Hypothetical situation....
Say I cut a front axle (from a 10 bolt IFS) in half right where the CV boots almost touch, then slipped each end into a hollow tube/pipe and welded it back together but with a 2" gap between the two axle ends. (The goal is to add 2" to the axle length.)
Would the welding make the axle weaker than the already weak CV's? <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/scared.gif" alt="" />
Does this require a special welder? (other than standard mig.)

Just curious.
Karl

Karl I've joined steel rods this way before and it was plenty strong. Just be sure you get the piece straight. What are you up to? I send you home with a perfectly good IFS and now you talk of cutting and splicing <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/scared.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" />

Hey I'm going to the Sunnyside U Pull It today after work, do you need anything?

Not to worry. I'm just researching at this point. It's a top secret project to make 4 foot a-arms. I'm gona look like a Traxxas T-maxx when I'm done! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/notooth.gif" alt="" />



Ya...Grab me a waggy Dana 44 front with 4.56's and an ARB in it! Just kidding.
I'm good for now. Thanks again for the IFS parts.

<img src="/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />
Karl

Not sure what gen you have, but the 2nd gen amigos have pretty long CV's and the newest trooper has even longer CV's, might wanna check those lengths too...

i say just sas that beast Karl <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/evil.gif" alt="" />

troy

I would bet this would not work. I bet these axles are designed to keep metal "grain" intact for strength, heat hardened and I bet the little baby tube you slide over it would crumple under the torque.

If your engine makes 150 ft lbs of torque, times first gear of 3, times low range of 2, times gear ratio of 4.3. That front axle could see stresses as high as 3870 ft/lbs of torque. Yeah you can halve that with 4wd, and maybe halve it again if you are driving straight and the other side gets some torque. You could even cut it down to 1/10th of that if most torque is lost in tire slip.

So say 100-1000 ft/lbs for argument's sake.

agreed. some sort of heat treating would definitely need to be done. I bet you would face challenges lining up and welding the pieces true without access to machine equipment.

IMHO, I don't think this is an acceptable method... screems booty fab to me (but thats just me). If you are serious about this, i would begin talking to moser, dutchman, superior, etc about a custom intermediate shaft on which you could maybe transplant the CV joints.


<img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cheers.gif" alt="" />
-Rob

Butt-welding is a reasonable way of repairing steel rod, but just isn't the best* way to deal with axles that handle rotational torque. Axles use specialized metallurgy and depend on consistency in grain, profile, and heat treatment along the length of the axle to spread the load. Any spikes or differences interfere with distribution of the load. Even if you could get both pieces fixtured perfectly in the same axis, and then welded without heat-shifting that axis, the resulting axle would be uneven, and thus weak.

* In certain cases, butt-welding axle shafts is reasonable due to the production tolerances, subsequent processing/treatment OR inaccessibility for repair.

IMHO, changing the length of a vehicle shaft is not a good application for butt-welding.

Randii

The welds also tend to actually weaken the material. The weld will basically create a concentration of stress around the area of the weld. If a torsional load is placed on that shaft that is greater than the shaft can take, it will break somewhere around the weld, but the weld will not break. You can have the biggest welds you want, but the heat is what kills the strength of the shaft.

Dan

The bearing basket is going to go way before the shaft or splice would. If Karl uses some good DOM tube then it will be plenty strong. As for the SAS advice, he has some future plans there. He's got an 87 troop with the 8 bolt inner 10 bolt outer front end, but it's soon going to get 10 bolt inners as well. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cheers.gif" alt="" />