shortening axle shafts slightly without resplining

[neongreen]

I have a ford 8.8 under my 62 falcon. I got it from a 97 exploder, and narrowed the driver's side by 3 inches and replaced that shaft with another passenger's side shaft. After attempting to fit tires under this car, I have found that I need a bit more clearance, which I can gain by narrowing the axleshafts. I don't want to mess with the housing, only the shafts. I believe I have found a way to narrow each axle shaft just under a half inch. Because I'm and engineer and a sick person, I created the graphic below to explain the narrowing method. I'm having a machine shop perform this modification for me, it should be done tomorrow.

I realize it might not the most cost effective solution, but it is one way to skin this cat.

78193

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-2qeBdGCJRqg/Uc0yy7F5aSI/AAAAAAAAJ5E/iOauPeTokZo/w599-h846-no/axleshaft.png

[dontlifttoshift]

Because I'm and engineer

Really? And that's what you came up with? I'm just a guy who welds stuff together but less spline engagement and backcutting the large fillet into a smaller one at the most critical part of the axle wouldn't have been my first choice.

Something else to consider is how and when the axles were heat treated. After machining, it may be very soft where your clip goes.

[sccacuda]

Agreed. Axles are induction hardened. I am curious if undercutting the fillet will break through the outer "shell" of the induction hardening making the axle too "soft" in one of the most critical areas? I'd be concerned that it would just wind up and break if you applied power with traction.

[andrewb70]

Getting rid of that fillet on the backside of the wheel mounting surface is just asking for the wheel to break off in a hard corner. Those axles bend plenty, even with the fillet. Your method will also mess up the chance to use any stock brake components.

If you only needed 1/2" couldn't you just get a wheel with the right offset?

Andrew

[neongreen]

Really? And that's what you came up with? I'm just a guy who welds stuff together but less spline engagement and backcutting the large fillet into a smaller one at the most critical part of the axle wouldn't have been my first choice.

Something else to consider is how and when the axles were heat treated. After machining, it may be very soft where your clip goes.

Judging by the wear pattern on the splines, there is about .4" of extra spline. Total loss of spline engagement will be > .060. I don't know how deep the case hardening is, so I know I'm gambling on this bit, but the undercut will be small. It only needs to go to the root of the spline.

If that large fillet on the outside of the shaft is case hardened that certainly could be a problem, I guess I need to talk with the machinist and have him let me know before he goes to work on them.

I'm not planning on using stock brake components, so that's a moot point.

[badazz81z28]

This one of those things I would not chance...I wouldnt just have some local shop shorten some axles and compromise the strength and possibly straightness.

Why not get a hold of someone like Moser and have custom length axles made? Either that or just buy the wheels with the correct off-set....

[neongreen]

Well, I had it done. The machinist said that axle shafts are not case hardened. I told him to let me know if by chance they were. My research has shown that some axles are thru hardened. So here's to hoping the machinist knows what he's talking about. I suppose I can double check with a hammer and punch, or by drilling the centers.