john mann

Hi all, i went to the transmission differential shop to drop off my 31 spline axle (1967-68) that i got here from a real nice gentlemen here on classic Oldsmobile, they gave me the back that was bad, its undersized by .003 the OD where the bearing goes is 1.375 the ID of the bearing and collar is 1.378 i hate to throw it in our steel bin at work before i do that just wanted to make sure there's nothing else i can do for it, i asked him if i could weld it in the area and turn it on a lathe at work, he said no it would make it brittle, just wanted to check here with the olds gang, thanks john...

BangScreech4-4-2

So the axle they gave you back was different than the one you dropped off?

john mann

Hi, the rear end i dropped off was all original it just had the one bad axle in it, i had to find a good one for it which i did here on this site, now this one is undersized and wont press on the axle tight the bearings, just looking to see if there's anyway to save it, thanks john..

HammerMass

You can have a process called 'Metallizing' done to it that will build up a layer of what ever alloy you chose to have applied by 'spraying' (under compressed air) melted and atomized goblets of alloy onto the axle while it is being spun on a lathe. Basically a wire of steel (4140, 8620, etc.) is fed through either an electric arc or a flame to melt the wire and at the moment it melts it is forced at high velocity onto the substrate - in this case you undersized axle.....once sufficiently built up the axle can be re-machined to size.

john mann

WOW !! Thanks HammerMass knowing now that it can be saved thanks to your knowledge I will keep it around just in case somebody needed it, john......