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+--- Thread: Shortening an axle (/showthread.php?tid=1438)
Shortening an axle - TJVigilante - 07 May 07
How hard is it? Sure you need to make sure the cut is straight, and the inner knuckle is straight, and the caster is right...but other than that, there shouldn't be too much issue, right? Measure, measure again, measure again, get 3 friends to measure, mark, measure, fix your mistake, mark again, remove inner C, cut off outside of the mark with sawzall and about 20 cheap blades, take grinder to the remainder to grind it flush against the mark, install inner C after checking caster angle 10 times with 5 different people, weld, paint, go.
Anything I'm missing here? Where does the axle bearing seat? Is that included in the inner knuckle, or the axle tube itself? Would I need to get the inside of the tube machined for the bearing seat surface?
Shortening an axle - 78calico - 07 May 07
On the front axle (I'm assuming here.) the u-joint will be centered inline with the steering axis. (imaginary line between upper and lower balljoints) The tube seal location can remain the same as it is on the inner end of the axle tube. When ordering a custom axle you will need to know the length between the end of the shaft and the center of the ears. the spline count and length, and the machined seal surface would be the same as stock for what I think you are planning. As there are several stock axleshaft legnths it would be wise to narrow the axle to a width that you can use an off the shelf shaft for cost reasons and time it would take to obtain a replacement custom shaft if you break one.
Shortening an axle - TJVigilante - 07 May 07
Yeah I was thinking of shortening an HP44 to accept waggy widetrack shafts. There's an outer bearing inside the inner axle yoke, am I right? What does that bearing/race seat on?
Shortening an axle - 78calico - 07 May 07
The axle floats between the spider gears in the diff and the needle bearings in the spindle so you wouldn't have to worry about machining. The most difficult part would be rotating the inner c's. most people grind the weld away and rotate them with a big hammer, but someone who is good with an Airarc (hint) could make short work of it.
Shortening an axle - 78calico - 07 May 07
On the front axle (I'm assuming here.) the u-joint will be centered inline with the steering axis. (imaginary line between upper and lower balljoints) The tube seal location can remain the same as it is on the inner end of the axle tube. When ordering a custom axle you will need to know the length between the end of the shaft and the center of the ears. the spline count and length, and the machined seal surface would be the same as stock for what I think you are planning. As there are several stock axleshaft legnths it would be wise to narrow the axle to a width that you can use an off the shelf shaft for cost reasons and time it would take to obtain a replacement custom shaft if you break one.
Shortening an axle - TJVigilante - 07 May 07
I assume you have something like that?
Shortening an axle - 78calico - 07 May 07
not at the moment but coming soon
Shortening an axle - mousee - 09 May 07
Why spend the time to shorten at all? Run it full width...
If'n ya' wants to see a tj with a hp44 run full width, check out Crazy's. It was only a couple inches wider than his d30 with 1.25" spacers.
Shortening an axle - TJVigilante - 09 May 07
if I do that then I have to track down a full width 9" housing...which would actually work as I have two fullwidth 9" 31 spline shafts...hmm.
I actually know where the housing that the shafts came out of is...if it's still there. About 75 miles north of town though...I guess if we make a run out of it, but it's pretty boring for just a trail run.
Good idea.
Shortening an axle - 78calico - 09 May 07
Hello:poke: You must've been wearing blinders the other day.
Shortening an axle - TJVigilante - 09 May 07
the housing was narrower than the one I have here...unless you're referring to any of your other axles in the other trucks. I don't usually snoop around someone's place like that. :p
Shortening an axle - TJVigilante - 09 May 07
My housing is 56.5" from end to end, so that housing that's loose should work out fine with the shafts I have...i think it measured at around 60" at the bearing retainer plate?
Everything online points me to that diff being a posi, except for the fact that it's got spider gears and a center pin block instead of clutch disks...perhaps the original owners opened it up and replaced the posi stuff with open spiders? Makes no sense.