Narrowing a reliant axle

[hairy monsta]

Ok folks I've got my head round how most people do this, but why not re machine one end of the shaft, and no, before anyone asks, I haven't tried machining a hardened driveshaft (or anything else for that matter since leaving school many years ago  ) I've been told most places either can't or won't (don't know which) do it. Is it that difficult or expensive? What about machining new shafts would this be a viable option?
Don't be shy folks I want lots of info/opinions on this one please 

[madron]

 last one i narrowed cut at hub end drilled thru and fed shaft thru andrewelded shaft in but used chrome molybdenum welding rods for strenght and then refaced hub plate on lathe 

[peanut]

I narrowed mine (Kitten) by having a new taper and key-slot machined by a mate as a favour.They weren't hardened. She ran a hacksaw across the surface to see if it bit or skidded as a rough test. I also had new bearing-support pieces turned-up to suit. These were properly aligned as the originals were unequally spaced.
Incidentally I drilled-out the rivets that held the tubes in, heated-up the cases and the drew them out with a slide hammer. They were turned-down to the correct diameter in the right place before cutting. I marked-up the tubes so that they went back in in the same orientation and the same depth and then drilled and tapped thelocation holes out to M8.
I put the tubes in my freezer and my diff-cases in the oven before sliding them back together. I made a fixture so that I could move the two to get the alignment right before they cooled. Unfortunately that did not stop me from having to take them out again as I had them upside down and wrong way round!
If you turn the diff over to get the rotation right (Don't ask how I know) you may want to drill a new oil-hole for the pinion bearing through the case internally.
I also had internal damage to my diff housing that had happened and been previously repaired at the casting stage. I re-did it properly, with weld.
I also spent more on new bearings than I paid for the axle. (It had been standing for a long time and the taper-races had corroded in one place on each! The fact that the nose-bearing was leaking due to a blocked breather-hole had led to an acute shortage of oil in the unit. What was in was very sludgy, too)

Hope this helps

[Manky Monkey]

Reliant weren't known for high quality engineering, but to give them their due, they'll take a lot of abuse & there's still plenty of them on the road to prove it.

[peanut]

My local reliant dealer told me that the earlier axles (in terms of time, rather than model) were better than the later ones as they used several suppliers. Evidently they do a brisk trade in swapping earlier units into noisy, knackered, later ones. I think that the cutoff could have been around '94?

[Manky Monkey]

Yeah, Reliant actually went bust then staggered on a little longer, half a dozen times. The last take over I heard about was by someone hoping to create the ultimate fibreglass bodied sports car. As far as I know it never got beyond the planning stage. In the later years they were mixing & matching parts from whichever suppliers sold them cheapest. Ours are built from bits from so many different vehicles I've got no idea what age any of it is.

[hairy monsta]

thanks for the info peanut only just found your reply no idea how I missed it.
I have had my driveshafts shortened the same way you mention but no mate and no favour had to hand over hard earned readies to a local machine shop.

[morrag]

Well, fom my experience, the EN8'ish steel of Reliant half shafts will indeed cut with a good quality hacksaw blade! they also machine ok without resorting to 'tipped' tools, and like-wise drill fine. I cut the outer steel tube rather than attempt the possible hazards of removing steel tube from alloy diff. housing, too risky with axles in short supply, and if you were using a Ford or similar axle that's the way you'd have to go. Once you have removed the pieces you are shortening the axle by, i.e 3 inches/side is my preference, machine up two 'spreader'tubes for a snug fit inside the axle tubes, both sides, 'tack up' equally spaced around the tube,and finally full weld. You might like to include 3 or 4, 6mm holes per axle tube to " plug-weld" through to these inner spreader tubes, for a little extra security and 'peace of mind' but their not really necessary. The drilling of the half shaft is the method I use to shorten half shafts, remove the piece required to shorten by, less counter bore depth. Drill one piece of shaft around 10mm then turn down the other piece of shaft to a press fit diam. Press up the two halves, then with weld preps. machined at shoulders, full weld, while clamped in your angle iron jig, job done. I don';t find sleeves etc. necessary over these welded joins, so there you go, hope thats of some use, Morrag

[Manky Monkey]

Got any photos of one being done Morrag? Fancy jotting down a few paragraphs on your method so we can add it to the Trike Tech section of the Motors, 3 Wheels bit of the site?

[morrag]

Yup, I have some pics and detail, so I shall shoot them off once I have replaced my Silverwing trikes forks for the CBX 750 items I am,(hopefully!!), fitting, now who can tell me how much oil and what air press. these forks run at? their around 1984'ish, anyone? Morraq

[Manky Monkey]

Thanks Morrag. As for the fork problem, no idea but someone here will have.