Replacement stock style axles

[Nick_nl]

Hi guys,

I would like to get a pair of new stock style 57 replacement axles for my car.
What vendors make good ones?
I'm not drag racing and the engine is a street friendly sbc 355.

Friday the driver side axle came loose. I looks like the bearing came of the shaft it self.
https://www.sleijpen.net/foto/Bel_Air/Rearend/Axle shafts/20201016_165604.geschaald.jpg
https://www.sleijpen.net/foto/Bel_Air/Rearend/Axle shafts/20201016_170451.geschaald.jpg

[Dave the Wave]

i bought 2 pair now from moser. zero complaints. last pair, 400 to the door, with wheel studs.

[Nick_nl]

Thanks, Are these special order? Moser doesn't list them on the website.

[Histoy56]

If you order from Moser, be sure to let them know if you have an open or posi differential. The posi axles are around 1/4" shorter. I recently bought a pair from them for our '56. One was fine, but the other one was a pita to install.

[Nick_nl]

Today i pulled the axle out and the crimp ring is missing.
I'll pull the center section out and see if its there.
http://www.sleijpen.net/foto/Bel_Air/Rearend/Axle shafts/20201018_185243.geschaald.jpg

[Dragsix]

If You find the ring and the ring is intact, you can reinstall the bearing, then the ring, then tack weld the ring to the axle. I installed new forged axles. I got them through southeast chevy, I am pretty sure they are moser axles.

https://www.southeastchevyparts.com/1957-1958-Chevy-Bel-Air-Forged-Steel-LEFT-Rear-Axle-17-Spline_p_175.html

[Dave the Wave]

stick a long magnet in. hey there, why was one difficult to install? and moser always asks for the measurment. just under$400 to the door. hey, if southeast has v`em, and they are strong, just go for it. and i always put just a little gear oil on them when installing.

[markm]

Toms Differential's sells high quality KA Axles worth the money.

[Dragsix]

The only problem with Tom's Differentials is that their website has not been updated since 2017, nearly four years ago so I am not all that sure they are still in business or if they are, all that active.

[567chevys]

Tom Died

Here is it

Charles “Tom” Watt

October 5, 1950 – January 24, 2018

Tom was born on October 5, 1950 in Long Beach, California. Tom had a wonderful life growing up in California in the ‘50’s and ‘60’s. Forty-three years ago he started Tom’s Differentials in Paramount, California. Tom worked long days in order to build a successful business. He learned through hard work and paying attention. He eventually moved Tom’s Differentials to Ponderay, Idaho, which is where he considered home. He left behind his wife Jo Anne, many loving family members and friends. He will be greatly missed by all. What the world has lost heaven has gained.

But I email the company & this is what they email me so it looks like they are still open

Yes, we are! We are open Monday-Friday from 9AM-3PM.

Thank you,
Lesli
Shipping/Warehouse Manager @ Tom's Differentials

[Nick_nl]

I did find the ring, it was at middle part. But i'm reluctant to reuse the axels.
I've sent an Email to Moser with the measurements i could take.
DoctorDiff (https://www.doctordiff.com/axle-pkg-55-64-chevy-passenger-car.html) also has a complete set available.
Also Dutchman (https://dutchmanaxles.com/chevy-stock-replacement-rear-axles-bolt-in-type-pair.html) has a pair available.

[markm]

Tom Died

Here is it

Charles “Tom” Watt

October 5, 1950 – January 24, 2018

Tom was born on October 5, 1950 in Long Beach, California. Tom had a wonderful life growing up in California in the ‘50’s and ‘60’s. Forty-three years ago he started Tom’s Differentials in Paramount, California. Tom worked long days in order to build a successful business. He learned through hard work and paying attention. He eventually moved Tom’s Differentials to Ponderay, Idaho, which is where he considered home. He left behind his wife Jo Anne, many loving family members and friends. He will be greatly missed by all. What the world has lost heaven has gained.

But I email the company & this is what they email me so it looks like they are still open

Yes, we are! We are open Monday-Friday from 9AM-3PM.

Thank you,
Lesli
Shipping/Warehouse Manager @ Tom's Differentials




Good to know Sid thanks, I would give them a call.

[Rick_L]

What's a KA axle?

[markm]

Toms own brand, made in USA very high quality, make my hozer Moser look like crap. I have both in Camaro drag cars. 35 spline Dana 60. plus 35 spline KA Dana in 55. The splines are cut more precision cut on the KA. I believe theyare listed on the website. My buddy runs them in his 9 inch. Here is the best part very affordable.

[Dave the Wave]

wow!

[Dave the Wave]

if you need to find new collars, just collars, let us know where to locate! THANX!!!

[markm]

Tom shows several choices for 8.2 axles on site.

Why K.A. Axles?
Because we got sick and tired of buying axles that were too loose of a fit on the side gears or
wouldn't fit at all, excessive end play, .005 - .008 is desired, compromising of heat-treating so
axles could be cut and splined after manufacturing. Cost! Etc.
We decided there had to be someone who could make axles in United States of America, at an
affordable price that would work like their supposed to! K.A. of course.
K.A.'s are manufactured of 1541 material with rolled splines "to insure the correct fit" C.N.C.
machined and then induction heat-treated to our demanding spec's. We then 100% inspect for
spline fit, correct lengths, end play ect., to assure you the highest quality axle with
consistency that you can count on. No Hassles, No ifs ands or butts!
Advantages!
You have an axle that has been correctly heat-treated, fits like you need it to, is super
tough, doesn't kill your budget and normally ships the same day it's ordered.
Disadvantages
We don't make individual custom pairs, As all axles are done in production runs.
Thanks for listening, thanks for your support and remember Buy American!
L

[Dragsix]

Nick the axle is fine. The rings get loose for a couple of reasons. One, it was reused during a prior bearing install. You cant really re use them without tack welding the rings to the axle. Second, the axle has had a number of bearing replacements and the axle bearing race on the axle is on the loose side of the required interference fit tolerance. Another reason, you put so much side load on the rear axles, like coming off an interstate exit at high speed, that the bearing presses it self off (more common then you think and yes, I did it once, and my best friend did it twice with his 57 which is when we had a old school racer tell us what to do to solve the issue, yep, tack weld the rings, lol.) So to get you by for the time being, repress the bearing and ring and tack weld the ring until you get your new axles.).

[markm]

Dragsix, An old racer/ machinist/welder who knew more about building driveshafts and narrowing rear ends than anyone I have ever knew told me the same thing.

[Nick_nl]

Dragsix,
These axles were bought used and the previous owner upgraded to a ford 9 inch. I've already removed the bearing and found rust, that could indicate the press fit wasn't enough anymore. The high speed cornering might be true, i like to take corners fast :) So the new ones have to be welded.

[Dragsix]

If you are getting new Moser axles, I don't think you will need to tack the retaining rings in place. In fact, I myself would not. Mine rings are not and I am pretty hard on my axles. I would only do it on old original GM axles.

Markm, I was lucky. I grew up in an area where the local speed shop and machine shop was somewhat nationally known and sponsored all manner of east coast and west coast racers (Frantic ford, Jim Lieberman). One of the men involved with the Frantic ford was Jim Fox and he was a machinist at the machine shop. He was a very quiet man but if he took the time to tell you something, you were wise beyond your years to listen and follow his advice. Those guys had dozens of work arounds for all kinds of issues. One time, when I was breaking my axles at the drag strip, they walked me through swaping in Chrysler 8.75 side and spider gears into a Chevy rear, and the two Mopar axles you needed to get at the junk yard to use for better axles. I was young and those guys were headed for retirement. So I was lucky enough to be the beneficiary of some of what they knew. So many of them are gone now and to some extent, a great deal of what they knew went with them.

[markm]

11453

This is my old buddy's car that is Hilborn injection for a big block Mopar grafted to an Offy 2x4 intake, Car originally had an Olds rear swapped to a Dana 60. He also owned and operated his own dragstrip in addition to his successful welding and machine shop. He is also the one who got me hooked on running Dana 60s, having built my first one with 8 3/4 Mopar axle ends and brakes. Early Olds ends were his first choice, but I had none at time. He preferred to heat wheel bearing retaining rings to install them. This car still exist as shown in picture, that used to be a 62 409 with 2x4. When I started racing in the 70s it had a Q-jet. When I first remember this car it had a clutch-turbo 400 in the 70s and 80s. I ran one of the old 3500 pound roller assisted Borg & Beck clutches from this car in my Camaro back then.

[Dave the Wave]

this looks like an injected 409. how kool!

[bigblock]

Dave I thought the seem thing.

[markm]

this looks like an injected 409. how kool!

I was born a 62 409 with 2x4s but it now has a 427 crank around 472 cubes.

[Nick_nl]

If you are getting new Moser axles, I don't think you will need to tack the retaining rings in place. In fact, I myself would not. Mine rings are not and I am pretty hard on my axles. I would only do it on old original GM axles.


I'll pass on Moser. They offered axles with the wrong bearing even though I specified RW307R bearings.
I did find a local company that could metal spray the axle to build up the bearing surface.
They only want my to specify the correct dimension with tolerances. The bearing is 1.378 inch (=35.0012mm) id.
What would be a good axle size?

thanks,

Nick

[markm]

Moser is not the only game in town, did you call Toms, I did this week shopping for 12 bolt spiders and side gears for a 4 series Posi. There are others besides them too.

[Nick_nl]

Yes, I have contacted Tom's and Dutchman. Tom's isn't good for international shipping, shipping alone costs more than the axle pair. Dutchman doesn't give me a quotation.
I did find doctor diff on ebay (https://www.ebay.com/itm/184506381984) his shipping rates are pretty good.
so far the Mopar guys seem to like his axles.

[Dragsix]

Try south east chevy. https://www.southeastchevyparts.com/1957-1958-Chevy-Bel-Air-Forged-Steel-LEFT-Rear-Axle-17-Spline_p_175.html I know he ships over seas, I am pretty sure he told me one time he ships individual parts, a container of parts over seas, multiple buyers get together or something like that. check with him. That is where I purchased my axles.

[markm]

I missed the international part, I am sure that make this more difficult.

[markm]

11453

This is my old buddy's car that is Hilborn injection for a big block Mopar grafted to an Offy 2x4 intake, Car originally had an Olds rear swapped to a Dana 60. He also owned and operated his own dragstrip in addition to his successful welding and machine shop. He is also the one who got me hooked on running Dana 60s, having built my first one with 8 3/4 Mopar axle ends and brakes. Early Olds ends were his first choice, but I had none at time. He preferred to heat wheel bearing retaining rings to install them. This car still exist as shown in picture, that used to be a 62 409 with 2x4. When I started racing in the 70s it had a Q-jet. When I first remember this car it had a clutch-turbo 400 in the 70s and 80s. I ran one of the old 3500 pound roller assisted Borg & Beck clutches from this car in my Camaro back then.

Was having a beer with a couple old buddies today and we were remembering the time this car snapped a 35 spline Strange axle. Funny thing the Strange axles were supposed to be an the welded narrowed axles they replaced.

[Nick_nl]

I missed the international part, I am sure that make this more difficult.
Not really difficult, just more expensive. I've had shipping quotes for over 500 usd for the pair.
We also have to pay extra taxes (+26%) over the combined value so it adds up quickly.