Cruiser/Ford Hybrid axle (1 Viewer)

[FL cruiser]

After breaking numerous rear long side axle shafts, I broke down and purchased a set of new Poly Performance axles. That was almost three years ago.
Drove on the Polys a couple of years. Never broke one, but the damn axles aren't properly hardened on the surface where the bearing rides. Two or three thousand miles and they are worn out. Poly reluctantly warranteed the last one and sent a new one. That was six months ago. I never installed them. I figured that maybe with better driving skills and more restraint I'd try stock axles again. But it was back to breaking stock axles again. After three worn out poly's I don't want to install them again.

The solution would be a bigger axle. But not wanting to fork out any more money, I figured I'd try an improvement. Since a Poly never broke, a solution might be to put a raced style bearing on the Poly's.
I have a spare Cruiser axle housing to experiment with.

I went out to Pik-N-Pull and found a Ford van with a 9". I cut the axle ends got the backing plates. The rear end in the van ended up having a .250" wall housing. I Paid $22 for everything and left.

For simplicity and Cheapness Cruiser backing plate and drum brakes will be retained. I cut the center off the Ford backing plate and it will be welded on the Cruiser one.

 

[FL cruiser]

The Ford bearing uses a race instead of having the bearing ride on the axle.
IMO a better design than Toyota and GM as far as wear characteristics anyway.

A Timken SET-20 bearing, race, seal and collar set was purchased. It is tapered roller bearing style and is a direct replacement for Ford roller bearings.
Tapered roller bearing should be better suited for lateral loads that we put against our axles when wheeling.

 

[FL cruiser]

I had a Ford 9" axle centering setup. Come to find out that the Ford outer brg OD is the same as the Cruiser's diff carrier bearings.
So I cut some excess off the outer pieces to use for diff pucks. It saved some $$ having to have new pucks machined for the Cruiser diff.

Alignment shaft in the Cruiser diff

 

[FL cruiser]

Ford end being tacked on while the centering bar is installed.

 

[FL cruiser]

I noticed there are many similarities and measurements in common between the Cruser rear and GM and Ford rears. The Cruisers' 30 spline end is EXACTLY the same size as GM.
Most of the bearings' OD is the same as Ford. The Cruisers axle OD where the seal will ride is the exact same OD as the For axle where it's seal rides.
Ford seal should work well on the non machined portion of the Cruiser axle.

When this is completed i can tell just about any Axle maker i need an axle with Chevy splines, Ford bearings and GM 6lug pattern.

I will have the Poly's eventually machined down for the Ford bearings. That is whenever I get the guts to have them cut on.

In the mean time I had a set of stock shafts machined to play with. They will be the spare set to carry with.

It was difficult finding a machine shop locally that had a lathe big enough to chuck up the long side axle. Dennis (AxleCraft) did the machining. The only problem with that is he had all kinds of better ideas. He started showing me parts to put FF 14 bolt hubs on Cruiser axles and plans for 5160 direct replacement axles for Cruisers. Kind of wish I'd talked to him before starting this project.

Here's pics of a stock axle, a stock axle machined for a Ford bearing, and a Poly Performance axle.
The Poly axle dia isn't very big. The machined Cruiser axle is actually bigger. So really not much will need to be machined off the Poly axle.

The poly axle seems to be plenty strong even though the shaft OD is quite a bit smaller than stock.

 

[69LC]

Cool idea! Do you have any concerns about losing too much of the heat treated portion of the reworded 'cruiser shaft, or would you have it retreated if possible?

 

[AXLE CRAFT]

with the press on ford bearings the shaft will be fine @ the bearing end. the crusier shafts and many others need to be treated because the bearing will turn on the axle a slight bit. when they press on they will not spin on the shaft.

the axle i machined for flcruiser i did not touch the splines so they are still treated.

good luck steve and if you need more work done i will be ablidged to hook you up the NFC way.

 

[Tapage]

it looks like the ford shaft share same length with Toy shaft ..? so you will be retaining the same total with on the housing ...

 

[AXLE CRAFT]

flcruiser is instaling ford bearing cups on a cruiser housing. and running modified cruiser shafts. to accept the ford bearings

 

[AXLE CRAFT]

I noticed there are many similarities and measurements in common between the Cruser rear and GM and Ford rears. The Cruisers' 30 spline end is EXACTLY the same size as GM.
Most of the bearings' OD is the same as Ford. The Cruisers axle OD where the seal will ride is the exact same OD as the For axle where it's seal rides.
Ford seal should work well on the non machined portion of the Cruiser axle.

When this is completed i can tell just about any Axle maker i need an axle with Chevy splines, Ford bearings and GM 6lug pattern.

I will have the Poly's eventually machined down for the Ford bearings. That is whenever I get the guts to have them cut on.

In the mean time I had a set of stock shafts machined to play with. They will be the spare set to carry with.

It was difficult finding a machine shop locally that had a lathe big enough to chuck up the long side axle. Dennis (AxleCraft) did the machining. The only problem with that is he had all kinds of better ideas. He started showing me parts to put FF 14 bolt hubs on Cruiser axles and plans for 5160 direct replacement axles for Cruisers. Kind of wish I'd talked to him before starting this project.

Here's pics of a stock axle, a stock axle machined for a Ford bearing, and a Poly Performance axle.
The Poly axle dia isn't very big. The machined Cruiser axle is actually bigger. So really not much will need to be machined off the Poly axle.

The poly axle seems to be plenty strong even though the shaft OD is quite a bit smaller than stock.

steve i am concerned with the poly axle. it appears that it necks to fast after the stock bearing surface.

 

[FL cruiser]

It necks very fast. They sure will be easier to turn down than the stock shafts!!
Much less metal to cut.

I did measure and there is enough OD on them far enough out so they can be machined for a bearing and collar.

Dennis you got me thinking now on that Full Floater setup...

 

[AXLE CRAFT]

pick and pull some spindles hubs and shafts. i am currently experimenting with 12 bolt spools to see if i can get it in a cruiser housing. looking for a 9" spool to experiment with also.

some one mentioned larger pinions. considering that also.

 

[FL cruiser]

I've decided to revive this project.

I know up front that I'd just be better off building a bigger centered diff axle and be done with it, but I'll probably be retiring the rig at the end of the year. I just want to make a trip out west and do the Rubicon with it. It's not cost/time effective for me to build/spend $2K on an axle for one last trip.

Since everything is done including housing and backing plates, I've decided to proceed. After calling a few axle makers, I discovered it might be difficult getting a 34 1/2" axle made. So far it seems the maximum length custom axles that can be made is 33". I"ve already checked with Moser and Strange. I'll call Dutchman on Monday.

Back to considering machining old Polys. There is a problem that the dia in the area where the bearing and bearing retaining collar presses on can't be machined precision enough on a late to where the bearing will be guaranteed to stay on.
A machine shop with a precision OD grinder would be the answer. I've found some shops with OD grinders that can do the short side axle, but NONE with a machine big enough to machine the long side axle.

Since the long side axle can't be machined for a proper bearing fit, would a C clip to retain the bearing be a good idea? Would the axle be suceptible to break where the C clip groove is machined?
I've never looked at a Toyota truck axle, but I've been told a C clip is used to retain the bearings.


Another issue brought up above is that the machining would be cutting into or completely through the hardened area. Most axles are only hardened or heat treated to a certain depth.

Does anyone know if 4340 or Poly axles are thru hardened?
.

 

[FL cruiser]

Now here's some strange axles

 

[FL cruiser]

Strange came through

They couldn't make the flange that centers the drum big enough for the Cruiser drums. They were probably limited to the side of their axle blanks. I had some spacers made and tacked them on the axle, then had to notch them out for an access hole.

 

[FL cruiser]

Project is complete. Back together and have driven a couple of hundred miles on them. It's Rubicon ready now.