10 micron, I trust you have seen the article on the HAMB about dropping a straight axle. If not take a look, here is the link.
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=192953&highlight=dropped+axles My advice though is to send it out to get stretched. There are several places doing this work. And they have the experience of many axles and from what I have seen do quality work.
As for all of the comments from those who are concerned for your "safety", I must voice my own thoughts on the subject of heating and bending and welding of suspension parts.
First off I try to respect a mans opinion, but sometimes it appears as though some are talking without any knowledge on the subject.
The art of customizing and hotrodding would not be what it is today if it were not for those who were not afraid of cutting and welding steel. Welding, if done properly is amazing stuff. I have cut, welded, fabracated, heated and bent more suspension parts than I can remember. Non of which have failed. I fabracated a disk brake conversion on a large 4x4 truck about 25 years ago. This truck was subjected to extreem off road use and in the end was in a bad road accident. None of the fabracated suspension parts failed or were even damaged.
I have cut and shortened several pitman arms on 4x4s. These were used in hard rock jeepin', and again no failures. To this day I would not be afraid to cut and weld suspension parts. That is because I feel I have a good working knowledge of how metal reacts to heat and welding, and how to control the stresses associated with these practices.
I commented a couple of weeks ago about someones rear axle spring mount welding. The welding was so full of slag inclusions a worm could find a home in the weld. The owner said the weld was ok, I would not ride around the block in the truck if I knew of the poor welding. I hope, for his loved ones sake that the welds are "just amazing" enough to keep the rearend where it belongs.
CV
Mid to late 1960s I learned to weld in HS and JC. The same JC that ran the welding training program for the local Naval ship yard.
1973-76 Started in the Steel industry in a black smith shop. We heated and bent more things than can be imagined. Forged and heat treated and normilized and just about everything you can think of.
76- early 80s Boilermaker apprentice and journeyman.
80-90s Fabricator.
I now just tinker with my 54.
The thing to remembere is qualified experience. I have seen many things on this and other forums that scared the beejabbers out of me. There are those with a Lincoln buz box that think they can weld anything that comes there way. Well there is a bid difference between farm welding and structural automotive fabrication and welding.
And yes, I have even cut and welded straight axles. It is all in the knowing how to prep. and weld and relieve the stress.
Enough said, if in doubt; let someone with more experience to it.
Lonnie
