one piece rear axle (2012)

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madass140

madass140

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I'm sure some of the experts here are running a one piece rear axle, but I havent seen any comments here, maybe I've missed them, anyway I havent seen them for sale anywhere so I been working on this project and its looking good, it will entail replacing the short stub axle with a special spacer fitting the whole wheel assembly in to place and slide in the new one piece axle, I'll try and get some pics up later, If I do a production run then the 9/16" axle will probably be made of 4140 and the head and nut stainless.
I think it will be a great improvement .
 
one piece rear axle (2012)

one piece rear axle (2012)

one piece rear axle (2012)


its all in the spacer.
 
I have one on my Blue monoshock Dreer prototype, made from a hardened bolt I picket up at the local CAT machinery parts counter.

Yep, it's all in the spacer; in my case, the setup is MkIII disc...

(sorry, no pix that I recall taking)
 
I would guess that any broken standard axles are caused by improper fitment, even with a one piece made from 316 stainless I doubt that it could ever break, take a lot of force to shear 9/16" stainless steel.
I would guess any broken standard axles snapped at the end of the thread on the long axle, Any axle breakers out there??
 
madass140 said:
I would guess any broken standard axles snapped at the end of the thread on the long axle, Any axle breakers out there??
Click to expand...

That seems to be what's been reported here a few times.
 
due to improper assembly. I've never heard of any race bikes breaking rear axles.
 
Would that work for the early rear wheel? With the bearings in the hub, not in the drum?

Dave
69S
 
I know that I have made posts here on using a Honda cb 350/450 axle ala Mike T. Just be sure the spaces (2) are right for the type / year rear end you have. Also you will need a new spacer for the speedo drive.
 
Dave , I havent investigated whether this set up will work on the bolt up hub, but i doubt it will, so I'll have to consider a axle and spacer for the earlier Commandos and another for Dominators.
 
You might make the spacer washers under the heads larger diameter to
give larger load area on the swinging arm. Yes, I realize this is more
cosmetic than anything but it cannot hurt.
Let us know when you have finalized this and have it on offer.
 
I like the 9/16" axle idea because no mods are required and it is reversible. I would go for one.

I was waiting for hobot to chime in because he has 1st hand knowledge but I believe these breaks occur always at the start of the 1st thread on the main axle. There have been previous postings on this and I remember there was discussion on rolled threads vs. cut threads.

Russ
 
I read the whole thread on axleology just the other day. The larger
stronger size appeals but it is a bit of a bother for those of us sans
lathe.
Maybe you run one up and beta it with Hobot and see if he can do it in.
Im hard pressed to think the ordinary street runner would break one.
Most of us are too old to get too frisky.
 
madass140 said:
due to improper assembly. I've never heard of any race bikes breaking rear axles.
Click to expand...

I broke two of them on my race bike (Commando PR) back in the day, before converting to a one-piece axle. I recall other Commando racers having the same failure. And yes, they did all break at the start of the threads.

Ken
 
To be clear, I meant that a standard size one piece as you have illustrated SHOULD be
good for street use. No idea if a one piece of standard size would be good for the track
or Hobot road service. That is breaks at the thread start makes sense. Maybe you could
make the piece long enough so no threads start until after washer on the outside of the
swinging arm.
 
Seen two broken ones on street bikes and one on a Commando race bike. All at the thread end.

The photos in the second posting look very much like the one piece in my Dominator race bike. The spacer is about the easiest piece of lath work you can imagine.
 
I have made it as you said, so any threaded part is not inside the swingarm area.
the standard setup is a bad design, the two axles pulling against each other. I sometimes wonder about these designers of parts like this.
If they wanted a stub axle then they could have the long axle pass thru a bigger diameter stub axle as on some Jap bikes, but then Norton would of had to make a separate
axle plate with a bigger slot for the left side. they saved a $ but caused us all a nightmare.
its all in the spacer, but its measurements have to be exact otherwise bearing failure will occur.
How come no one is selling this setup?
 
If putting a larger OD axle in, Norton would of also had to re-make the swing arm axle slots as they become the next weakest area when opened up much more.

A less elegant stop gap safety solution would be ring ended adjustor bolt so loss of clamp force don't allow R side of axle to go full reaward to tip wheel that can drive one crazy. After that feature then need one to keep the axle from walking its way right out the hub.

I have read of SS axles breaking on other lists/forums, but I have never read of any SS axle upgrades being made as 2 piece Norton split-dumb axle design, in case that concerns any one - else.

If only the Commando wasn't intended as a stop gap make do model till the new rotary made it, maybe they'd designed some life in em. Then again where's the future long term fun in that?
Ever try to twist swing arm ends, the axle sure does.
 
Hobot stated, with great and detailed personal knowledge of the 1966 Norton Board of Directors:;

If only the Commando wasn't intended as a stop gap make do model till the new rotary made it
Click to expand...


Hobot, how the hell would YOU know?

Are you really so damn stupid as to believe that Norton was planning a ROTARY in 1966 when they conceived the Commando?

And that Norton intended the Commando to be just a "stop gap" until they unleashed the Rotary TWENTY YEARS LATER, after they were out of business?

Stop it for awhile.

Your arrogance and conceit in always having an opinion about what you know NOTHING about is stunning.
 
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