Joined: Aug 2017 Posts: 1,746 Threads: 42
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Location: Malvern, Victoria, Australia
22-07-2020, 12:27 AM
(This post was last modified: 22-07-2020, 12:45 AM by Tony Press.)
As noted I have been asked for any advice on problems with building up and re-machining a bent axle. Is the tube of any special steel from Forum experience.
Reading the post on straightening a bent axle tube mention is made of heating but no mention of possible problems with axle material so I take it that welding is OK
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I've never straightened one but I've cut and welded a few. Very easy to weld. I've used mig, stick and tig and they all work fine.
It might actually be easier just to replace the bent tube with new, rather than straighten.
C
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Location: On a hill in Wiltshire
My special has lugs welded on a D type axle, to re-position the spring mountings.
So these take a lot of load.
I'd guess they have been there for 65 years, no problem.
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Location: Auckland, NZ
I presumed because of the reference to building up, the very end of the casing where stress is much greater was in question. The tube is remarkably thin but is not of separate material. I dont know what such items were made of or how heat treated but seems unlikely to be anythng fancy. I suspect many have received welding attention for damaged threads etc. Are failed ends occasionally experienced? When shortening axles it must be difficult to maintain straight and true. Do you recut the bearing shoulder face? Some other makes specifically recommend wider clearance ball races to allow for deflections and misalignments.
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Location: North Wiltshire
Car type: 1927 Chummy, 1938 Big Seven 1/2 a Trials Chummy
I know Vince Leek used to regularly make narrow axles from wide ones and reckoned it was easy to do.
I have a narrow axle which has the inner spring mounting lugs removed so I was going (at some stage) to weld on Girling ends to make a 30-31 axle with Girling brakes. I figured on making tools to internally fix the length and externally align the spring mounting lugs.
As for when, it'll be when I get a round tuit.
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On the D type axle the tubes are welded on from the factory if you get one down to bare metal you can see the welds.
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Location: Port Elizabeth, Sunny South Africa
Car type: '26 Chummy, '28 Top Hat, '33 Type "65", single seaters
We cut & welded the D Type tubes, 200mm out the left and added into the right tube to get an offset for the new single seater.
Expertly done by my engineering mate with a TIG welder, he said it was easy to weld the tube. He also welded up the side shaft, mentioned that the steel was of good quality.
Aye
Greig
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Location: Malvern, Victoria, Australia
Thank you for all the advice passed on to my questioner.
