Truck axle question?

[Everything Mac]

Daft question here guys,

Can some one please show me a picture of a truck axle, specifically which part to use for making hammers.

I keep imagining the drive shaft whenever I see people talking about truck axles, and having never had anything to do with trucks I'm a bit unsure where to look.

Much appreciated

Regards
Andy

[Drewed]

Axle is the part that goes from the differentials to the wheels.

[ptree]

The truck axles best used to make hand hammers are those in the bigger trucks like dump trucks and semi's. Next time around a big truck, look at the rear wheels. You will notice an approx 6" diameter hub sticking out in the center of the wheel with smallish bolts around the perimeter. If you remove those bolts, the axle can be pulled straight out. You will then have a axle from a full float style. Smaller trucks like most 1/2 ton pick-ups use semi float axles and the outer hub assy has a bearing pressed onto the axle and the axle is smaller, and much harder to remove.
On a group 8 truck like a semi, the axle shank will often be 2.5" in diameter and will yeild about 40# of 1541H steel, an excellent hammer material. Oil quench and temper with in 45 minutes.
And yes Andy the trucks in England use the same steel as the US, it is a universal standard.
Ptree who worked for 3 years in an Axle upset forge shop.

[ptree]

On the youtube video I have a link to below, there are many truck axles shown, and a little of the upset forging process used to make them.

[Everything Mac]

Cheers guys. Daft question I know. I always assumed that was hollow.

I'll have to keep an eye out when I go to the scrap yard. I wouldn't have known they just pull out either.

Much appreciated guys.

Andy

[ptree]

Andy, they just pull out after you remove those bolts and only on the full float style, but it will yeid a good hunk of steel. Be aware the steel will be somewhat hard:)

[56FordGuy]

When we pull them at work, we often have to whack the outer end of the axle shaft with a hammer to get it to pop loose. Leave one or two of the bolts in, but loose when you do that. Keeps the axle from flying all the way out. Expect it to leak some oil once the seal on the end of the axle breaks, usually less than a quart.

[GRiley904]

It usually takes just under a quart to fill the hub, be careful not to hit the bolts, that could go from simple to complete pain in a hurry.

[Clif]

Andy,

If you go to a gargage that works on lorries then ask for the driveshaft. US calls them axles and propshafts are called driveshafts, which are hollow. Trucks brake them every now and again so you might find a piece small enough for free. A friend of mine works in a gargage in Peterborough and gave me one section about 40 cm long. 75mm diameter and weights about 15 Kgs (about 1/4th of the shaft). If your looking for something smaller in diameter try the rear driveshaft out of a transit van, ones with the duel wheels should be about 50mm.
Clif

[ThomasPowers]

US nomenclature:
Hollow shaft from Transmission to differential: drive shaft
Solid shaft from Differential to wheels: axle

axle is what you want...

[Jim Kehler]

Ptree how big is that upsetter in the video? I worked on a 4" and thought that it was big :blink:

[David Gaddis]

On many different machines I have worked and repaired on in my life any parts that put the machine into a movement were considered "propel shafts". That nomenclature seemed to change when the power entered a transmission or final drive assembly. That propel shaft name carries itself over to the little ATV's my many manufacturing companies, even the big one that is made in USA.



Carry on

[Everything Mac]

Cheers for the clarification. It just occurred to me I could just have googled it. Lol.

I'm at a training course for work at the moment. Itching to get back home to the forge.

All the best

[ptree]

Jim Kehler, the Ajax is either an 8" or a 9" depending in the view (We had several). We also had several 9" Nationals and a 10" Ajax, a real moose. The little bumped up end for the splines was done in an automatic 4" that ran locked on and every hit was a bumped up axle.
Those shafts being tossed around by the robots are mostly 2.25" in diameter before forging. We forged 5.5" shafts into BIG axles in the 10"

For those who view, you can see a real Porterbar, the hot on one end axle forging is moved into the back stop and then the grip slide slammes shut, moving from left to right. Then the tooling slide comes straight towards the operator. Look at 0:044, and that dear friends is an upsetter in operation, with a real porter bar.