Rhino/ RZR axle shafts

[tedmales]

Can the shafts be sleeved for a wider axle instead of replaced. This is a topic me and a group of friends have been going over and I want some outside opinions. I know the common thing is to replace. But why not just cut and sleeve?

[151fab]

You would need to use the same alloy and weld rod as the axle is. Then you'd need to stress relieve the axles afterwords. You might need to heat treat them as well in order to bring your sleeve up to the axles hardness. Then your still stuck with the stock CVs. I've sleeved a set (with DOM and ER70) in order to drive the Rhino onto the trailer until the new axles were sent. It didn't even work for that!

[tedmales]

You would need to use the same alloy and weld rod as the axle is. Then you'd need to stress relieve the axles afterwords. You might need to heat treat them as well in order to bring your sleeve up to the axles hardness. Then your still stuck with the stock CVs. I've sleeved a set (with DOM and ER70) in order to drive the Rhino onto the trailer until the new axles were sent. It didn't even work for that!


That was my thoughts, I wanted to be able to test a few things before I settled on a design width that would work, and was hoping to be able to sleeve them untill everything was done and working before ordering custom axels. Guess not.

[151fab]

Here's what they looked like when I pulled them. Pictures don't do them justice.:)

[fatnbald]

you should be able to do it, with better results than shown above with a greater wall thickness on the tube, and solid inside of the sleeve. regardless of technique or process, the longevity of the axle will be poor and factoring time and material, it shouldn't cost you much more to just purchase axels. everyone builds them now, very whored out industry.

[tedmales]

I never would have thought that the dom would twist up like that.

[hammer down racing]

Get a hold of TCS, they make axles for all the side by sides at any length and make them out of 300M.

[151fab]

I never would have thought that the dom would twist up like that.

The lower one in the picture is actually twisted more than one full rotation! If you look real hard you can see the lines in the material (I'm assuming they are from the DOM process). They were straight once and now look like a barber pole.:eek: