Re: Shortening a Ford axle

On Wed, 10 Apr 2024 23:15:07 -0500, Snag <Snag_one@msn.com> wrote:

On 4/10/2024 10:35 PM, Clare Snyder wrote:

On Wed, 10 Apr 2024 18:16:30 -0500, Snag <Snag_one@msn.com> wrote:
 

   I'm shortening an axle to replace a damaged one in a one-off Gold
Wing powered FrankenTrike . The original axle assembly came from IIRC a
Ford Pinto (or Maverick maybe) , modified for the trike . The owner's
son got a little too heavy handed on the throttle and lost control ,
ended up in the woods and partially wrapped around a tree . Bent the
axle flange and cracked the weld where they cut a piece out of the axle .
   So I've got the replacement cut down and almost ready to weld back
together . I was going to MIG it with ER70S6 , but I'm wondering if I
should TIG it with some ER309 or 308 . It's I think a carbon steel , it
sparks orange with short forks - and it's hard . I started out with
carbide cutters but it was pushing the axle out of alignment instead of
cutting . Since axles apparently aren't exactly straight (!!) I decided
to turn a couple of reference bands so I can check runout and have a
concentric band to mount the steady rest , ended up using my Dremel as a
toolpost grinder using reinforced cutoff discs . That worked out well .
So now I need to decide which process and filler I need to use to glue
this thing back into one piece .

   1039 steel of flange mount bearings, 1050 if a c clip axle.
1050 is NOT easy to weld and should be pre and post heat treated.
  1039 is a LOT easier.
 
My recommendation is counter bore both ends and insert a "pin" in both
ends,

>
  I machined a .3125d x .250"  stub into the splined end , and a
matching recess in the flange end .
>
>
 chamfer the outer diameters,
>
 both outer diameters are ground at a 30° for a 60° included angle from
~ 1/2" diameter .
>
>
 press the axle back together then

weld together with E6013 low hydrogen rod with an arc voltage of about
30 volts -  110 amps for 5/32 rod.

>
 I don't think 6013 is considered a low hydrogen rod ... 7018 is and I
have an unopened package . However , ER70S6 MIG wire is definitely low
hydrogen , and since I use CO2 as a shield gas , might actually match
the base metal composition better . But then TIG with 309L is considered
pretty much universal so ...
>
>

  60000  is plenty strong for the "light duty" this axle will be
subjected to - particularly with the "splice" close to the middle of
the axle.
  I would do this with my DC "buzz-box"
 

>
  The splice is about an inch from the center . My TIG welder can also
do arc DC , but I've never tried it . If a project needed  arc welding
I've always used my Lincoln tombstone AC welder .

 Can't beat the Lincoln AC/DC box for general purpose welding. (the
only "arc" welder I own) For fussy stuff I have a friend TIG it  or I
use the Henrob.  Should have said 6018 for low hydrogen but a
perfectly dry 6013 ALMOST meets low hydrogen definition (and a damp
6018 also ALMOST meets spec -- - )