Metric rear end

[circletrack15]

Hey guys!!!!! According the street stocks secrets book, installing a racing axle on the right side is preety much it? as far as making it safe? Our track is 1/2 mile asphalt 7degrees banking on the straight aways and 12 degrees in the banks. I have seen 3 different cars brake axles on the left side as well. What can I do to make it as tough as I can? We cannot lock the rear end it must stay open. Please help. Thanks circletrack15

[MikeLeone]

The right side is most important of all, but it is definately good to run HD racing parts on both sides. If the left side lets go the wreck usually isn't as bad, when the right side rear axle or front rotor break it usually a quick trip hard into the outside wall.

Often the reason that left axles break is the people put an axle that had been run hard on the right side in the left side. Once you run an axle or rotor on one side of the car, don't ever swap it to the other side.

You can't replace axles and rotor too often.

[MikeLeone]

Here are a few more things you can do to check for axles and rotor ready to break.

With the rear drums or rotor off, tap the end of the axle with a hammer. If you get a nice rrrinnnggg, that a good thing, if you get a thud or less or a ring you might have a cracked axle ready to break.

Also try spraying brakeclean around the outside flange. As it evaporates it might show hairline cracks.

For a few more bucks you can have the axles MagnaFluxed occasionally to check for cracks.

[circletrack15]

Can anyone tell me where I can buy my axels I have a 87 metric car and dont have a clue where to get my axels from. PLEASE help

[MikeLeone]

We always got ours from Moser Engineering. Here is their website

http://www.moserengineering.com/

[comp]

anybody still use the dry-ice treatment on stock axle's ????

[hotrod]

The old mid 1960's drag racers had problems with broken axles and they would simply paint a straight line down the length of the axle when new. Over time they would see the axle start to "wind up" and the line would clearly show the twist. They learned by experience how much axle twist was too much, and would change out the axles when they got to that point.


I understand cyrotreating works good to increase toughness of axles but have not done it my self, or know anyone that has. Some calls to the cryotreatment places might give you some useful info.

If the axles have sharp machine marks on them some de-burring and polishing could help also. Some axles tend to break right at such a sharp stress riser like the end of the splines. Look for any sharp change in cross section which might focus all the stress in one point. Just like cleaning up connecting rods to remove sharp changes in cross section.

Larry