Thread: Does this look safe?

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Originally Posted by Itoldyouso

I'm wondering why the suggestions to weld the plate to the axle. I see no strength advantage there. The plate is simply a pad or spacer. Besides, I wouldn't want to apply heat to the axle and take a chance on messing up the grain structure and weakening the axle.


Well, I just overengineer everything, and felt by welding the plate to the axle it would give a measure of rigidity to the whole thing. As for messing up anything by welding on it, I don't think so. This axle is a big chunk of steel, and the little welds he will be doing won't affect it, IMO. Like everything else, spread the welding out over two sides to keep the heat to a minimum.

We weld all the time on thinner components than this, and no harm is done.


Don

Don,

I believe the axle is cast iron. That was my only point. Welding steel to CI takes a careful welder, and does have the possibility of weakening the CI. That's all I was thinking.

I thought the axles were all forged, or else you couldn't heat them and drop them like so many people do?
Thanks,
CHAZ

I didn't mean to sound like I was busting on the HAMB board, those guys know what they are doing. The longer the post went on I got the helpful hints and encouragements that I needed. It just always tans my hide when the first thing someone says is drop what you are trying now and do something completely different because I say so.

Axles are steel. Some were cast steel, most are forged.