I have access to a pile of beam axles in an old farmer's woods. There's stuff from A's , a deuce, all through the 30's-50's, from many makes too. That means transverse and parallel springs. Here's the rub, they're all former trailer axles. The welds are mostly small and clean but not all. I wonder if it would be worth my while to clean them off for sale or not? It would be alot cheaper per unit to offer on the pile than pick thru for what I feel is useful to me, leaving the rest end up as scrap. Seems I should be salvaging the pile rather than thinking only of what I can use here. Things like Wide Five spindles and Chevy six lugs leave me confused since one or the other will have to be destroyed in the seperation. Of course there's the issue of straightness to be considered before a decision, but if the axle's good, which would you save? If at all. Mech. brake spindles are a no brainer, but... Also I'm still trying to figure out how I'm gettin them 16's that are holding air off the '35 spindles without destroying anything at all. The lug threads have rusted away where exposed since the ctr. caps are long gone. Pretty sure it's all fused solid. Same deal with gettin the wheels off the Plymouth fish belly and the Wide Five tube axle spindles too. I appreciate your experienced opinions.
I would take the whole pile & sort them out later. I sold several to a Sid at DROPAXLES.COM , He gives 50~75 per axle depending on year & make. An air gun will remove the nuts no prob... Or it will break the studs. If they are bent, they can be straightend in a press. I have straightend a couple old Dropped axles. Wish i was close.. Id take them all home !
Thanx for the reply DE SOTO. But man, sounds like they might as well be scrap with the lack of any advice on seperating. Don't think it'd be worth my time for $50 a piece after draggin em out, home, shipping. NOPE. And forget about cleaning or seperating for that kinda ching. That sounds like a price for a HAMBer diy project. plus shipping of course. Cmon guys. I know I can sell the Fords all day long but... are them chevy 6lug drums or spindles even worthwhile? Anybody out there interested in parallel axles? Or was 3pgs of that 1/4 elliptic post just killin time? Like I said man y of these look like they'd clean right up. Probly axle and spindle would look fine with a little work over the welds removal area. Some of them have a decent drop too. NOO body else has any advice or actual experience doing this or selling these?
Once you get started taking them apart it'll start moving along. You can't save everything so you save what you can. Attack with an impact and gas wrench. Bet a buddy and I could have the stack stripped to components in an afternoon. I'd tally the handful I wanted in the pile, sum em up at $50 apiece and offer that for the pile. Just cause traditionalists are hung up on ford axles doesn't mean somebody won't snap up the oddballs. Rat rodder money is green too, and it's not headed to China on a scrap barge. Edit- if you're no good with a torch, sort the pile onto a trailer and see if a local junkyard will seperate em on a slow day for $50. You ain't seen precision til you've seen what a yard veteran can do with the ole gas wrench.
Its not that bad breaking axels down, I've done 24 in one weekend. It just depends on what axels you have. On some of the model a axels I've taken apart if the hubs and backing plates are junk I did whatever it took to get the spindles off. If they have good or useable wishbones thats another $50 +30 for front spring+ the $50 for the axel. I sold 3 sets of model a hubs spindles and drums for $45. Now if its 37-41 the spindles alone are $100. Sure its not easy but atleast the stuff would get used verses going to the scrapper.
THANK YOU! I was startin to think salvaging em was uncommon after posting to dead air on the HAMB. I'm pretty good with a torch. I use propane, it's easier for me, never had any trouble there. Sure I'd figure it pretty quick, but I'm thinking it'd be preferable to burn on the spindle side not the axle... Suppose I'll be draggin more crap home then. Any other advice to the specifics of it are appreciated.
Sid is looking for more than just Ford axles, he bought several early chev's and ford truck ones from me last year. And, if it's not too bent, it usually can be straightened. The only charge for the advice is a '32 axle... Brian
dude, there were two of em at the scrap drive a couple weeks ago... they cant be THAT friggin rare, spendy yes, but not rare
I was just reading a dropped axle price list somewhere. The core charge for A's & 37 & newer axles was only $50. The 33-36 was $100, and NO price was listed for the 32 heavy. That's way too much work & fuel to strip a Ford axle with bones/perches and stuck spindles. Ohio?...got to be pitted, just like New England, so the price would go lower. Bones are usually rusted thin on the inside! Parallel stuff is only wanted by the bargain crowd, so scrap it rather than waste time. If it were me, I'd grab the 32 and LEAVE the rest. JMO
I'd think about cutting the welds between the axles and spindles with a cut off disk. I've got an otherwise nice looking axle that I need to do that with.
I know you can get like $50 for the Chevy 6 lug hubs at lest thats close to what I paid each for two of them this year. Check on www.stovebolt.com Those guys are all fixing up Chevy trucks most all of which use the 6 lug hubs.
any one that doesnt want ot put a ford front end on thier non ford car coulc used the parralel axles. measure the king pin spread, leaf spring center to center and drop and start listing them. i have no intrest in putting a ford axle on my essex.
Quit yer whine'n; and just go get'um! There'll be a need for 'um! Some drink deeply from the river of wisdom. Others only gargle.
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