The Cal-look Lounge

Guys,

last weekend i went to see some dragracing at our international raceway in drachten holland.
I met Udo Becker and had a chat with him and shared some racing talk. He showed me a broken axel that occured on the friday of eliminations.

Udo was wondering if the racing axels need to be replaced after a period of abuse. Now i have my share of broken axels too and started wondering now if it was due to the years gone by of using the axels or that it was due to the fresh traction compound or other issues.

I will check this with Rancho and Dave Folts who are some of the best gearbox guru's and reply but does anyone have an idea if axels need to be replaced after some years? ???

As I understand it, the material used to make race axles is selected to allow a certain amount of 'twist' to the axle, which prevents breakage over the more brittle stock component.

Maybe it work hardens and the more stress cycles its put through the less it 'gives'?

I cant really tell kaferboy.

We'll see what some axelpro's have as an answer 8)

They are all junk right now,I was at Rancho yesterday talking to Mike herbert about the latest Sway a way axles,it seems they are not even correctly machined with some having as much as .100thou out of round new :o  Some of the quicker turbo cars are only getting 6/8 passes from them before changing them or they break :o,this is one of the reasons Eric madsons ghia was changed to IRS last year

cheers richie,uk

Is it the material or the finishing thats letting them down Richie?

Both.

Conclusion; do not risk your safety and buy some quality axles instead.

The one i broke was a very old one from a customers car that had a big type4 engine. For me it is ok so far and i change them to new ones over the winter . But what richie says sounds not good ... , but what axels can be used ?

Udo

Karpiola, hand made somewhere deep deep inside the Finnish forest by a 149 year old guy and his son. Contact Jussi for more info.

I tried to get them to make me some..... might have been asking too much of them

Ive worked out my own solution ;)

so, if i go irs, what are my options there?? do i need to run type2/25 cv joints, are there bigger/stronger axles out there for this setup? can i get some made to my own wifth, as im thinking of narrowing the rear somewhat! any and all comments would be appreciated!! ps,.. sorry, didnt mean to hi-jack the thread!  :-[

you did? what I heard was something completely different and you upset some people doing it?

There are several cv and axle solutions for irs,the bus/t2/early 944 is good enough for most but the current sway a way axles available are suspect,you can have irs axles made and the 300m material is very strong,particularly when rifle drilled,then there is what is known as the 930[the porsche model the came on originally] option,which when combined with the 3oom rifle drilled axles is vertually unbreakable,the axles are made any length you want

cheeers richie,uk

its my interpretation on a Rancho idea, but mines in and working, its very diferent to theres.

As for upsetting people, dont know who you mean as every one i was speaking to before are still speaking to me now.


its amazing what Chinese whispers can do, LMAO


Ah well, must get back to it, ive got a new cam to slip into the cash converter


Martin

PS I have a load of 300m if anyone wants axles making ;)

Richie,

are there any hints when the first bad batches entered the market?

Peter

Btw how much abuse can a stock axel take? ???

i swore at mine loads, no problems. :P ;D

;D