Register now to get rid of these ads!

Axle spline extention

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by mcbay, Sep 8, 2012.

  1. mcbay
    Joined: Aug 20, 2007
    Posts: 512

    mcbay
    Member

    Any thoughts on extending axle spines an additional .50 inch to keep from having to have new axles made. These appear to be broached as the outside dia is slightly larger than the base diameter.
    Thanks.................
     
  2. how would you add to them?
     
  3. ok...i thought he wanted to add to the length of the axle
     
  4. RichFox
    Joined: Dec 3, 2006
    Posts: 10,020

    RichFox
    Member Emeritus

    In 1980 I and another guy shortened a 9 inch Ford axle by setting it up in a mill with an indexing head and using a single point tool in a flycutter. Picked up the existing splines and cut them back about 4 inches. Then cut off the excess. As I remember we had to turn the axle to the correct dia. Axle is still in the car and has gone 208 mph. It was pretty hard steel.
     

  5. terry48435
    Joined: Jun 23, 2010
    Posts: 477

    terry48435
    Member

    You'd have to anneal them first as they are case hardened. A machine shop would have to cut the splines and then you'd have to reharden them.I used to work at Ford Sterling axle plant and that's how they're done at the factory in the repair department.
     
  6. shouldnt be a problem.have them resplined.
     
  7. RichFox
    Joined: Dec 3, 2006
    Posts: 10,020

    RichFox
    Member Emeritus

    Yes and I did not anneal or reheat treat the axle. Right now the axle and car are in Melbourne and as far as I know doing fine
     
  8. I tried this for something to do. I made a jig of sorts but not too scientific. I used an old diff to index the splines and did the flycutter deal one at a time. It is workable but my tool bit wasnt up to the job. But that was the only problem. Its on my NEW FED thread. I decided to buy aftermarkets for this project anyway since I will need them if the motor works at all like it should.
    Recently I was intrigued by the idea of making a holder for the axle. Welding some pipe to an old side gear, heating the axle to almost yellow. Sliding the rigged up side gear over the glowing axle and pounding it down quickly with a sledge hammer. When the axle cools the side gear deal should slide right off the newly minted splines. Probably a dumb idea but it occurred to me it might work. However I have too much going on to bother right now and even if I did I would still have a not-approved axle so it is probably pointless for this build. Rocky reworked the splines in his new trans input for the Evil Twin by hand.
    Don
     
  9. H.G. Wells
    Joined: Mar 11, 2006
    Posts: 386

    H.G. Wells
    Member

  10. nick_c
    Joined: Apr 27, 2011
    Posts: 149

    nick_c
    Member
    from texas

    I don't know if this is true but I was told that axles that could be resplined had to be shortened a minimum of 3-4 inches.
    But if it's larger past the splines I don't see why you couldent unless it's a problem with the alinement of new and old splines.
     
  11. big duece
    Joined: Jul 28, 2008
    Posts: 6,830

    big duece
    Member
    from kansas

    I thought the ford oem rolled or knurled their splines, and the aftermarket companies like moser cut their spines. I wonder if you could match a machine cut to an existing knurled spline?
     
  12. If the splines have an outside diameter that is larger than the axle shaft you are SOL.

    Also Moser will not respline an axle if they have to cut in the hardened area.
     
  13. I think there is a tool for that in the ACME/Warner Brothers Prop Book...
    Beep ....beep!
     
  14. SIX_94Y
    Joined: Apr 14, 2008
    Posts: 96

    SIX_94Y
    Member
    from Australia

    Made a diff for my 62 falcon daily used bits and peices but had to shorten an axle 3" that weekend! So I could be driving again on monday. Cut a thin slither of the spline off and cut the axle to length, tack welded the slither onto the end and cut straight splines using the slither as a spacing guide with a 1.0mm thick cutting wheel. Then V'd each groove with the same angle grinder with the 1.0mm disk. Once done cut the slither off. The od where this was done was slightly smaller so I was a little worried. Been in the car for a few years now no prob with a manual and silly driving. Dont recommend it but shows how much you can get away with.....


    Posted from the TJJ App for iPhone & iPad
     
  15. racemad55
    Joined: Dec 14, 2005
    Posts: 1,149

    racemad55
    Member

    I did one on a 12 spline 3/4 ton axle for my frankland q/c,needed about 1/2" more so I could cut off 1/2" off the end. No problem for a machinist with the right equipment.
     
  16. mcbay
    Joined: Aug 20, 2007
    Posts: 512

    mcbay
    Member

    Thanks guys, these are 28 spline Ford truck axles. I need to get a little more spline on the axle not additional length.
    They look rolled as the OD where the splines is slightly larger. Not sure who could do this that would be cost effective. After I cut these down I can tell if they will let the bearings seat fully in the housing. I did not measure the internal spline depth on the side gear but it was not very long.. under an inch.
    These are going in a Halibrand V8 QC. The bitch is the offset has been adjusted for Buick drums and 49 Lincoln backing plates and rings welded to the flanges and machined to center the Buick drums. So I hate to scrap em!:(
     
  17. Maybe alter the axle housing to match? Enough room?
     
  18. 55willys
    Joined: Dec 7, 2012
    Posts: 1,711

    55willys
    Member


    splines can be cut in the axle in the hard surface without annealing. the depth of the spline can be done in the hard area with the right cutter
     
  19. coilover
    Joined: Apr 19, 2007
    Posts: 696

    coilover
    Member
    from Texas

    Just went through something similar. The Auburn limited slip for the Dana 44 has some units that the splines in the axle side gears in the differential are not cut deep enough for the stock axles to slide into. I sent the axles to Moser and they cut the splines to the size of the wrongly machined Auburn axle gears. It was only 0.008 so didn't weaken the axles much. Yes, they cut them cold no matter where on the axle. To be fair Auburn offered my money back and to pay for shipping but I didn't have time for them to sort out the problem at the factory so sent the axles to Moser.
     
  20. Scumdog
    Joined: Mar 3, 2010
    Posts: 630

    Scumdog
    Member

    Narrowed my housing then used the short axle as the new 'long' axle

    And resplined the original long one to suit and cut it to length as the 'short' axle.
     

Share This Page

Register now to get rid of these ads!

Archive

Copyright © 1995-2021 The Jalopy Journal: Steal our stuff, we'll kick your teeth in. Terms of Service. Privacy Policy.

Atomic Industry
Forum software by XenForo™ ©2010-2014 XenForo Ltd.