Big Body Axle Shortening - Lowrider Garage - Restoration

11. With the housing still on the lathe, Paul removed the ends by using a hacksaw.

12. Since the majority of the cut was done on the lathe, the only thing that needed to be done was to clean off any metal burrs left on the axle from the hacksaw cut.

13. The prepared end of the axle was ready to be placed back onto the axle.

14. Jim started welding the ends back onto the original housing.

15. The housing end was reassembled and from these type of welds, you know that it will not come loose. The housing was allowed to cool off while the next step was done.

16. Jim made sure that the axles were straight before attempting to do any work on them.

17. Since the axle needed the spline to be bigger, additional material was welded onto the original axle.

18. The hardened axle was treated so it could be reworked; with that said, the welded materials will allow new splines to be cut onto the axle.

19. The axle was cut down.

20. With the welds machined down, the axle was given a face cut to assure that the axle was straight when all the precision cuts were added to it.

21. With the axle all squared up, Jim moved onto the crucial cuts.

22. Since this axle was set up as a c-clip axle, the c-clip needed to be checked for fitment.

23. The final cuts for the c-clip were added to the axle before moving on to the next step.

24. Cooks’ spline cutting machine was used to create the new splines on the axle.

25. This axle was cut to stock specs, as it was also hardened to ensure that the axle wouldn’t fall apart from the torque of the drivetrain.

26. The ABS gears for the axle were heated up to allow them to reattach themselves onto the axle as the heat makes them expand.

27. The ABS gear went on smoothly.

28. Using the stock axles will save you money when shortening the rear end.

29. This Big Body rear end was ready for some skirts.