2Loose
reliable source of info
I have an interesting problem I'll put out here for discussion:
I've been challenged about cutting and welding a '59 forged steel front Ford F100 truck axle to narrow it to fit under my '55 Chevy blown Olds powered "gasser" style project.
Apparently I asked too many questions about the cancellation of the Summit Series at our local drag strip of the "Board", and have come under increased "scrutiny". The "Board" has decided that my cutting and narrowing of this axle to get it to fit under my car is not an acceptably safe practice and that my car should be banned from the track, due to possible front axle failures. It's become very political, for reasons I won't go into, but I feel what I have done is completely safe and can be defended.
Think about the forged crankshafts that are routinely welded up and machined and run perfectly safe.
Forged high carbon steel is weldable. I learned that when in high school in the 50's in an agricultural area, which was subsequently confirmed in the early 60's in a highly rated agricultural college (University of California at Davis), where I worked my way through to an Agricultural Engineering degree working on various Ag Machinery projects in the Ag Engineering shop on campus.
The details on my cutting and narrowing of this axle is shown here on my website. If any of you have knowledge of proper welding techniques for modifications of this type, I would appreciate your review of my work and your comments on the safety and performance potential of the finished product.
Bear in mind that I am a licensed PE, in the Agricultural Engineering discipline, where modifications of this sort are common and accepted practice. My experience in this area includes both supervision of others doing this work and the performance of this type of work myself over the last 45 years in the Hawaiian Sugar and Pineapple industries.
Here's the link to the discussed web page.
Aloha,
Willy
I've been challenged about cutting and welding a '59 forged steel front Ford F100 truck axle to narrow it to fit under my '55 Chevy blown Olds powered "gasser" style project.
Apparently I asked too many questions about the cancellation of the Summit Series at our local drag strip of the "Board", and have come under increased "scrutiny". The "Board" has decided that my cutting and narrowing of this axle to get it to fit under my car is not an acceptably safe practice and that my car should be banned from the track, due to possible front axle failures. It's become very political, for reasons I won't go into, but I feel what I have done is completely safe and can be defended.
Think about the forged crankshafts that are routinely welded up and machined and run perfectly safe.
Forged high carbon steel is weldable. I learned that when in high school in the 50's in an agricultural area, which was subsequently confirmed in the early 60's in a highly rated agricultural college (University of California at Davis), where I worked my way through to an Agricultural Engineering degree working on various Ag Machinery projects in the Ag Engineering shop on campus.
The details on my cutting and narrowing of this axle is shown here on my website. If any of you have knowledge of proper welding techniques for modifications of this type, I would appreciate your review of my work and your comments on the safety and performance potential of the finished product.
Bear in mind that I am a licensed PE, in the Agricultural Engineering discipline, where modifications of this sort are common and accepted practice. My experience in this area includes both supervision of others doing this work and the performance of this type of work myself over the last 45 years in the Hawaiian Sugar and Pineapple industries.
Here's the link to the discussed web page.
Aloha,
Willy