Narrowing a Rockwell

bigstacks95

bigstacks95

Diesel Doc
I have a 20-145 I need to chop up. I have a few ideas on how I'd like to do it, but I'd like to see what you guys have rigged up for a jig or an idea on how to narrow up one of these axles. I have heard the common theme of knocking 6 inches out of the long side in order to run a short side axle in both sides.

Planning on keeping the big spindles for the hubs I'd like to run, I'd rather not have to purchase F106 spindles.

TIA :Cheer:
 
Use a good band saw to cut the long side down. Then get a piece of pipe that is exactly the same size as the ID of the spindals and slide it all the way through the axle. That will help keep it straight and true when welding it back together.
 
Pretty much the thought process I had in mind, but I was thinking solid bar stock turned down on a lathe instead of a pipe.
 
If you can make adapters so they can be clamped up in the 3rd member and then run the bar through all of them would be a great way to do this. At least this is how we checked Dana's to see if the tubes were bent.
 
Well I tore into it this weekend.

Chopped the spindle off with a band saw. Of course I screwed up and had to re-cut it.
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Eyeballed up
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Our Jig was a 1" solid rod with 5" long aluminum pucks machined to fit exactly inside the spindles
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squaring it up
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A couple tacks. We were so pre-occupied with getting it straght that we completely forgot about prepping the housing with a V for the weld to get into. So we just put these tacks on to keep it in place then removed the clamps and whatnot and prepped it better. Total Duh moment.
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Stuck on there for good
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Finished product, removed the brake flanges, ground off the panhard bar mount for the air ride truck, the ABS wire mounts, and brake can mounts
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And weighed it for heck of it, was surprised to get it down this far
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Hopefully it works out :lolly:
 
Do yourself a favor and cut and weld in a nice big fill cap at the ring gear so you can inspect the ring gear with out having to pull the center section.
 
I'm in the same process right now, mine was a front axle with the output shaft hole so I had to remove the dome anyway, what a brick, it's like 30 pounds. Decent savings for the $250 aluminum cover.


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Yeah 30 lbs is quite a chunk, I donno to me it was hard to justify taking the time to do it for just 30 lbs for the 250 bucks or whatever it is. Care to post some pics of it removed and how you did it?
 
I torched the bulk of it off then we just ground the welds and cut it in sections small enough to break pieces off. Then the last of the weld we milled off with our Bridgeport although it can be done with a grinder too. I'm still waiting on my cover but I have a friend that already put one on, it's not bad


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You can cut thru rear cover weld with 4" cutoff discs[takes alittle time]but very little grinding when you get cover off.

I've just cut off axle tubes and mock together with axles you are going to use,
[temp installed hubs] measure hub to hub for correct toe and top and bottom for correct camber.
Vee everything out real good, tack it, measure it again and weld it up
 
Inbred Inline said:
I torched the bulk of it off then we just ground the welds and cut it in sections small enough to break pieces off. Then the last of the weld we milled off with our Bridgeport although it can be done with a grinder too. I'm still waiting on my cover but I have a friend that already put one on, it's not bad
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Doesn't look too bad. Maybe I'll give it a shot. Thanks for the pics!

94 12valve said:
Looking good so far! What do you plan on running for hubs if your keeping the big spindles?
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Going to run stock 20145 aluminum hubs. Kecks and Proformance Pros also makes hubs to run with stock spindles.
 
I am running stock 20-145 hubs as well, just put the bearings in them about a half hour ago, FYI heating to about 200 degrees seems to be the sweet spot if you gotta change them, otherwise there is a decent amount of press.


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Anyone know what the weight difference is between the aluminum and steel 3rd member housing is? Found a complete 4.88 assembly but no luck on a aluminum. Considering just running a steel to get me by


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I'm not sure on the weight but I read several places the aluminum pigs didn't hold up. I planned using the steel one as well.
 
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