Posted: Mon Jan 17, 2005 7:07 pm Post subject: Stainless Steel axles
Hi, I have inadvertently purchased a new stainless steel front axle; it sure looks pretty! I've read of rear axle failures in an earlier post and wonder if there is any concern about using this axle. Obviously somebodies using them, but if it's a poor choice of axle I don't want it on my bike. Any opinions? Thanks, Rob
Posted: Mon Jan 17, 2005 8:04 pm Post subject: Stainless axle
Rob,
I don't know the material strength of stainless steel axles, but I've had them on my disc brake type front wheel and drum brake rear for the last 8 years and over 13,000 miles with no sign of stress or wear. They look so much better than oxidized originals.
Joined: 15 Apr 2004 Posts: 898 Location: Boulder, CO
Posted: Tue Jan 18, 2005 7:24 am Post subject:
I read something about this a while back but don't remember the details now. I'd like to get stainless axles on my bike if they're safe. The old ones have lost their plating and look awful.
Bruce, are you out there? What are your thoughts about this?
Most of the bright, shiny stainless steel that you see at the hardware store has a minimum yield strength of about 30,000 psi. In contrast, mild steel bar stock, which is quite common, has a yield strength of 36,000 psi.
So, chances are that the stainless axle will not be as strong as the original one. However, it's impossible to confirm without knowing the mechanical properties of the original carbon steel axle and the proposed stainless axle.
Also, an axle with a yield strength of 30,000 psi may be perfectly acceptable from a design standpoint. For the most part, the Norton axle is subjected to shear stresses when loaded and these stresses are probably quite low. This would be easy to calculate if the dimenson of the axle and its supports are known.
The only stainless axle failure I am aware of was on a vintage racer. He attributed the failure as much to the way the threads were cut into the axle as the metal fatigue. This was a rear axle. I have never heard an instance of a front axle failure.
That said, I have had a stainless rear axle on my cafe racer (with a fairly potent powerplant) for over ten years. I personally don't believe a street machine will be a problem. YMMV.
Posted: Wed Jan 19, 2005 4:15 pm Post subject: stainless axles
Hi Deb:
I have had stainless axles on my commando for 10 years now. I used 303 grade which is the same as 18-8. It is used for nuts,bolts.propeler shafts ,etc. and has good strength qualities.There are many levels of the grade but it starts at 32,000 tensile strength and works up to 125,000 if cold worked at different temperatures in manufacturing. It is free machining unlike 316 grade ,because of a small amount of sulphur added.
I recently made up some as well as stainless swing arm pins. They are on my website. www.tritonmachining.com
I like to visit Jerry's site to gain knowledge and share anything if I can help. It's a great site and great forum and Jerry should be very proud of what he has put together. I don't use this forum to advertise and hope I have not affended anyone.
Cheers
Bruce
Joined: 24 Dec 2003 Posts: 362 Location: Brisbane, Australia
Posted: Thu Feb 17, 2005 7:47 am Post subject:
A norton friend of mine, Don, has made me "lookalike" stainless axles.
The ends of the shaft has been threaded & he made stainless "ends" which are loctited & screwed onto the axle.
To look at them now, they look like they could be completely stainless.
The other end just has stainless nuts that he also made for me.
This bloke is building four featherbed norton atlas's atm & has made all of the nuts & bolts himself out of stainless. Lotta work but he just loves doing it.
He is a fitter & turner by trade and can't see a problem with using the "lookalike" axles.
norbsa4853 has told me that Honda rear axles from a 250 or 350 are 17mm & are long enough to make the norton rear axle "one piece", if you care to drill out your stub axle etc. Don't know if you can get them in stainless or not though.
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At the end of 1967 the Norton Commando was announced.
The Norton Commando was greeted with a certain amount of scepticism because on first sight the commando appeared to comprise of the old Norton Dominator twin cylinder engine mounted at an inclined angle in a set of new cylinder parts.
It was not realized that the new Norton Commando Isolastic method of engine suspension damped out all engine vibration and produced a machine which had uncanny smoothness for a vertical twin. In due course the critics were silenced and the Norton Commando had the distinction of being regarded as the first of todays so called superbikes. There can be little doubt that the original design concept of the Norton Commando has proved correct, since comparatively few modifications of any real consequence have been made since production commenced during 1968.
Now nearly 40 years later Norton Commando riders like us are a breed of our own, and as far as we are concerned its still more fun to go for a blat on the old Norton Commando, and fast. As a Norton Commando owner and enthusiast, my goal here is to promote and give credit to those who keep the Norton name going.
It is more deserving to give credit to the Commando itself, for after all these years it continues to be respected. The original Commando designers like John Favill are those who deserve the credit for developing this incredible motorcycle.
The Norton Commando Roadster and Interstate of the late seventies, never died. Although the Norton Villiers factory dispersed the tradition lived on. Today Kenny Dreer in the USA is developing the new 952 CC Norton. What a great looking bike this is, and its engineering is still based on the original layout. It will be interesting to see how the new 952CC Norton does in todays tough motorcycle market. One thing is for sure, I would own one if I could afford it.
