Axle Alignment Question

S

SE18

Active User
Registered
Joined
Feb 26, 2012
Messages
758
I'd normally put this into welding section but I'm going to get this 30" gauge wheelset shortened to 24" gauge and I need to do it today so I'm hoping someone can give me a reply.

As you can see, I'm going to take a section out of the axle (actually I'm going to do it with the bandsaw as the chopsaw won't cut it)

When I weld the 2 sections back together, I need to lock them in place in multiple directions so to prevent wobble. One idea in photo I had was to stack wood to height so they mate (wood in picture). I also plan to clamp 2 pieces of steel on the sides of axle and maybe tack both sides.

Are there any tricks to this i don't know about?

Thanks

IMG_0349.jpg
 
Are they axles (non-rotating) or spindles (rotating with the wheels)? Makes a big difference in how accurately you need to align the halves!

I don't think your plan would work too well, I'd go with several V blocks on a welding table (ideally) or maybe pieces of hefty angle welded to a hefty beam while holding the uncut wheelsets clamped into 'em, then cut and re-clamp. You're likely to get a lot of distortion from the welds too, you might want to pre-heat them (which may dry out / damage the bearings if they're static axles), and blanket them with something as they cool to let some of the stresses out.
Might be easier (assuming there's room around 'em) to cut and weld sleeves over the join with a few plug welds closer to the cut?

Just my ha'pennorth,
Dave H. (the other one) (not the world's greatest welder, either)
 
I don't see any way you can get it straight & true using wood blocks. Just welding will pull it out of true. I suspect the wheels are pressed on, if so get them pressed off, cut axle & press on.

fixit
 
I think fixit has the right idea; cut off six inches from the end then turn the next six inches to make it look and fit like the portion you cut off.


Steve Shannon, USA
 
Thanks; I'll hold off doing anything as I don't want to screw this up (and look at your ideas and ones just mentioned). Yes, spindles; everything rotates.

Each axle housing (if that's what it's called), contains 11 bearings as shown. I plan to try and clean up all the stuff and re-lube it (not sure what sort of grease to use).

I don't have a press large enough (but I may try and use the one at Fort Meade's auto hobby). So I'm thinking you're saying that getting the wheels pressed off will simplify the task of cutting the axle?). I thought to maybe cut one end off and turn down, but my SB9A lathe might not accommodate the length.

BTW, looks like there's a piece of brass or bronze under where the wheel is pressed on

IMG_0342.JPG IMG_0343.JPG IMG_0344.JPG
 
The other thing I need to do is to straighten out the frame of this ex-kiln car and either chop the frame in half lengthwise (to regauge it), or maybe simpler to weld an extension plate where the 4 axle housings are bolted down.

I may try then today to straighten the frame by using a rose bud and bottle jack (see photo). The heated area I think might straighten and not effect the iron the bottle jack rests on. A board will distribute the weight at the bottle jack site and steel will do likewise for area that needs to be pressed straight.

IMG_0290.JPG IMG_0351.jpg
 
I agree with the others that the best method would be to press the wheels off, then shorten the axle to the desired length and machine a new spindle end. The only problem is that the bearing surface should be ground, not just turned on the lathe. Bearing surfaces are normally case hardened at a minimum before grinding, so this throws a monkey wrench in the gears, so to speak for getting it done in a day.

I assume that the speeds this car will travel at will be relatively slow. If that is the case, you may be able to get away with cutting the axle in the middle and joining the two halves with a sleeve that is a press fit on the axle shafts. Plug welding the sleeve to the axles, as already mentioned, would greatly reduce the amount of warp that would occur when you do the welds.
 
maybe describe how the axle will be used afterwards, that can change how much effort you need to put in.

If it's just a display model or only occasionally used with minimal weight being pulled around at low speed, then you probably could get away with cutting out a section of the axle and welding it together.

And your jig for straightening that frame may result in bending the brace the jack is resting on. You probably should try to get the jack to press 'back' so the force is principally transferred at each end of the middle brace with none or very little transferred to the middle of it.
 
Well, My SB9A won't be able to turn the ends so it's looking more like a sleeve or collar idea, splitting the axle. the kiln car will contain about 600 lb of weight but will not be used on mainline service (just pushed from shed to outside for welding; I'll try to find some time in a day or two to go into more details; thanks; just been busy today straightening out the frame (which I did successfully)

IMG_0354.jpg
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top