Strange Axle twist, how much would you allow?

I have the Rebel Reaper in the garage for the half year check up. Replaced the transmission and put the big trans back in after breaking it at the Gasser Reunion. So now I have a trans brake again! My question is, I pulled the axles out for the first time since I put the car together ( around 400 passes) and found this to my suprise. They are 31 spline. I called Strange and Ed told me not to worry, that they allow for up to 2 spline movement? He called it work hardened......this is the drivers side axle, the passenger side is not twisted. I am thinking I need to up-grade to 35 spline axles....what do you guys think? The big problem is I need to make two exibition passes this saturday night at Night Under Fire. I have to go to spread the gospil. I have an axle to borrow, but if Strange says it is still good, so anybody with experience on this? Thanks

Don

 

I was thinkin 3 splines but if they say 2 then you're already there. the twists i've seen are generally much tighter.
if you got 9" ford the bitch is having to change carriers to bigger bearing (3.250), the cost to go from 35 to 40 spline is marginal, so thats your real decision - you're going to have plunk down some dough to go 35 spline so maybe a few bucks more for 40 spline is the better way to go.
To answer your question, i wouldn't make a pass off the brake. Keep the wheels on the ground and do a foot brake launch. Shit happens at it own convenience and this is a safety issue. If important enough to you i am sure strange has a replacement 31 spline axle set they can overnight to you. Shove them in for this one show, that would be cheap insurance and you can 'have at it' without worrying about breaking an axle and coming down on somebody elses' car.

 

If they say it's OK, go with it. They'd sell you a new one right fast if they tought they could.

Years ago the circle track guys would paint a line on a new axle. When it got 1/2 a turn from end to end you throw it away. Or give it to a real lo buck guy.

It looks scarry, but they should know.

 

Aren't some aftermarket axles guaranteed not to break,or am I dreaming?I swear I read that in someone's advertisement.
I realise that doesn't make much difference after it does break and your car is mangled.

 

It looks like replacement time to me. I gotta agree about possibly staying off the Trans-brake for awhile. I've never been a fan of them because they seem so harsh on drivetrain parts. By the way, I think that you could use some pre-load on the passenger side of your rear suspension. That's the side of the rear axle that pushes up/rotates up into the car while the driver's side is known for planting very hard and normally always being the axle-breaking side. That's why the driver's axle is being over-stressed and the passenger side is still fine. If you can equalize that rear suspension, it will stress both axles equally and you can probably get by with sticking with the 31-Spline axles still.

 

It looks like a 1 and a half spline twist right now. Still scary, but if they say 2 is the limit, you might be approaching it. I'd be looking at replacing soon, although personally I think it would hold up for the weekend.

 

It is an olds pontiac rear end. I was ready to order a new axle when I called. Ed told me this was a common call, I told him that I was at 1 1/2 and he said that is normal? Moser has a quick turn around so I thought of going that rought too...I would rather not rush it and look into going with 35 or up splines tho...cause I am going to use the trans brake.

 

That's Strange.

 

Just swap it to the other side and twist it back... Just Kidding


I've seen them twisted like that before and got the same story(that they
were fine) You'd never get a stock axle to do that tho. Wondering more
why only one side is affected. The ones I've seen were twisted pretty
equally side to side.

 

Go back and re-read my post and you'll see why only one side is twisted. There's no pre-load in the suspension and the driver's side rear tire, suspension, and rear axle obviously are doing all the work. It also wouldn't be a surprise to learn that the housing is bent on the driver's side. Trust me.....those early Olds/Pontiac housings are known for that.

 

I personally would not run that again. The material has reached it's yield point and probably won't take much more. If you have a spool it will not be a good thing when you do a wheel stand and brake that axle. JC

 

I would probably borrow the available axle for the weekend , I am going to be there and I don't want to see you in a bad situation .

 

I would change it . You know what they do when they break ..

 

Its just an opinion,I have no intimate knowledge of Don's rear suspension
other than it has a honkin set of ladder bars and leaf springs. I've never
seen it make a pass but inmost all the pics I've seen it seems to leave
pretty square and straight. For all I know the passenger side axle could
have been swapped out before and have a lot fewer passes on it,but I
don't know. I do know we got the same story from Strange 30 some
years ago so its not out of the ordinary.
Ultimately it comes down to ones comfort level and that is something I
would never second guess.

 

ever have one break with a spool? you go hard one way under power, hard the other way when you let off., pretty hard to get it in nuetral before somthing bad happens... hope you got a roll cage.

 

YES! choptop37 is correct amenduo! I had a OT car with a rat and spray, wanted to show a buddy the blue sky and HOLY BAT SHIT! When it broke, I released my finger but we were taking a sharp right thru a vacant lot and as I was pissing myself I was able to get semi control of the car and come to a stop! We were okay but shaken for sure. The ride home was interesting as a spool car with a broken axle steers like a possesed devil car, gentle throttle and it went hard to the left, lift and it veered to the right like crazy! At 5 mph we were able to get home safely but I spent no time finding the problem and then calling Strange for the 35 spline setup! Expensive? yes, but what is your life worth? think about that! Cheaper then a funeral and how else am I able to keep pissing off my friends a few more years!

 

me either, to gamble so much on one item that you can see is definitely failing, just have another sent to you and swap it out, its an easy fix now, maybe not so when it snaps off in the carrier.

 

If you don't want to kiss the wall, better replace that axle. Work hardened or not...it's a ticking time bomb. But hey 400 passes is great run for a pair of axles!

 

I could go either way on the axle. You've probably already made numerous passes with it that way. It didn't twist like that in one run.
Aside from that, my question is where will your head be at next time you launch? Where should it be? How do you make that happen? (You ordering that new axle yet?)

 

400 passes? I think you got your full money's worth out of it and its time to buy a new set, upgrade if you so desire. Better to be safe than winding up over the rail or up in the stands.

Bob

 

I'd change it out now! Why chance it? If both axles are same age/laps, check/adjustments may be needed as mentioned earlier.

 

IF the twist was over the LENGTH of the axle, as opposed to only the splined area, I'd say proceed with caution. However, in this case, I would'nt proceed at all. That axle is ready to snap, and when it does, it's going to wreck all kinds of havock, and be more of a "exhibition" than you're ready for. Please, don't use that axle, hang it on the wall as a display and testament to the Reaper. Butch/56sedandelivery.

 

Replace.

Don't worry, you can always sell the old ones on eBay.

 

Why don't you let the brake go in reverse a few times?



















Just fuckin with ya. Change it and go 400 more passes. Good luck and kep it shiney side up. We like your car.

 

haha, that is pretty funny, one of the guys in the club suggested that I put it in the other side to straigten it out. hehe...I am going to borrow an axel for this weekend and look into a 35 spline set up for next event...it is only money ( now I got to sell something)

 

Reply from Strange!



The material we use for the race axles will sometimes twist and get harder. We do not consider them bad till it is more than 2 splines. I would note how far they are twisted, reinstall them and see if the move anymore. If they do then they will break if they do not then they should not move anymore. Any other questions feel free to let us know. Thanks <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /><o></o>
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theHIGHLANDER, "Good luck and kep it shiney side up." The only shiney part I know of on the Reaper are the valve covers. LOL

I agree, 400 passes on a set of axles is a great thing, especially with a brake. Now replace 'em.

 

ooops

 

I saw the "Rebel Reaper" put on an outstanding show yesterday at Norwalk with no axle mishaps . Here's a couple pictures . Thanks for the opportunity to watch a very cool car in action .

 

when i owned summers bros,i tryed to get custumers to start with a 35 spline becuase you know you're going to add more horsepower.and yes, any axle WILL break if you misuse the horsepower capabilities. a lot of people think just becuase they buy an aftermarket axle that its going to that any thing you throw at it,wrong,and a lot of guys here want that full width olds/pont 31 spline rear,wich is smaller than a ford 31 spline,and, the longer the axle,the easyer it is to twist.some companies use different material, i wont say who,but i made mine from 4340 closed forged blanks,and sent them to be induction hardened. so if you have some serious horepower,dont be CHEAP,step up to the plate and buy a pair of axles tough enough to withstand the horsepower !