05-06-2018, 10:10 AM
Hi Jon E
If the keyway in axle is visibly distorted the axle will be markedly out of round. Attempt to restore entirely by lapping will likely ruin hub and draw the axle too far out. Distorted (and not!) keyways are usually cracked although with ideally fitted hub with tight fit at large end might not progress. For most the inconvenience and effort of later failure and replacement does not warrant the risk. If persisting nonetheless tailored keys can be filed from "silver steel" and hardened. As others have pointed out, ideally do nothing.
Hi Stuart
I am intrigued that you recover axles. The several remarkably battered ones I have (aftermarket, off wrecks) are very hard. Do you let down the temper or do all with carbide tools, including the screw cut? How do you cut the key?
I have a near new Australian Dufor long axle. Dufor made replacement parts for everything but quality seems questionable. It is finished at outer end to the smaller dia. This has placed the key at the edge of the taper and so is cracked. As a matter of interest on original short thin axles, how much of the engaged taper was there inboard of the key? I wonder if the dia increase was to gain a little more critical space.
If the keyway in axle is visibly distorted the axle will be markedly out of round. Attempt to restore entirely by lapping will likely ruin hub and draw the axle too far out. Distorted (and not!) keyways are usually cracked although with ideally fitted hub with tight fit at large end might not progress. For most the inconvenience and effort of later failure and replacement does not warrant the risk. If persisting nonetheless tailored keys can be filed from "silver steel" and hardened. As others have pointed out, ideally do nothing.
Hi Stuart
I am intrigued that you recover axles. The several remarkably battered ones I have (aftermarket, off wrecks) are very hard. Do you let down the temper or do all with carbide tools, including the screw cut? How do you cut the key?
I have a near new Australian Dufor long axle. Dufor made replacement parts for everything but quality seems questionable. It is finished at outer end to the smaller dia. This has placed the key at the edge of the taper and so is cracked. As a matter of interest on original short thin axles, how much of the engaged taper was there inboard of the key? I wonder if the dia increase was to gain a little more critical space.