Axle Rebuild Stands?

[Dredwolf]

I have to rebuild a Dana 30, and a Chrysler 8.25 this fall, and maybe a 8.8 axle in the coming year. I am now "seasoned" enough that a set of jack stands is not going to be enough, and my back likes to be straight these days.

I have basic metalworking and basic woodworking tools in my garage, but I need some ideas for a stand. Most of my stands and benches already roll, and have locking casters, so I want it on casters so it can go against the wall between uses.

Does anyone have some ideas or designs they are willing to share?

Thanks!

Dredwolf

 

[KyleQ]

What I have used are car wheel dollies with plywood on them to create a flat surface. On top of that I place a jack stand and put the axle on the stand - I finish it off with a ratchet strap over the axle and down to each side of the car dolly. This way everything is pulled tight and you can adjust the pinion angle to any degree by loosening up one strap and turning it (the other strap hols it good enough that it will stay long enough to ratchet the other strap down)

It's a cheap and easy solution - not super fancy, but I had everything on hand. It sure made easy work of this D70 rebuild.

You can see my D60 on the same stands in the background of the second picture - makes mocking up an axle really easy too, just slide it under!

 

[larry_g]

Do you have an engine stand or a cherry picker? I could see having a couple of verticle legs added to the horizontal legs with a saddle on the top to hold the axle. Killing two birds with one stone idea. If you have a rolling bench already can you add a couple of stand/uprights to it to hold the axle?

lg
no neat sig line

 

[Buckgnarly]

Summit has an adapter that you add to an engine stand....I've been eyeing that up or using it for ideas...I'll look for a link...

Here it is...

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/MRM-M998084/

 

[KyleQ]

Hey that is pretty neat for an engine stand - wouldn't even need a picker for 1/2 ton ****.

Has 500 lb. limit.

Lots of 1 ton rear ends with drums are too heavy for that thing - and it doesn't look rigid enough to call it "safe" at max load rating. A common 14B is 550lbs.

 

[Buckgnarly]

Hey that is pretty neat for an engine stand - wouldn't even need a picker for 1/2 ton ****.

Has 500 lb. limit.

Lots of 1 ton rear ends with drums are too heavy for that thing - and it doesn't look rigid enough to call it "safe" at max load rating. A common 14B is 550lbs.

Yeah, pretty much Dana 60 and up I would not put it on it, but you could always use the design to build it better/stronger.

 

[Hangtowncruzr]

Great find thanks! Just ordered one, should be fine for all my Land Cruiser axle work

 

[Dredwolf]

What I have used are car wheel dollies with plywood on them to create a flat surface. On top of that I place a jack stand and put the axle on the stand - I finish it off with a ratchet strap over the axle and down to each side of the car dolly. This way everything is pulled tight and you can adjust the pinion angle to any degree by loosening up one strap and turning it (the other strap hols it good enough that it will stay long enough to ratchet the other strap down)

It's a cheap and easy solution - not super fancy, but I had everything on hand. It sure made easy work of this D70 rebuild.

You can see my D60 on the same stands in the background of the second picture - makes mocking up an axle really easy too, just slide it under!

That is not bad....I already have a couple of the small movers dollies, some 3/4 plywood and scrap pieces to "locate" the jack stands on the plywood may do the trick...

 

[Dredwolf]

Yeah, pretty much Dana 60 and up I would not put it on it, but you could always use the design to build it better/stronger.

Very true....I have a good bit of scrap steel, and a new plasma cutter I need to play with....I am dealing with 1/2 ton stuff now, but my old K20 will need attention one of these days, so a stouter design maybe the ticket...

These are great ideas, guys, thank you!

 

[bluesman2a]

Here's mine:

The basic material is 1" square .120 wall tube. The cradles are 4" angle iron I cut into about 4" strips and mounted in a V fashion to cradle the tubes. It flexes a little but nothing too bad, and I've really reefed on some axles on it. BTW, that's a 14-bolt on there.

I like it because it's heavy enough to be stable and light enough to pick up and move (empty) when you are done without casters.

 

[BlindViper]

I rebuilt my d60 on my work bench using some blocks of wood to hold it level. I could very easily see using jack stands on a work bench just the same.

 

[ert01]

I have to rebuild a Dana 30, and a Chrysler 8.25 this fall, and maybe a 8.8 axle in the coming year...

Sounds like some one is driving an XJ!

Ford 8.8 swap is one of the best things I ever did to mine and a very satisfying upgrade for cheap.

 

[Dale]

the ones this guy uses with his workbench are way cool:http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=12371&highlight=workbench+receiver+hitches

 

[markw365]

Sounds like some one is driving an XJ!

Ford 8.8 swap is one of the best things I ever did to mine and a very satisfying upgrade for cheap.

Until you snap a shaft and have to fight the C clip and then find out everyone has spare 44 shafts, but not an 8.8 shaft. Yeah, I was going to say someone has an XJ. Upgrade the rear to an XJ 44 or an 8.8. Home made stand is probably going to be the best, but I've just been using 3 jack stands.

You'll also need more than a stand to rebuild, the 8.25 needs a special tool to do backlash which you can make with a sacrificial socket. Don't spend any money on the 30 if it's a low pinion, get an HP housing and swap your parts over.

I do like the stand I saw made out of 1" .120 wall, but I'd use 1.5 or 2", that's just me.

Mark

 

[crewchief888]

how about 2 metal "sawhorses" with angle iron vblocks to locate the axle


just my $0.02

 

[jlckmj]

I made one years ago and gave it away so I can not take a picture of it.

What I used is the engine stand that is on wheels, the type that has a separate mounting bracket that separates from the stand, and mounts to the stand with about a 2-21/2 inch pipe.

From there I made a large U shape out of some 2x4 tubing with a piece of pipe welded to the bottom of the U. On top of the U arms I tack welded some small angle (upside down) (you could use spring perches if you wanted) on the top of the arms to hold the rear end from slipping off or sliding to the front or rear of the channel. . I could slip the whole thing into the engine stand with the pipe, set the rear end on it, and also rotate the rear end over if I wanted to.

It will normally sit with the pinion down, but if you want to swing it over, I just placed a piece of angle or a 2x2 on the top of the channel to stop it from swinging all the way over after swinging the pinion to the top side..

I hope this is easy to understand.

Jim

 

[4v shane]

Id like to see someone improve on the summit ones make a heavy duty version!

 

[Agent1320]

A couple of friends own a hot rod shop and they have a simple, and cheap axle stand that they use all the time. I don't have a pic, but I drew a quick example. It's just some old scrap tubing welded together. 5 pieces total.

 

[bluebolt]

Here's some ideas
http://www.pozziracing.com/intprojects.htm#Differential housing stand
http://www.tradeindia.com/fp683084/Rear-Axle-Stand.html
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/showthread.php?t=54612

You also could use some pipe welding stands.
http://www.pipejack.com/

 

[85cj7boy]

I am building some to mount to the top of my welding and layout table. That is a 3.25" diameter piece of 1018. I am sure I can get a 3.5" diameter tube in there. I still have to mount the clamp to the other one. Ran out of time the other day. I have Jeep axles to work on also.