User Tag List

+ Reply to Thread
Results 1 to 26 of 26

Thread: all aluminium atlas axle

  1. #1
    Spanner Monkey

    Join Date
    Sep 2004
    Location
    Ireland
    Posts
    354
    Thanks
    18
    Thanked 24 Times in 23 Posts

    all aluminium atlas axle

    just a query has anyone ever built an all alloy atlas ,i,ve been toying with the idea in my head for a while now burtons sell an alloy pigs head,a local metal supplier can get me 60mm o/d alloy tubes 10mm thick wall ,my thoughts get stumped on the stub axles for a f/f set up ie would the bearings be ok sat on alloy stub axles also would the threads on an alloy stub be strong enough to snug up the bearings.i think its an interesting idea for a project with potiental for maybe 15 to 18kg weight saving .any thoughts would be welcome.

  2. #2
    Mechanic

    Join Date
    Feb 2012
    Location
    United Kingdom
    Age
    64
    Posts
    483
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked 33 Times in 32 Posts

    Re: all aluminium atlas axle

    Yes it's been done by a few axle specialists in the racing world. Not to great reliability though, i'm affraid to say.
    Even with ally pigs head and gun drilled ,triple pinned steel tubes there has been movement, causing ally pigs head to crack.
    If you are only posing with a show 220 bhp pinto then she would LOOK swish, if it's a 300bhp rally or race car ? forget it.

  3. #3
    Racer Decade Plus User

    Join Date
    Sep 2006
    Location
    chesterfield derbyshire
    Age
    48
    Posts
    2,162
    Thanks
    68
    Thanked 142 Times in 135 Posts

    Re: all aluminium atlas axle

    alloy pigs head on a track car ok, forest car no way, best way is to go for the alloy head with chromoly tubes, very high strength for the thickness, stick with steel stub axles but lighten everything else. you can gundrill the shafts, pinion, spark erode the back of the crownwheel, lightened alloy hubs with alloy flanges, drill down the wheel studs, pick the lightest discs and brakes you can, motorbike ones are very light. fit titanium bolts everywhere.

  4. #4
    Spanner Monkey

    Join Date
    Sep 2004
    Location
    Ireland
    Posts
    354
    Thanks
    18
    Thanked 24 Times in 23 Posts

    Re: all aluminium atlas axle

    thanks for yer responses as i said its just an idea bouncing around my head,the thought of an all alloy one is appealing thou even if not very practical.my mk1 one currently weighs 867kg wet with spare wheel and knocking 15ish kg from that is a nice prospect ...think i,l start jogging instead

  5. #5
    Pole Position Decade Plus User freddy686868's Avatar

    Join Date
    Jul 2010
    Location
    South Wales
    Age
    34
    Posts
    4,689
    Thanks
    221
    Thanked 245 Times in 226 Posts

    Re: all aluminium atlas axle

    Quote Originally Posted by mick32 View Post
    thanks for yer responses as i said its just an idea bouncing around my head,the thought of an all alloy one is appealing thou even if not very practical.my mk1 one currently weighs 867kg wet with spare wheel and knocking 15ish kg from that is a nice prospect ...think i,l start jogging instead
    If you use an ally pigs head with a standard set up you would loose some weight but not as much weight as you would like. Every little helps.

  6. #6
    Pit Crew Decade Plus User

    Join Date
    May 2004
    Location
    Norn Iron
    Posts
    1,141
    Thanks
    4
    Thanked 87 Times in 86 Posts

    Re: all aluminium atlas axle

    Make one from Titanium ?

    No strength issues to worry about and you can keep it thin and very light.
    9.85 @ 145mph 202mph standing mile

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ss_c7fML3rw

  7. #7
    Spanner Monkey Ianbavs's Avatar

    Join Date
    Oct 2015
    Location
    Essex
    Age
    53
    Posts
    347
    Thanks
    33
    Thanked 29 Times in 29 Posts

    all aluminium atlas axle

    Your cars light mines @1100kg but it's got cosy turbo n t5whitch weighs 300kg on its own lol :-)

  8. #8
    Spanner Monkey

    Join Date
    Sep 2004
    Location
    Ireland
    Posts
    354
    Thanks
    18
    Thanked 24 Times in 23 Posts

    Re: all aluminium atlas axle

    i would love to use titanium......if i won the lottery.i did a titanium welding job recently and nearly fainted with the price of filler rod alone.with regards strength issues my thoughts were to weld the tubes to the pigs head so no pinning required the tubes are 60mm o/d and have a 10mm thick wall,4 link brackets shock brackets etc all made of 4mm thick alloy but as i said my mental stumbling block would be stub axles.Would it be possible to thread steel stub axles to alloy tubes and then double pin em.please if my thoughts seem like far fetched or boring let me know.

  9. #9
    Spanner Monkey Ianbavs's Avatar

    Join Date
    Oct 2015
    Location
    Essex
    Age
    53
    Posts
    347
    Thanks
    33
    Thanked 29 Times in 29 Posts

    all aluminium atlas axle

    Must be least as strong as ally front hubs u can buy off the shelf
    Go for it :-)

  10. #10
    TURBOSPORT SPONSOR Turbosport Subscriber
    Turbosport Moderator
    Turbosport Administrator
    Graham's Avatar
    My Race Car
    My 1st Project
    Join Date
    Feb 2006
    Location
    Ely, Cambs
    Age
    56
    Posts
    25,110
    Thanks
    310
    Thanked 2,476 Times in 2,250 Posts

    Re: all aluminium atlas axle

    front hubs are a somewhat different matter, they are very short, and only connected to the vehicle at one point, so they are not subject to leverage and bending stresses let alone having to deal with engine torque and tramp etc

  11. The Following User Says Thank You to Graham For This Useful Post:


  12. #11
    Pit Crew Decade Plus User

    Join Date
    May 2004
    Location
    Norn Iron
    Posts
    1,141
    Thanks
    4
    Thanked 87 Times in 86 Posts

    Re: all aluminium atlas axle

    if you wanted to step up to a Ford 9" from the US, there are alloy casings available.

    I'm sure they'll be strong in a straight line, and probably for road use. Not sure they'd handle rallying etc But not overly expensive. You can get alloy front loader sections for them too, although the LSD and CWP will be damn heavy, as will any shafts although you can of course get drilled versions.

    http://www.currieenterprises.com/ces...E.aspx?id=1567

    Or Alloy with steel tubes

    https://www.dragtimes.com/parts/FORD...091873235.html

    [img]
    http://storage.speedmaster79.com/website/content/img/scroll-index/01.jpg[/img]

    copy and paste image link, for some reason it wont show here
    9.85 @ 145mph 202mph standing mile

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ss_c7fML3rw

  13. #12
    Spanner Monkey

    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Location
    nl
    Posts
    210
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked 32 Times in 25 Posts

    Re: all aluminium atlas axle

    Burton version
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails AXAT11.jpg‎  


  14. #13
    Spanner Monkey

    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Location
    nl
    Posts
    210
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked 32 Times in 25 Posts

    Re: all aluminium atlas axle

    The much stronger Zakspeed version.
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails P1010746.jpg‎  

    P1010748.jpg‎  


  15. #14
    Spanner Monkey

    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Location
    nl
    Posts
    210
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked 32 Times in 25 Posts

    Re: all aluminium atlas axle

    Eventualy too many problems forged them to return to the steel version.
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Capri Zakspeed Turbo 212small.jpg‎  


  16. #15
    Formerly harrier mk2 Decade Plus User Fridgeman's Avatar

    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Location
    Derby, United Kingdom
    Posts
    2,529
    Thanks
    151
    Thanked 91 Times in 86 Posts

    Re: all aluminium atlas axle

    know where there is a GRP 1 escort MK1 been running a MAG one with a 300 hp BDG for a good while now mind you its a 130k car.
    EVERY DAY,S A LEARNING DAY

  17. #16
    Spanner Monkey

    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Location
    nl
    Posts
    210
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked 32 Times in 25 Posts

    Re: all aluminium atlas axle

    Are you sure MKI with a BDG ..Grp1 ?

  18. #17
    Spanner Monkey

    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Location
    nl
    Posts
    210
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked 32 Times in 25 Posts

    Re: all aluminium atlas axle

    Are you sure MKI BDG GRP1 ?

  19. #18
    Spanner Monkey Ianbavs's Avatar

    Join Date
    Oct 2015
    Location
    Essex
    Age
    53
    Posts
    347
    Thanks
    33
    Thanked 29 Times in 29 Posts

    all aluminium atlas axle

    Anybody know how much oil an atlas diff takes cheers

  20. #19
    TURBOSPORT SPONSOR Turbosport Subscriber
    Turbosport Moderator
    Turbosport Administrator
    Graham's Avatar
    My Race Car
    My 1st Project
    Join Date
    Feb 2006
    Location
    Ely, Cambs
    Age
    56
    Posts
    25,110
    Thanks
    310
    Thanked 2,476 Times in 2,250 Posts

    Re: all aluminium atlas axle

    a bit over a litre

  21. #20
    Spanner Monkey Ianbavs's Avatar

    Join Date
    Oct 2015
    Location
    Essex
    Age
    53
    Posts
    347
    Thanks
    33
    Thanked 29 Times in 29 Posts

    all aluminium atlas axle

    Cheers :-)

  22. #21
    Tyre Kicker

    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    Denmark
    Age
    50
    Posts
    1
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts

    Re: all aluminium atlas axle

    Hi
    Im very interrested in info on this Zakspeed alloy pig head
    Is it yours?
    Please PM me at tt@jtteknik.dk

  23. #22
    Mechanic

    Join Date
    Aug 2015
    Location
    Leeds
    Posts
    767
    Thanks
    34
    Thanked 27 Times in 27 Posts

    Re: all aluminium atlas axle

    Have a read through this for ideas on saving weight.

    http://www.turbosport.co.uk/showthread.php?t=431275

  24. #23
    Spanner Monkey

    Join Date
    Sep 2004
    Location
    Ireland
    Posts
    354
    Thanks
    18
    Thanked 24 Times in 23 Posts

    Re: all aluminium atlas axle

    hi guys i started this thread when i was having a quietish period with work and was toying with the idea purely out of boredom i like to keep myself busy thinkering etc etc,the all alloy atlas was shelved and i built a fully floating one from scratch as in i made the hubs, stub axles, lock rings ,wheel studs and reluctantly bought the halfshafts and flanges,would love to make my own shafts but ran out of time.All this was done early last year and just before xmas i had another wanting to make something else so i made my own wrc style front suspension with my own style front hubs with much larger wheel bearings and fully floating style wheel studs.I,l upload some pics later tonight.

  25. #24
    Formerly harrier mk2 Decade Plus User Fridgeman's Avatar

    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Location
    Derby, United Kingdom
    Posts
    2,529
    Thanks
    151
    Thanked 91 Times in 86 Posts

    Re: all aluminium atlas axle

    to pick up on this again, yes duel its a 300hp GrP 1 car,has a george richardson BDG on lucas injection 2.0 ltr. i may have a chance to buy the mag axle but only because it has not been successful on the car, has suffered with the tubes moving in the pigs head and yes it has been pinned. i only have about 180hp so would be a nice thing to have on the car.
    EVERY DAY,S A LEARNING DAY

  26. #25
    Spanner Monkey

    Join Date
    Sep 2004
    Location
    Ireland
    Posts
    354
    Thanks
    18
    Thanked 24 Times in 23 Posts

    Re: all aluminium atlas axle

    going to fire this thread up again,its xmas time again so i have pulled the alloy atlas idea out from my head again and have started on the tubes and stub axles,so far things look very promising from a proof of concept point of view and by the looks of what i,ve made so far is every bit as strong as a steel one.considering the tubes are machined from a solid billet,will post pics over the next few days.

  27. #26
    Racer Decade Plus User wildo105e's Avatar

    My 1st Project
    My 2nd Project
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    Manchester
    Age
    53
    Posts
    3,150
    Thanks
    131
    Thanked 237 Times in 230 Posts

    all aluminium atlas axle

    Cool can’t wait 👍

+ Reply to Thread

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts