Well let's start off with this is virgin ground for me...but I've read about guys back in the day narrowing these when they installed a quick change center...the bell style tubes don't seem too difficult to narrow..its the axles that I'm inquiring about..ya i know it would be easiest to get a set made..but that's cash I'm trying to avoid spending...I've seen jeep axles sleeved and pinned before..but...and thanks for sharing the knowledge.... Looking at about 10" shorter on both sides
There are many different ways to do this job. None seem to be for the home builder with just a bench vice and a hand drill. As far as that goes for today, a Guy with a shallow wallet. It really gets down to Axles and the Carrier. What do you have to start with? Stock axle shafts being shortened mean Machine work. I think to remove 20" over all your probably looking at after market. My 30 Roadster runs a 36 Axle at factory width. Carrier is converted to use 28 spline side gears and I chose 57-62 Ford Truck stock axles, axle bearings and F-100 rear brakes. Quite an involved project. There are Photos of it in pieces and then together all over here. Do some search on my Older posts. The Wizzard
Ok..thanks for the info....i thought it could be done like when i helped a buddy weld up a broken jeep axle..we beveled the ends hard...trued it with solid stock clamped to it...then welded it making several passes..we had reemed a price of tubing prior to be slide over the weld..then pinned it and welded it too..i know we beat that jeep thru the woods regularly after that... But I've never taken apart the banjo rear end I'm wanting to narrow,so...
Depending on the quick change you may not have to worry about narrowing it. I may be wrong but think the casting on the Halibrand qc is the same width as the stock Ford Center section. Here is a 2006 thread that has a lot of info. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/teach-and-win-halibrand-quickchanges.148241/
Basically, i was just hopeful to shorten the original rear end...don't have a qc center section....just looking at using it for a project requiring a short rearend.and like I've said, I've read about guys cutting down these rearends without spending for axel resplining..maybe i read wrong?
The early Ford axle shafts have the side gears integrally forged with the axle shaft so if shortened you would need to machine a new taper, keyway and threaded end, there is no spline on them.
Here is a photo of the Axle shafts loose. Spur gear to tapper and key end is one piece. Then induction hardened. To cut and weld on them would be marginal at best. Machining the tapper end looses the hardened surface. The Wizzard
I narrowed my first rear end while in college with 'NO' money, I mean 'NO' money. It was '55 Chevy axle which makes absolutely no difference. Cut the shaft in the middle, drilled both pieces in a lathe, pressed in a dowel pin, Veed the weld area and welded it up with multiple passes in the very old and obsolete crankshaft welder. (This was nothing more than a MIG with an automatic feed and a chain drive to rotate it.) Ran it in a 2800# Corvette with a small block and automatic , 14-32" Slicks and never had a problem. Replaced it with my first Quickchange. The '55 rear went into a Fiat street rod and as far as I know, it is still in service 30+ years later. Amazing what you can do and what works when you don't know any better. I wouldn't do it today, as I'm sure I have used up all my dumb luck and my guardian Angel is getting a little tired of me!
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