)t)

Diftureitiinls

l l o r { , . r( l r ! L . r r \ \ ' , , 1L l r f l i n i L . i l )t , i rr r )r i r l r LLx , ( ) . 1 ). r l ,

r l i rr I , ' | ! r f r r ( r L 1 , r i i ir

1/1/31-Axle Shafit Construction Details

Thc axlt shaft is a {orgcdsteelbar, spiincd at one elrd anclscnr'retimcs encls. job is tn both Its tlansmit tofclLLc ffo]n thc dilfercntial to the It has a vcry hard 1ifc.Dcspitc its stout r,r,hecl. appearance,\'vhen sulrjected to thousanLlsoi pounds feet of torclue,it tr.ists ancl tlexes con tinuously Tt canbc ovcrstrcsscd brcal<, and .rnd it canbc fatigrLcd aftcl a largcnumbcl of torslonal flexingcyclcs. There are thlee nain components in the axle strength formula. Oru acron,vmis D.M.D., matcrial and design. Alargcr diamefol diamctcr) ihan oneof smallerdiameier tcr shaftis stronger in thc sanretype oi steel.Even small increascs rrrakc big cliffcre'nce. llaisingihe diarneicr a onlv . ' l r r r r r . r l rl, i , , f . r r r r r i l ri , r r l . l f l . ' . . 1 1 i n . h r incrcaqes cross-sectional by onepercent alea and boostsstrengthbv a|ouncl2.5 percent.Going arle to a 1.50-inch ax1e, 0.190 a Irorr a 1.31-inch just uncler15percent,olle1sa 16 inch increase, or perccnLincreasein cr'oss-sectional area, and a n!'arl\, 50 Percentincreasein strength.Bitier is beiier in this case. You ivill scc axlc shati diameterrrreasure ments quoteclin \,adous 1\,aYs. ilnportani to It's kr-rorv rvhich clian-reter ale reading. \.ou

Differentinls | 21

Maior Spline Diameter: A.k.a. "spline diameter" The diameter of the area over the splines. The most commonly seenspeg and perhapsthe most uselessbecause does not reflect the true it strengthof the shaft. Minor Spline Diametel: The diameter at the bot, tom on the splines,usually the smallestdiameter part of the axle. lf this is the smallestdiameter measurement for the ax1e, it's the one that counts, Pitch Diameter: This is the diameter of the shaft midway betweenthe maior and minor cliameter. Minimum Diametef Thi$ is olten the minor spline diameter, but not always. Front axles often have a neckeddown sectionthat is smaller than even the minor $plinediameter.In any case, the minimum diameter, wherever jt is on the axle, is the measurementto use to determine

H-.rels an cxarnple how minor splinediameter of affects ax e slrength. the leftis .r 10 spline On LandRover axle. The majorsp ine d ameteris about1. l0 lnches and the minor splincdiameter a hair ov.r 7/8 fch (.88 inch). is ThaL's a .38 indr, l9 percenl diflercnce between two. Conrrasr Lhe pieccto the righr. hasa t.2s-inch thatwith the 24-spline I majorspline diameter a 1.0625minorsplife diamcter and (about 1/l trinch or 15 pcftrent a dlfference). Increasing the splin-" co!nt a(Ids strcngth. Minor spline diarn-"ter willtary somewhrlaccording the pressurc c usedbut minor to ang sp lne diarnctcr al$,ays controlling ls the strefglh factor

axlestrength.
Closely aligned with diameterare the number of spllnes at the driving ends. Splines are devicesthat allow the tlansfer of torque, a cer, tain amount of movement or misalignment,and easy disassembly.In the early days, straightsided splines were used, but involute splines have replaced them in almost all applications. An involute spline uses angles as well as a slightly curved profile on the teeth.The curved profile of tl.reir.rvoluiespline resultsin good sel{ centering,minimal backlash and spleading the load over a larger areao{ the spline so it canhandle more torque. The spline type and design dictate the minor spline diameter Splines,like bolt threads, have been standardized to just a few types for convenience. One of the ways splinesare measured is diametricalpitch. This is a mathematical formula that allows the distanceof the centerline of tl-re splinesto remain constantat any diametet Most modem axlesare what are called 24 pitch, meaning a 24-spline sha{t will be l inch in diameter A 35-splineshaft will be 1.5 inches. A 40-spline will be 1.71 inches, and so on. Another factor is the spline pressureangle, which is the angle o{ the teeth.There are essentially two common pressureanglesfor the populdr dome.lic arle:,,30 degreeand 45 degrce. Chryslcr and Dana Spicerbuild axlesusing a 30 degree plessure angle, while CM and Ford Corporate axlesuse a 45 degreeplessureangle. In theory,the 45 degreeangle is slightly stronger becausethe angle is greatel alrd that leaves a slightly larger minor spline diameter.In pr.actice, they provide about the same strength. The important thing to remember is that they don't interchange. The splined area o{ ar-raxle is the spot where most breakageoccurs.For example,on an old 10-spline Spicer axle, the diametel at the bottom of the spline is about 1/8 inch smaller than the outside diarmeter A slightly newer 1.5-inc[ L6-splineiype (older Dana Spicer 60) has a differenceof nearly 1/4 inch. A modern 35spline unit mjght be or.rly1/16 inch. In general,

22 I DiffcrcntiaLs for every spline you add, axle shaft strength hcleasesby approximately11Percentdue to the minor spline diameter increased Splinescar be rollecl hobbed or cut (a.k.a "flycut" or machined). A rolled spline is installed by a machine that literally roils the This under mega-prcssure. splinesonto the sl.raft has an effect similar to forging the metal, i e., compacting it to make it harder. This results jn an evenly hardenedarea with a nice tiSht Srain structurc.Hobbed sPlinesarc machinedinto the axle surface by special tools ihat can leave a curveclfaceon the tooth when required. Cut splines are more common outsidc the large scalemanufacturing industry. Splines call be cutby a variety of machinetools,bui the common clcment is the lack of arr involute (curved) the surfaceor.r tooth. This is called a straight-cut and was the norm before tools for invospline, the lute splinescamealong.Because sPlinein the differential is still involute, a straigl.rtcut spline the Lendsto concentr'ate pressureon a smaller are.rof lhe tooLh,r'rhich cdn causee\ce-\ivc weat loose splines and failure. Cut splines ale often done at smallershopswhen you have axles shortened and re-splined. When done to an OE axle wjth a thin level oI hardening, tl.re macl-dning can get into the softcr metal and weakenthe axle. Though hobbed vs lolled splines is a dcbatethat lages among axle builclels and pundits in the altermarket industry, we have found that propedy done each)rastheir positive attributes.

'40s10 spline unil;ln themidon and lotsLota k about. the rightis a late fron ihreeeras Three sDicer axleshafG isabouta nnd on thc eft,a modclnl0-spllneit'm' There midr50s19 splineplcce; machined d c an unusually some was spline ln 2u0 oercentclifierencc strenethbet\\,cenlhe t$'o on the ends. Someoi that is metallurgy, lhe thaL piece at ttupid_ you lookcarellrlly the 10 sp ine ax e, you will notice tf wetentr counis, th-.old timers but This dlanreter. wasan efTort to Theaxl; tsw;istcddownapproximately minofsplinc at tssome\\rhal I !1e.] theend. The lg-splincaxle takesa moredirect areaa1the efd of the splines. ir brenkrse the rulnerabie to mLnrmize axle spot The30 spline madefor a rveak but Thls arrproach thrl ree"arrl. p ohJbt helped the shap Lransltion n is it wasrollcdby the waythe materlal compressed You there. cantclL r" lhe hri rol ed rulinec, h ch forgee mrTerial splines The usedhobbed rhe around splines. oldei axles

Differentials

23

A common axleis ma.lcof SAE OE I040 carbon steel andhard enedto a deprhof abou .150 inch. Newer is gcne|allyberer in ' l i . r " q d r Lrl ' l \ p l - . ^ . ' p e r ' . " p rr g g . r , i . r , , . c r " n ^ r . r . . u f r l r. h r n . . I r r i F". r " o l q r l r r ' .l , t h a BrJd,,t:un hardness can be readiy seen.The outer part is relative y snrooth afd tightgrained. matrial Thc gfowscoarser you as rnove towardLhe centor/ hich ls rather \ chunky. Thlsis a 1.20 inchdiameicr piece hardened approxirndtly inchdepLh. to .t 40 This YLr(on e wasautopsled qua ity contro. Because ax for it was sawn and not brokcn, the gradations more dilfj, arc cultto see/ you canc carlysethe gradatlon the cenbut to t f . T h i 1 . 3 0 - l n c h n l ts m a d e o a b e l t e1 5 4 T a r e r i a , s o s sh f r m the grain is n.lur.r y t ghterthan Lhe1040 sampe in the othershor, thca ow points lhc softer but 1o innercorcthatt 'r, -, ne .c(-,r r !l -n. -t i, i. | 1.r.,1 .h ri t)

Now wc get to the materjalspart oi thc equation. Axlcs are commonly made fi.otn forged carborrstccl, which is then heat-treated, or case-hardened/ give it surfacc l'tafdness, to These are botl-rvely gct]cric terms, Thc actual hardening ploccss i$ often proprietar.yto a particular colrpany. Variations of tcmpefature, heating ar-rd cooling cycles, and many other deeply tcchnicalprocesses, give a particular cal't desirable result with a particular steel or steel a11oy. Tl-reheat-treating process will make or (pun inter.rdedl) particular axle. Original break a equipment manufacturers,always shopping for. a bargain, can take a rather.inexpensivehunk of carbon stcel and make it into a relative superman, Material strcngth is expressedseveral ways, with terms like tensile strength, yicld strength,and others.Tensilestr.ength, someiimes calledultirnate ter.rsile strength (UTS),is defined by tl.re American Societyfor Metals asthe ratio of maximum load to cross-sectional area. Tensile strength really erpressestl.repoint at which the piece breaks in two. Yield strength is the load poir.rtat which, or just before,the metal perma-

nently deforms. It may not actually breal but it's clarnagedand weaker when shtssed to its yield point. Both yield and tensile str.ength can be calculaiedbasedon the diameLer the mateof rial, tl.resteelformula and the type of hardening. This calculation gives a good rule of tl.rumb number and we show you how to use it in the "GearheadMath" sectionof the appendix. The most common gracle of carbon steel used for axlesis classified the SAE (Societyoi by Automotive Engineers)as 1040. Sometimes SAE 1050grade is used arrd even SAE 1541.You ca1.r read more about alloys in the Glossary and in Chapter 6. Tl-reyare commonly surtace or case hardened to a depth of about 0.150inch (about

)4

Differ. ntiuls stcd, axle shail has ar almost houlgass The flutcd, or r'r,a s shape. mainshait.liameter smn er thanthc minorspllne The polnl lhe Thislimifateq sp nc areaas thc we,rkest dia eter. nfd .nd prts thatareaontoa pa|toi the shalllhatis smoother stfeqs. tvpe of axleshaftis This aLrle .bsofbtorsional to bclLef vehicles. y moTc conlnron scenon rnporl

facels of 5/32 inch).Thc harrincss the olLtcfsLrl h.udLrsua11,v liC (ihc "C" palt of Rockwell 52-55 cnoughto irc usedasa which is harcl ncssscnlc), softcr lhc srrrli.rcc. arlc gcts gr.rclu.rilv trcar'ir-rg oi This con'lbinntion h.rd miclcllc. towirrtlsthc l'hcl anrl softgivc thc axlcsircngthanclLiLrciiliiy. crncksanrl tcating ancl thc IraId surfaccrcsists soitef ccnicr offcfs thc ilex ancl lcsisiancckr latiguc. Th.l'rafd outet suffacc lrlay also Lre Remembcf alsothat as ncctled a bcaringsurfacc. rnofethan a sholterollc, a longelaxlc lvili twist A no n]attcr what tlro maierial. 24" shaft madc fo| out of a certail'rrrraier'ial, cxample,\,-il] twist 2 timesnrofcthan 12' shaftoi the salrc steel. beyoncl carbonstecl Thcreare many a1loys that arc suitablefor arles. Cost plays the Lriggcst Thcrcare somc part in a mam acturcr'schoice. good ailoys thai are not secn in Oll axlcs very duc to cost.It all comesdotvn to ihat "normaL and use" iiring agair-r the nccd to be ableto sell at stepsin The afterrrrarket a costpeoplecanatTord. with a variety oi fanc1,all6y5 that can ilcatlv axle ir-rcrease strength. Improveocnts ir-rstrength can also come via desitn elemenis.Thesewould include sianl d a r di t . m - l i k er r e J tr e r l : ' g . l o l i r l r i n g . r o i r r ing ancl cryogcnic treatments can also add a measureoI strcngth. The phvsical shape of rhe

axle can Lremade to enhancestrength.As diseallier',the weakest Point of the axle is ctrssecl the dirurest Part. That's usually at the bottom of the spljncs,but somc axle makels builcl "fluted" to axles thai taper dorl'11 just belo$' the minor splinc diametcl and iue thinnestat thc middle of the arle. This providcsan axle r'vitha lot of a riser (any eliminates shess twist irn(-l available can abrrrpt changc in the sr.rr'face bc a stress Somesemisection. as riser),sr-rch the splinecl are taPereclfrom rclatively 1.rlge floirt i-rxlcs end at cliamctcr theL.caring dorv:rto thc sPlirlcs. thc In somccases majorsplitlcdiarretcfis largcr pLrts itr it shaftdia lctef,wl-rich tl-ran srnrllcst thc ihc flutcd axlccirtcgory of Finally,thc sLrrfacc the shaft is nn cL(r' leaves r\ meni in ovcralLstrcngth. rougl] sulface thc fol to areas ctacks start,so ihc smooilrer sur {acc, the stronger thc axle. Sornc shafts are machincd, or even micro-polishcd{or a tiny bit of extra sirength. We'll get more into thcsc add brrt theseexpcr'rsive details later', Processcs a only raccrslvith a high budget srnalleclgcthat can afforcl.
F' i8 (;err Anit.n \.

/5 fHE HEELAF 6EARTQOTH THELAR6E ANDIHF TOEISTHEsM/LL END. END,

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