Pretty standard for back yard/back in the day axle mods. Strictly speaking safety, people that know Fords oem axle dependability after modding would say "what's the big deal", run it!
Harv I'm guessing you prepped that one, has your signature perfect detailing. Who plated it? Just beautiful!
Not my work, but thanks for thinking it was. It belongs to member (bib overals) I'm not sure if he did the prep or where it was chromed. I am working on an axle now for a member that I will post here when it's done.
I respectfully disagree, unless backyard involves a 100-200 ton trip hammer (that's what makes the web so 'squished' looking). This method was used by Ed Stewart for his "Dago" axle and I'm 99% sure that's the ID of the piece in question. Homebrew axles were most likely taffy-pulled, just as they are today. Need to see more pics to be sure @Internet to positively ID, but at first glance, I'd say it's a genuine Dago. Here are a couple more of mine; (and yes, I know the spindle is on the wrong side...was only going for a mockup...)
GW I figured the backyard part would trip me up. I always thought Stewarts operation was a home shop deal, maybe set up more professionally. Are you saying Dagos' axles are, or are not "pulled taffy" looking. ? Your photo example? Not sure if I understand, the way your statements above read, has me somewhat confused. Not say'n your wrong, cuz I wasn't of hot rod age then, and never owned one.
I have identical as your 4th pic as well as the pic in post #132. However my has been drill for a shock mount just where it sweeps up. Don't know if I'll fill it and run original shocks or not. Where did you filled axle come from? Up here a number of guys have id'd mine as coming original Green's speed shop in the Vancouver area. Now I'm not so sure. Tardel questions the point of filling the outer webs but I know it looks re are two areas that are a little worn where the spring eye has worn on axle. I guess I could just weld those up and grind "to taste"?
Thanks for the opportunity to clarify; unfortunately, some of these terms have been bastardized and/or are used interchangeably. "Dago" is a term most properly used to describe the hammer-drop method popularized by Ed "Axle" Stewart. From what I can tell, Ed's axles were first referred to as "Dagos" in or about the late 1940's after he relocated his shop to San Diego - but since that time, "Dago" has used to describe the stance of a car (that car's been "Dago-ed") and, sometimes, as a generic reference to any dropped axle. (It is thought that Stewart began hammer dropping axles just after WWII, as they show up in photographs in the immediate postwar period...many examples can be seen in the "Lakes Pictures P.R.C." thread) If I understand the Ed Stewart process correctly, the entire axle was heated and the ends hammered; essentially re-forging the axle. (Ed was a heat-treat specialist, so I'll assume he knew what he was doing). Other shops and individuals used a different method; heating on the ends only and stretching - to various degrees of severity. The less-sophisticated and heavily dropped "heat & stretch" axles became known as "taffy pulled" due in part to the method used and their distorted appearance; whereas hammer dropping compresses and pushes the ends of the axle to create 'drop', taffy pull stretches the metal out. The famous Mor-Drop axles use a heat & pull method - albeit with a more moderate drop and less stretch than the classic 'taffy pull'. Some also used a heat, pull, and 'whack it' method (with sledge hammers) - it said this is where the 'filled axle' comes from (the heat, pull, and whack jobs are often bore the scars of their re-formation so guys would fill the web to conceal the dirty work and make them more aesthetically pleasing) While it is true that Stewart worked out of a small garage/shop, his method required more specialized/dedicated shop tools than a simple heat & stretch job. Your average Joe could make a jig, grab a torch, and taffy pull an axle - many did and still drop axles in the taffy-pull (heat & stretch) style; not so with the hammer-drop method. Heat & stretch; Ed Stewart (Hammer drop method);
GW Thanks, great getback response and details. I think that the reason I'm still (only slightly) confused about the old axles is the term "taffey pull", it's not new to me, I just thought it referred to the way they looked when guys did them with less than professional methods/tooling. The photo with rusty assembly won't load, but that is what (to me) looks like an "average Joe" backyard job.
It is confusing and the phrase can (and is) used that way, but I think the name 'taffy pull' actually comes from the method more than anything; heat & stretch, just like pulling taffy...but lots of folks also use the term to describe appearance as well. Just my opinion, I'd classify axles in the following manner; - Heat & stretch (taffy pull) : These vary in appearance from distorted to nicely proportioned. Some call the distorted/crude examples "taffy pulled" based on appearance alone. Mor-Drop axles (and most modern drops which copy this style) are generally much better proportioned, leading some to make a distinction between these and their more distorted 'taffy pulled' brethren (Mor-Drops are held in higher regard for this very reason). Tell-tale identifier for all heat & stretch axles is uniformity in the web area of the drop. - Hammer drop (Dago style) : Severely hammered; characterized by 'squished' webbing (lack of uniformity) in the drop area and hammer marks on the top and bottom flanges. - Heat, stretch, and whack (my gloss) : Dropped with a combo of heat & pull and hammering. It is thought this method gave birth to the 'filled' axle (webs were filled with weld to smooth them out/hide roughness). By no means is this science; just what I've gathered through experience, research, and talking with old timers. Hope that makes sense...
I started to say that I have always thought a filled axle was sexy, then you posted the Lincoln axle and now I know for a fact that I am going to start a religion that thinks variety sexy. Damn that Lincoln axle is nice. I knew an old farmer in SE Kansas when I was down that way that had a 100 ton hammer and some other industrial sized machines in his farm shop. He had a lathe that had at the very least a 3 foot throat. He said he got all that stuff at an equipment auction and thought it would be handy. LOL So I guess he could have done a back yard axle. He let me use the stuff whenever I needed to. Pretty cool old guy. OK I am off base here fellas. Carry on.
Totally GW I still think my original remarks are 99% right after all this banter. Thanks for the great clarifications either way.
I have never heard a Mor-Drop axle referred to as a "taffy drop". In our part of the world, the "Taffy Drop" has always described the thinned out appearance of a hammer drop, like a Dago axle.
Here's one I got today with a chassis I picked up... Northern Cali. Anybody got an idea who dropped it???
View attachment 3157278 Here are some better pictures. Also look at the difference in measurements between stock heavy and pressed heavy. Not sure if it's true that the dropping process squishes it 1/4 inch??? Bitchin axel anyway. First and second pic is stock. Other two are dropped axel.
I love this thread. I have a 36 Ford 4" dropped axle out of Genes Hotrod Shop. Would definitely do business with them again. I prefer the traditional look over the speedway catalog process, but that's just me.