Front axle material

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kheaton
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Front axle material

Post by kheaton »

What material do you all make axles with? I have added a section of 4140 to my McMaster-Carr order but wanted to be sure before I order. This is for a leafer front end. Thanks

Ken
kheaton
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Re: Front axle material

Post by kheaton »

Nothing?? I know some of you make your own. Just need to know if 4140 is good or overkill.

Ken
gearhead1951
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Re: Front axle material

Post by gearhead1951 »

I've said this in many places many times , mcpherson strut cartridge actuator shafts are large enough to be turned down to suit the axle requirement front or rear for most any bike I ever heard of and are far more than "good enough"
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Re: Front axle material

Post by concrete guy »

1045, 1050 is plenty good enough. That's what most car axles are made of.
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Re: Front axle material

Post by budoka »

i've used stainless with good results, but exactly what it was, is lost in the fog of time.

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kheaton
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SELF INTRODUCTION: My name is Ken Heaton. I've been in the medical field in the Army for the past 18 years and work on and build bikes as a hobby. My main hobby and goal is to think of parts that do not exist and make them or modify existing parts. I currently own a 99 Softtail that I bolted together, a 78 Triumph bobber that i built from the ground up, a 75 CB360 cafe, and a 76 Kawasaki KH500 that needs a lot of work. I joined the original forum about 8 years ago and I'm glad to see it up and running again!
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Re: Front axle material

Post by kheaton »

Thanks everyone. I have 1045, now I have to wait the use my buddys lathe because I don't want to try it on my small HF
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Re: Front axle material

Post by railroad bob »

Let us know how it goes.
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gearhead1951
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I dont know if I can think of enough to say to reach the two hundred charactor minimun set by the mods , but I will persevere
Location: Greenock Scotland

Re: Front axle material

Post by gearhead1951 »

You can also source a car or truck axle (rwd) from any salvage yard (car breaker in britain) and have it machined into axle shafts for your bike !
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railroad bob
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SELF INTRODUCTION: Hi Dan, thanks for your time and energy spent on this new board. I hope you will give me a waiver on the email account, I have used gmail so long I don't have a clue what my service provider account is.
I just returned home from a 2 week trip in New Mexico, have a few good pix, can't wait to share my off-highway traveling. Got to put 1400 miles on the scoot.

Best, Bob Davidson
Location: Alaska

Re: Front axle material

Post by railroad bob »

gearhead1951 wrote:You can also source a car or truck axle (rwd) from any salvage yard (car breaker in britain) and have it machined into axle shafts for your bike !
Hmmm, I thought instantly about axles in a typical car or pickup, and how that would require a LOT of machining,
BUT, an axle from a vehicle with CV joints, like a Subaru?, don't they have a small diameter axle?
That seems like they might be a really good source for axle material.
Alaska - Land of the Individual and Other Endangered Species
An Armed Society is a Polite Society,...
Politicians Prefer Unarmed Peasants
TANSTAAFL
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