Magnaflux your axles boys!!!

[RDWEAVER]

If you have your rear end apart for bearings and seals a careful inspection of the axles is not enough. Find a shop that can use some sort of process to crack check them.

[sals54]

[Alan]

Looks like someone was trying to do doughnuts on concrete. Smooth move. BTDT. My excuse was I was only 16. That's why I removed the axle and replaced it with a rear out of a 54 Ford Station Wagon. Later, around 61 I went to Ford 9".

[PackardV8]

While it's apart, do the math and consider stepping up to flanged axles.

Back in the bad old days, I remember being there when SASCO sent a truckload of NOS tapered axles to the scrap yard because they'd been down in the basement or somewhere which received enough water damage to cover them with surface rust. They weren't considered worth cleaning.

jack vines

[JoeHall]

If you have your rear end apart for bearings and seals a careful inspection of the axles is not enough. Find a shop that can use some sort of process to crack check them. [ATTACH=CONFIG]37094[/ATTACH]

Having just returned from a 175 mile trip today in the GT, at 70-75 MPH, with family in car, that pic kinda makes me cringe.

[blackhawk61]

Phil Harris (Fairborn Studebaker)has the cure for that !

http://s245.photobucket.com/user/blackhawk61/library/#/user/blackhawk61/library/Broken%20axle?sort=3&page=1&_suid=14083044601250286668505473707

[RadioRoy]

I have been yapping about this for over a year. My impression is that many of these axles get cracked from improper placement of the axle key and improper tightening of the axle nut when putting the rear drum/hub back on.

[doug]

Ouch! Thanks for sharing.

[Roscomacaw]

I'm with Roy on this. Having found MORE than my share of improperly installed rear hubs thru the years, that HAS to have an impact on the shafts. The leverage of loose parts and the slamming that results can not be good. Not saying these things CAN'T fail, just noting that I've encountered too many that had been put back on wrong.

[jackb]

.....case in point: what I thought was a blown clutch, turned out to be a completely buggered up rear hub/drum, axle & key, piece of destruction. The key was actually gone and ground down in both grooves. I checked the other side and the same "mechanic" worked there too. Hub was split up through the keyway and it was greased. 1953 2R6....

[BobPalma]

I have been yapping about this for over a year. My impression is that many of these axles get cracked from improper placement of the axle key and improper tightening of the axle nut.

Absolutely, Roy. It's amazing how many of these tapered axle setups have been ruined by the axle nuts not being tight enough.

Not only do most people not realize how tight they have to be, but few people have a torque wrench that measures much over 100 ft/lb, yet these should be on the order of 180.

Ideally, someone with an accurate torque wrench to 180 ft/lb could do this:

1. Torque a given axle nut to 100 ft/lb

2. Remove the socket and note the position of the castle nut slot nearest to the axle's cotter-key hole at 100 ft/lb.

3. Replace the socket and continue tightening to get to 180 ft/lb.

4. Finally, note for the rest of us how many more castle slots were required to do that; to get from 100 ft/lb to 180.

That way, people could torque to 100 ft/lb, note the position of one set of castle slots, and then continue to tighten with a breaker bar until the correct number of castle slots had been passed, before inserting the cotter pin.

That wouldn't yield an exact 180 ft/lb every time, but it would be a whole lot closer than guessing over 100 ft/lb. BP

[52 Ragtop]

That's why I have gone to Fairborn Axles on my Avanti!

Jim

[Warren Webb]

I bought a 3/4" torque wrench just to do the rear axle nuts. I think it was cheap insurance, only set me back $60. It goes to 300 lbs so as the book says when I reach 180, then I go to the next castle opening, insert the cottier pin & done.

[Bullet]

So I have to ask what is the difference between the Fairborn axles and the Studebaker West Axles. I know S.W. are from the old Steve Allen inventory and Fairborn's are from Mosier, but is there really a difference, I think both are $500 a pair. Inquiring minds.

Thanks

Mark

[blackhawk61]

So I have to ask what is the difference between the Fairborn axles and the Studebaker West Axles. I know S.W. are from the old Steve Allen inventory and Fairborn's are from Mosier, but is there really a difference, I think both are $500 a pair. Inquiring minds.

Thanks

Mark

Fairborns are the ones that Ted Harbit had made