The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Driveline are new rear axles available?

My passenger side 1/2 ton axle shaft splines are very worn and needs to be replaced. 17 splines, 6 lug. Driver side axle is good. Does anyone make new axle shafts for the AD trucks or is finding a used one the only option?

I'm not certain new ones are available. The last time I was looking for one (and this was around 2005) I couldn't find one anywhere.

Believe you're right, unfortunately. The problem with used is it's replacing a worn axle with another worn axle, and maybe less wear...but still worn. Jim Carter's says they don't have any but gave the name and number of a Tom Myers in OK, who I haven't called yet. Nor have I posted yet in our parts wanted forum.

May go ahead and put it back together and just run it until I find a suitable axle shaft, since it's not much trouble to change an individual axle. I'm currently changing out the complete 4.11 gears/driveshaft assembly to the 3.55 (I have both complete assemblies) that should work better with the new rebuilt 235 than it did with the 216.

I don't know how cost-effective it would be, but it's probably possible to machine an axle shaft down and press a sleeve over the bearing area, then use a tool post grinder to bring it back down to standard size. I'd use air hardening tool steel material for the sleeve and heat-shrink it into place- - - - -when it cooled down the Brinell hardness number would probably be pretty close to right.
Jerry

Might be less expensive than Jerry's suggestion to have the axle shaft rebuilt using a metallizing process. Probably still expensive, but fewer steps to the process. Here's an outfit in Connecticut that does it. Here's another one in Indiana. I know nothing about either of them but might be worth a call.

The bearing/seal surface is good. It's the splines I'm concerned about. Hopefully there's no immediate danger of shearing with 110hp the 235 might be capable of. You guys judge from the pics below. Does contribute to perceived backlash which can be annoying and need to be aware of, so as to load the gears "softly," if that's even possible.

If I recall, this shaft is one I swapped to for the nice unpitted seal/bearing surface. Spline wear went right over my head at the time, go figure.

Yeah, there's a little wear there, but still plenty of meat left, from what I can tell.
If you have a shaft with a bad bearing race area, you could build a good one from that by welding the two shafts together. I know it's a bit Rube Goldberg, but has been done many times, I'd guess. I have broken an axle shaft in a 54 Chevy Station wagon before, but that was back when replacements were readily available.

I think I'd be inclined to post in the "Parts Wanted" section and hope for a better used one. Sadly I had two of these a few years ago and finally got rid of them just for the benefit of garage space. I'll look in the attic to see if by chance there is still one around. You're welcome to it if there is.

Thanks Jon I appreciate that but please don't spend a bunch of time and effort digging through stuff. Gonna check some local sources too and see what turns up.

Could somebody like Moser Engineering or Strange Axles make an axle for you? Or repair yours.
https://www.moserengineering.com/
https://www.strangeengineering.net/product-category/rear-axles/

Here's another one. https://dutchmanaxles.com/services.html

The PO of my truck had the T5 installed, the driveline specialty shop used a Currie housing,axels, bendix brakes kit with what I think is a stock rear gear, it was set up to bolt onto the stock rear springs.
Price on the receipts iirc was not prohibitive for the complete package

Chuck

Thanks for the links. Dutchman clearly shows respining service on their site with reasonable pricing. Ideally would send them a spare to be reworked. Would hate to send out my only axle, which is usable at least, for the time being.

Watching the custom car shops on TV, there's places that can build any and every part imaginable. Don't think I'll have to go that route but nice to know they're out there.

My take on that Dutchman link is that they cut the axles shorter and cut new splines on them (Narrowing and resplining in their terminology.)
With yours, it looks like it needs new material applied and then recut. But it's worth giving them a call and maybe send them a pic of your worn splines.

I'm with Jon G, post in the Truck Parts Wanted forum and you may just get what you need.