask the question .!!!