Aluminum for Bearing Race driver

[Jake M]

Anybody happen to know what that cheese grade aluminum is that these sets are typically made of? OK, It's not cheeze grade, it's chosen on purpose. it's just the right grade to NOT screw up expensive things if I'm having a bad day. I'm sure there's a good range of stuff that might work, but I'd kind of like to keep that feature. I don't do enough with aluminum to have any idea on what might be suitable.

 

[Jim F]

Any aluminum will work, it needs to deform instead of damaging the race.

 

[Weldingrod1]

There's no normal Aluminum hard enough to booger up a brearing... unless it's un-hardened steel
7075-T6 (73 ksi) vs mild steel, the steel will dent.
Nickle Aluminum bronze is also strong (68 ksi), but doesnt LOOK like Aluminum.

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[Jim F]

Wish I had my lathe when I turned wrenches, would have had a custom set of race drivers that actually fit.......

 

[great white]

I use whatever I have around. Usually 6061

 

[mmcmdl]

Make them when you need them and store them under the hydraulic press .

 

[Jim F]

Make them when you need them and store them under the hydraulic press .

Then tote them to the vehicle on the rack and use the custom made handle, that is the proper length.............
When re-building a diff.

 

[benmychree]

There's no normal Aluminum hard enough to booger up a brearing... unless it's un-hardened steel
7075-T6 (73 ksi) vs mild steel, the steel will dent.
Nickle Aluminum bronze is also strong (68 ksi), but doesnt LOOK like Aluminum.

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It's not aluminum, it's not bronze, it's yellow steel, or so I was told by an old friend oh, so many years ago.

 

[Ulma Doctor]

2024, 6061, 6063 are all suitable
7075 is very tough stuff, but suitable also

 

[Ultradog MN]

I say you use what you find in your scrap bin.
These aren't bearing drivers but seal drivers - that I made last week - for the rear axle seals on my tractor.
I scrounged the aluminum out of a dumpster a year or two ago.