I didn"t break any drill bits

I drilled the axle and drilled and sleeved the wishbones that I am going to use on my model a sedan, While I didn't break any drill bits I did wear out a grinding wheel on the wishbones. I drilled 15 holes laid out on 2 inch centers on the bones. I opened the holes up to 1 1/8 inches and chamfered edge of the holes before I put 1/8 wall tubing in the holes and welded them in. I ground down the welds and ran a 3/4 inch drill bit through the tubing to clean up the holes. I laid out the axle and drilled 3/4 inch holes on the main beam and used a 9/16 inch and a 1/2 inch on the drop in the axle. The axle took about 2 hours and I have about 6 hours in the wishbones and I still have to finish one of them, but I was out of beer......but hey who said building a hotrod doesn't take time.

 

impressive, i woulda went through 10 bits

 

I was always told you should never drill holes between the perch holes and the kingpin holes on the axle. Looks good, but is it safe?

 

I woulda gone through ten axles! looks good!

 

outstanding , looks great !

 

I like the axle, looks good.

 

Just an aside, does everyone really like the Superbell "wings" in the middle of their axles?

I notice just about everyone that drills them out works around the logo.

 

I grind them off, if I drill them or not.

 

I am sure that anytime you drill an axle it weakens it, and while I drilled smaller holes in the web of the I beam between the perch and the kingpin it will be weaker than an undrilled axle. The question is will it fail.... I have seen axles that have been drilled at the drop with larger holes and have alot of miles on them. I am using this axle on a highboy model a sedan with a small block ford, not the heaviest of cars.... Anyone have any bad experiences with a drilled axle...?

 

looks great

 

Looks great! Nice work!

 

That's gonna look sharp in your car! Nice work

 

If I done it there would be unremovable drill bit peices in at least a few of those holes... nicely done!

 

Yeah, I like the SB logo, I'm leavin' it. Then again, you know I'm weird.
I like the era the logo comes from so that's a big part of it.

 

that axle looks good.

 

HotRod, I wasn't knocking it at all, I hope you know that. I think it looks good. Nice layout. My concern is/was just a safety aspect of it. Was told you dont drill in the drop, in fact thats why some guys fill them, because it is the "weak link". Would hate to see you (or anyone) hurt over a few holes. If it isn't an issue, then I would even think about doing the next one that way.

 

I love it! Looks really cool. I had mine off my A coupe to install new king pins carried it to the drillpress and then backed out for the reason everybody else stated.Was affraid I would use all of my bits and all off the one from the local tool crib.

 

i always thought that it was not a good idea to drill holes in a cast axle, since they are already not as strong as the forged ones. I to have a superbell axle and love the logo on it, always have since i was a kid.

 

Good News-Bad News:

Good News...glad to see you sleeved the holes in the in the bones.
Bad News.....the holes in the ends of the axle scare me to death.

 

Any idea of the differance in weight before and after?

 

I put it up here to see what everyone has to say, good or bad and you make a very good point... I appreciate your honest comments and take no offense at them.....

 

The axle is about a pound lighter[ i swept up all the shavings] but the wishbones weigh more with the sleeves.....

 

Cool deal. Lots of times I come across as an asshole, but honestly often it can be meant as they take it to be

With yours, I REALLY do like the look of it, but sure hate to see me/my kids/wife or whoever get seriously hurt over "looks".

I lost a rear axle clean out from a car once and since then, have tried to avoid a repeat. Biggest thing I learned from that experience,,,,,,, sometimes you just throw the BVDs away rather then try to clean them