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Changing axle width.....

techno1154

techno1154

NAXJA Member
NAXJA Member
Location
In the islands
If you guys were to change an axle width from 58" to 66", how would you do it?
 
Shorten the axle tubes and axles!!!
 
RCP Phx said:
Shorten the axle tubes and axles!!!
Click to expand...


NO. Lengthen it by 8"


cal said:
Sorry. I was channeling my inner facebook tech.
Click to expand...

Yea,..I have done that too, although not Facebook.

I am thinking making it longer but a standard length to avoid custom length shafts.
 
sinat01 said:
get some JK D44s, or tons
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I like changeling my self to be different, to do something different.

Everyone talks about shortening an axle. Who deer to be different?
 
sinat01 said:
hrmm do portals, I havnt seen those done
Click to expand...

I have an idea what portals are but have not seen them.

My XJ is 95% highway so I would like to keep it easily serviceable using over the counter parts. Also, weight is a definite concern.

My thoughts go like this,... cut axle tube somewhere in the middle, i.e. between the center section and the outer end. Insert a sleeve and weld it back together. Add an truss. Done.
 
techno1154 said:
I have an idea what portals are but have not seen them.

My XJ is 95% highway so I would like to keep it easily serviceable using over the counter parts. Also, weight is a definite concern.

My thoughts go like this,... cut axle tube somewhere in the middle, i.e. between the center section and the outer end. Insert a sleeve and weld it back together. Add an truss. Done.
Click to expand...

Sure, weaken the axle tube. :explosion

Unimogs run portals. They give you crazy ground clearance but cost a pretty penny.

Run a HP44 and a 9 if you want full width axles without the weight of tons.

Honestly I'm lost as to what your question is.

Either run full width or don't.
 
The correct way would be drill plug welds in center section, press old tube out, press new tube in and reweld. Ideally some sort of fixture would be used to verify the thing is still kinda straight too.
 
techno1154 said:
I like changeling my self to be different, to do something different.

Everyone talks about shortening an axle. Who deer to be different?
Click to expand...

Different isn’t always better.

The point of narrowing is to fit a heavy duty axle under an xj. I’m not sure anyone would make a longer shaft for a 30 even if it’s a standard width
 
trippled said:
The correct way would be drill plug welds in center section, press old tube out, press new tube in and reweld. Ideally some sort of fixture would be used to verify the thing is still kinda straight too.
Click to expand...

Your described procedure is the best procedure by far. However, there are many Chevy driver side drop front D44 that have been modified to a passenger side drop without the expense of getting the center section to a professional shop with a jig to have it re-tubed.

The simplicity of this modification is stunning. The long side tube is cut to the desired short length. The remaining long side tube is then added to the original short side. An inner tube or sleeve is inserted into both original short tube and the added on piece that was removed from the long side and they are welded together. The major difference here is, both tubes will be welded. Nothing that a skilled welder cannot handle,...I think,...

I must admit that I not heard it done to a rear non steerable axle. And that is the reason I am trying to get a feel for what others think. I may visit some local 4X4 shops and throw my idea at them.
 
techno1154 said:
Your described procedure is the best procedure by far. However, there are many Chevy driver side drop front D44 that have been modified to a passenger side drop without the expense of getting the center section to a professional shop with a jig to have it re-tubed.

The simplicity of this modification is stunning. The long side tube is cut to the desired short length. The remaining long side tube is then added to the original short side. An inner tube or sleeve is inserted into both original short tube and the added on piece that was removed from the long side and they are welded together. The major difference here is, both tubes will be welded. Nothing that a skilled welder cannot handle,...I think,...

I must admit that I not heard it done to a rear non steerable axle. And that is the reason I am trying to get a feel for what others think. I may visit some local 4X4 shops and throw my idea at them.
Click to expand...

First, GM D44s are passenger drop. But I know what you meant.

What you're wanting to do is not a terrible idea for a front axle. Ideally you want the inner sleeve to be a nice press fit into both tubes, so you can plug weld it into one side then press it together, plug weld it into the other side, then weld up the butt joint. You're not going to have a perfectly straight housing after you do this, but most front housings (and lots of rears) are really not that straight after they've done 20 years in service or somebody has welded a bunch of brackets or trusses to them. However, a front axle has a fair amount more leeway in how straight it needs to be just by the nature of their being a u-joint in it, and that they're not as likely to be driven at all times (manual hubs or pulling drive flanges). With a rear axle having the housing less straight is more likely to show up as problems.

That said, you can buy an alignment bar for not that much money, and there is a lot of badly bent rear axles out there that are in service. You'll see guys with FF axles that can't keep their axle shaft retaining bolts from coming loose, and a bent housing (or shaft) is often the culprit...

What axles are you intending to build? I run full width axles (Ford HP D60 and a Chebby 14 Bolt) with 37s and the width is nearly perfect, they could be maybe 2" narrower at most (and I would need different wheels, the tire position would not be changed).
 
techno1154 said:
Your described procedure is the best procedure by far. However, there are many Chevy driver side drop front D44 that have been modified to a passenger side drop without the expense of getting the center section to a professional shop with a jig to have it re-tubed.

The simplicity of this modification is stunning. The long side tube is cut to the desired short length. The remaining long side tube is then added to the original short side. An inner tube or sleeve is inserted into both original short tube and the added on piece that was removed from the long side and they are welded together. The major difference here is, both tubes will be welded. Nothing that a skilled welder cannot handle,...I think,...

I must admit that I not heard it done to a rear non steerable axle. And that is the reason I am trying to get a feel for what others think. I may visit some local 4X4 shops and throw my idea at them.
Click to expand...

Have you read into this? Any links? I'd like to see what others have done and how it worked.
 
2drx4XMSJ said:
First, GM D44s are passenger drop. But I know what you meant.

What you're wanting to do is not a terrible idea for a front axle. Ideally you want the inner sleeve to be a nice press fit into both tubes, so you can plug weld it into one side then press it together, plug weld it into the other side, then weld up the butt joint. You're not going to have a perfectly straight housing after you do this, but most front housings (and lots of rears) are really not that straight after they've done 20 years in service or somebody has welded a bunch of brackets or trusses to them. However, a front axle has a fair amount more leeway in how straight it needs to be just by the nature of their being a u-joint in it, and that they're not as likely to be driven at all times (manual hubs or pulling drive flanges). With a rear axle having the housing less straight is more likely to show up as problems.

That said, you can buy an alignment bar for not that much money, and there is a lot of badly bent rear axles out there that are in service. You'll see guys with FF axles that can't keep their axle shaft retaining bolts from coming loose, and a bent housing (or shaft) is often the culprit...

What axles are you intending to build? I run full width axles (Ford HP D60 and a Chebby 14 Bolt) with 37s and the width is nearly perfect, they could be maybe 2" narrower at most (and I would need different wheels, the tire position would not be changed).
Click to expand...

The rear axle is what I am looking for opinions on for the very reason you listed above + I have not heard of it being done. I would do a front in a heart beat. Unfortunately, the Ford D44 are few and cost a pretty penny from John Make A Quick Buck Seller. Chevy D44's are available for $150 or less. Unfortunately, they are all low pinion and driver drop. I am delaying with the front because of costs, i.e. gears, lockers, truss, brakes and just about everything except the case is needed. Not the driver drop but low pinion is the disappointment here.

Since I am running the JK take off wheels and tires, I would like to have axles that are equal to the JK width and get rid of the 2" spacers installed on my XJ for a few years. JK take off axles are listed at over $2,500 dollars each,...and they need to be trussed. Additionally, the gears installed in my XJ are 4.10. With the JK 32" + tires, 4.56 gears are required (that is my opinion and I am sticking to it).


trippled said:
Have you read into this? Any links? I'd like to see what others have done and how it worked.
Click to expand...

This is the only one I have book marked. There are other threads on different vehicle forums that I come across from time to time.
 
sounds like a lot of work to end up with stock axles, even if it does give you a wider stance. go to 44s at least
 
techno1154 said:
The simplicity of this modification is stunning.
Click to expand...

And also incredibly hack.

Not horrible if you have hubs, so the only time it's really turning is when it's slow.

Even then, if that housing isn't pretty d@mn straight, you'll be breaking shafts, since even a little out of alignment puts a lot more load on shafts.

What shafts do you plan on running then? Going to get custom made shafts to match?

What I'm seeing is that you want to take the short route, hack something together, and think it's remotely good.

Even with the method you propose, you'd need to had access to a lathe for proper machining for press fits, etc.

If you want wider, just put in an full width axle. If that's too much work, then you don't really need it.
 
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