Splined axles

[rodp]

Just out of curiosity at the moment how much are splined front axles for an 85 I/C k17. Mine has all splined axles apart from the fronts so when I lift the frame out over winter I may modify the frame to take the shorter splined axles. I noticed a thread on here regarding that mod, the frame should be a simple enough fab job.

The other option is to make the axles over summer ready to fit, anyone know what the uk spec for the steel is ? and are there any drawings knocking about ?

Cheers guys, as always any info gratefully received.

[spookum]

http://www.6x6world.com/forums/argo-atvs/23515-old-argo-frame-extension-so-i-can-run-hdi-axles-long-axle-machine.html

Was that what you were looking for? Spined axles run 90 to 120 USD depending on where you get them from.... HDI or conquest too.... Another option is to pull the front axles, and have keys cut into them... that is strong and faster than a complete dissasembly.

[rodp]

Yep Spookum, that's the one, good man. Do you happen to know what spec axle steel is, if I make them I may as well use the proper stuff. I may have a very nice small industrial miller coming in part payment for a job, in which case I may as well make the axles. Besides being cheaper it will give me something to play with.

[spookum]

not sure, but if i had to fab them i would use 4120... maybe3 4130.... getting the broach to cut the propper 6 splines... that will suck. But the poor boy way is to cut two keys into the axles, and add a chunck of schedual 80 to the sprockets, weld it in nice and cut keys in that too... two 1/4 inch or 3/16 keys is plenty strong!

[rodp]

By schedule 80 I take it you mean thick wall tube? Machine the sprockets off the original tube and re-weld on to schedule 80 then cut two keyways in ? In effect, mount the sprockets on to new thicker tubes that have been keyed ? How are the sprocket assemblies then secured to the axle, locking rings with pinch bolts or pinch bolts through the sprocket tube (schedule 80 ) ?

Cheers

[plott hound]

on my older I/C model i had splined axles made.they were actually quite reasonably priced.i had the machinist make them with 4140 steel. here are a couple pictures of them.http://www.6x6world.com/forums/argo-...hat-lol-6.html

[spookum]

That is correct, thick walled tubing, or you can get keyed pipe for 1 1/4 ID. The keys cut in the axle are NOT full lenght. The keyway is only as long as the tube in the axle. This keeps the key from falling out, and the sprocket just"floats" on the keyed axel and can self alighn with the other sprockets

kind of like this.... kind of but you would need double keyed

http://www.rollerchain4less.com/HUBX1-14--X-Series-Weld-On-Hub-1-14-Bore_p_1572.html

[rodp]

Cheers mate, that explains it nicely. It would probably be easier just to get a length of round tool steel or similar and machine the hub from scratch.
I see what you mean about the keys, if the keyways were machined into the axle with blind ends both ends once the hub is on they cannot come out.

[rodp]

on my older I/C model i had splined axles made.they were actually quite reasonably priced.i had the machinist make them with 4140 steel. here are a couple pictures of them.http://www.6x6world.com/forums/argo-...hat-lol-6.html

Cheers Plott, need to translate 4140 to a British standard now. I'm now in the predicament of not knowing whether to spline them or key them ?????? Either way I think when the frame comes out of the tub I shall mod the frame to take standard new length axles. Then in the future if needs be I can just buy replacement parts off the shelf.

[KBSAK]

I got two OEM Argo keyed axles for $68 a piece. I'll post up the part numbers if you need them.

If I hadn't gotten them as cheap as I did, I'd have had the local machine shop plug / weld the shear pin holes closed, turn the welds down on a lathe, then machine in the key ways.

For the sprocket, it was cheaper to have the local machine shop take my existing shear pin sprocket and machine it in to a keyed sprocket. $90 shop labor vs. $160 for an OEM Argo + shipping.

I'll get some pictures of the machined keyed sprocket today and post them up.

[rodp]

Thanks for the info KBSAK, I had thought of modifying the originals but if I make new then I can do them before I take the frame out, have everything ready. I know a few steel stockholders so today I have them just verifying our equivalent of 4140. You have to double check what the sales team tells you, they can be technically challenged at times.
Sprockets blanks can be laser cut locally for a reasonable sum, they just need cleaning up and the slight taper machining on (off ?) or duplex need the slot machining in as well. I don't know how thick the local lasers can cut but even if I have to have two singles, and weld them to one hub to make a duplex, a properly prepped one sided weld should hold. Somewhere about I have a rotator for welding rounds etc, this means you can put a beautiful weld on without any defects (or very few).
If I can't find the rotator they're easy to make and very cheap, my sort of equipment.

I shall go with keyed, probably a damn sight cheaper than machining splines and I have access to a miller, I may in fact be able to "acquire" the miller against payment for a job.

[KBSAK]

I'll say this, one of my front axle sprockets looks like two individual sprockets welded together to make it a D50.

Why? I dunno.

I'd think an off the shelf D50 24 tooth 1 1/4" sprocket would be the ticket.

[spookum]

Just as a heads up, be careful about making your own sprockets! Good ones have hardened teeth on them.... Yes you can build them cheaper but they will have a much much shorter life span. Look around, someone sells them. You can use a chunk of double 50 chain as a jig and then weld them I think.

Unles your old sprockets look like "shark fins" there is no reason why they can't be machined off, and have a weldable keyed "hub" that uses two keys welded back in! The tube for the keyed stock will have much greater wall thickness and therefor make it realitivly easy to cut your old sprockets off and reuse them!

[KBSAK]

Unles your old sprockets look like "shark fins" there is no reason why they can't be machined off, and have a weldable keyed "hub" that uses two keys welded back in! The tube for the keyed stock will have much greater wall thickness and therefor make it realitivly easy to cut your old sprockets off and reuse them!

That's basically what I had done. Machined a shear pin sprocket the same width as a keyed sprocket and had the two key ways machined in. I'll get a pic posted up later this morning of the OEM keyed sprocket next to the modified one for comparison.

[rodp]

Just as a heads up, be careful about making your own sprockets! Good ones have hardened teeth on them.... Yes you can build them cheaper but they will have a much much shorter life span. Look around, someone sells them. You can use a chunk of double 50 chain as a jig and then weld them I think.

Unles your old sprockets look like "shark fins" there is no reason why they can't be machined off, and have a weldable keyed "hub" that uses two keys welded back in! The tube for the keyed stock will have much greater wall thickness and therefor make it realitivly easy to cut your old sprockets off and reuse them!

Yeah, that's the logical answer, use the old sprockets. I just wanted it all ready for when I lift the frame out but realistically doing the sprockets isn't going to hold the job up by much, just a few hours at most. My lathe is big enough to do them on so I'll not have to wait for machining to be done.

Good thinking there.