Can i make my own live axel?

[down_in_flames]

hi, im new here and sorta new at go karts. i was looking at buying a live axel for a craptastic kart im working on, but i don't have 100 bucks. i was wonering if anyone knew a way to make a live axel or someting that would work well enough?

 

[kibble]

You don't need $100 for an axle. You can find some cheap on ebay for like $30 or so.

 

[down_in_flames]

you have saverly over estemated my financial situation. lol. my mom has just started makeing me pay for gas.

my friends were thinking something like a bar in a tuve would work but i relly dont know

 

[Kenny_McCormic]

You need a BIG lathe and mill. if you posses these incredibly expensive precision tools go buy some bar stock turn the steps cut some threads and mill the keyway.

 

[kibble]

you have saverly over estemated my financial situation. lol. my mom has just started makeing me pay for gas.

my friends were thinking something like a bar in a tuve would work but i relly dont know

Something solid would be the best thing to use as holow tubes would have a tendency of bending.

You need a BIG lathe and mill.

and then you're getting into the thousands of dollahs.

 

[down_in_flames]

Something solid would be the best thing to use as holow tubes would have a tendency of bending.

no they were talking about useing a 3/4" solid steel bar i have and puting it inside of a tube not much bigger

 

[kibble]

Oh, that might work, assuming it's a pretty straight piece of rod.

 

[MDMike]

no they were talking about useing a 3/4" solid steel bar i have and puting it inside of a tube not much bigger

Unless you plan on going REAL Slow and not having it wear out quickly, You'd need bearings.

 

[minibugger]

You may want to consider checking out an industrial or agricultural type store. They have shafting available in 36" pieces with the keyway already installed. Flange or pillow block bearings, locking sleeves, chains and sprockets, locking hubs, are all available and very reasonable in costs. May also consider an automotive jobber store with a industrial division.

 

[modelengineer]

My first kart had just a 1" solid mild steel axle. It worked fine. 3/4" might be a bit small. Just go to the nearest steel shop and they should be able to hook you up. You can get around using a lathe by getting 1" hubs and bearings and figuring out a way to stop the axle sliding sideways.
I don't know how you could do that because I turned down and threaded the ends of the axle on my lathe and milled the keyway on the mill
If you were near me I would offer to do it for you.

 

[go kart mozart]

i used a piece of 1,1/32' pipe and it works but its bent cus i hit a rock right in the middle of the sprocket whil i was goin down a hill. the other problem with pipe is its never exctly a corect diameter. u will never find bearings to fit a pipe. i had to us drastic measurses such as a piece of aluminum wraped around so it would fill the 1,1/16' bore bearings your best bet is to find a piece of stock and someone with a lathe (posibly a school with a shop, could be free?) and of course tractor pins on each wheel. I just hapen to know a guy with a giant lathe and bridgeport and stuff but try your local schools an stuff