Axle straightening

Sean Robbins · Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2002 12:06 pm Post subject: Axle straightening

Try this guy:

Ed Keese
Cincinnati, OH
513-385-3349
ekeese@geiler.com

He's a machinist who straightens axles on the side. Can get them to within .003. About 18 months ago (last time I mangled one), he was only charging $25 plus shipping. Highly recommended.

Sean Robbins www.kartlift.com

royboy · Joined: 19 Jul 2001 Posts: 13

Anyone know of a reliable axle straightener? I took a good whack last year and bent a 40mm axle, but I hate to throw it away. I guess I can always use it as a breaker bar.

John Denman · Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2002 11:53 pm Post subject: Axle straightening

Depends on how much and where its bent. If its between the bearing cassette and wheel, and less than about .080" at the wheel, it can be straightened insitu. Beyond that, they usually can't be straightened reliably.

Remove the hub and put a dial indicator on it, and mark the highspot (and note how high). (Optional- Use a solid bar about 3-4 feet long and insert it to the bearing, and load it down with an assistant say 50lbs. Makes bending it back more "accurate).

Put a short 2X4 over the end of the bar as a cushion, and whack it with enough oomph to drive a 6 penney nail halfway into a 2X4. Put the dial indicator back on it, (remove the optional bar & assistant first) and measure. Repeat until straight.

I get them to withing .003" TIR, but .016" TIR is good enough for most sprint tracks.

Marshall Martin · Posted: Tue Jan 15, 2002 4:15 am Post subject: Axle straightening

Roy

Definately go to Ed Kesse for axle. He has done several for me.

Pat Calhoun · Posted: Thu Jan 17, 2002 7:23 pm Post subject: Axle straightening

I can't see $10 to ship $25 to semi straighten $10 ship back $45... and you still have a bent axle
spend $85 jet a new axle and save your bearings etc...

JMHO

Pat

John Van Nghiem · Advertiser Joined: 26 Jul 2001 Posts: 697

40mm axles here for less than $100!!!

John www.fastech-racing.com

Jimmy Moore · Joined: 26 Jul 2001 Posts: 664

Anyone with a ten ton press and a pair of vee blocks can straighten an axle. You need a 20 ton press to do a crankshaft so, ask your engine builder to staighten it.

Gord Sipko · Joined: 06 Aug 2001 Posts: 70 Location: Canada,

The most simple trackside incidents can produce complex axle bends.

A way to check the axle is to do an axle profile. Support the axle ends in v-blocks over a flat surface, and using a dial indicator, find and mark the high spot on the axle every couple of inches along the full length.

If you are real lucky, all the high spots will be in a straight line and the straightening process will most likely be sucessful. On the other hand, if the high spots form an s-curve on the axle surface you are hooped!

S-bends are very common when an axle gets bent. This type of bend is very difficult to straighten and is very time consuming.

Having been there and done it, I would opt for a new axle. It's much cheaper in the long run and a whole lot less grief.

Pete Ryan · Posted: Wed Jan 23, 2002 6:26 pm Post subject: Axle straightening

you could get an inch and a quater axel and slide it inside your 40mm axel, depending on wall thinkness of axel, and you can bend it back with one or two people. but it won't be perfect. this is mainly a trackside fix

[ January 23, 2002: Message edited by: Pete Ryan ]

Jeremy Loukinas · Posted: Wed Jan 30, 2002 11:33 pm Post subject: Axle straightening

Ed also did one for me, would highly recommend.

Jeremy

Brian Kay · Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2002 2:32 pm Post subject: Axle straightening

There is a way to repair axles IN the chassis if you're in a BIG hurry.

Central Tool makes what is technically called a "ball joint run-out guage" It's a flexible arm attached to a pair of Vise-Grip pliers. The flex arm locks into whatever position you choose, and has a DIAL INDICATOR on the end.

1. Clamp to chassis

2. Position dial indicator on end of axle.

3. Start bending.

I've found that the handle off of most 2 ton floor jacks fits perfectly inside the I.D. of the axle, and provides alot of leverage!

Have brought axles from almost 3/4" run-out (un-drivable!) down to less than .004" in less than 10 minutes. A great way to go unless you are VERY fast at changing axles!

Hope this straightens things out for ya,

Brian K - T2 RaceKarts

Chad Stapleton · Joined: 19 Jul 2001 Posts: 4403

How easy it is to straighten depends on the axle material. I have seen 4 big men with a 12' scaffold pole, unable to fix a 1" axle, and i have had a 35mm hollow axle in a 20ton hydraulic press and never got below 25 thou runout.
Other axles have "fallen" back into shape just by being shown a half pound hammer. !