keep breaking carrier / spool center saft pics included.

[hermie]

Ok I got this XTC long travel busa buggy as a roller that was never finished. I drive it on the street more than anything. I run one axle on the street to help turn easier. I have only been to silverlakes sand dunes once, two years ago. I usually run the axle on the drivers side while on the street, but that tire was getting wore down so I put the passenger side axle in and took the drivers side out. I did a burn out and snapped the center shaft. It was a bad idea because that was the side that was splined. I was leaving for the dunes the next day, so I met Delos from XTC buggy in Michigan and got another shaft for it for 300.00. I went to the dunes for a day and a half for the first time ever, I was not hard on it and only jumped it a once but not big. when I got home I pulled the pass axle and ran on the street. I decided to go to a bigger rear sprocket and when I took the spool apart the splines on the passenger side were twisting already and only had an axle bolted to them for a day and a half in the dunes with moderate riding? So last year it was only on the street no axle on passenger side. This year I had to come to Oklahoma for work for the summer, so I brought it with me to take it to little sahara dunes. 1st trip 30 min in gearing was off and I smoked the clutch. Fixed the gearing and clutch and went back to the dunes yesterday, gearing good and clutch good, but 30 min in the center shaft snapped. Any ideas for a better center shaft? I have limited tools and no garage. I don't want to send another 300.00 for a shaft that wont even last a weekend. I need a fix so I can get back to the dunes while I am here. I don't see anyway to repair this to make it last. does anyone make a bigger shaft that would work in my carrier?

here are some pics before broke and after
thanks and sorry for the long story

[fabr]

What is the current shaft made from? It appears to be a simple fix. Better materials ,better heat treat. Should be a simple fix with a few more  C notes that is. Who made it in the first place?  I'm betting they used perhaps 8620 or 4340  and did no HT.They should be able to make it in 4340  and properly HT and your problems are over. I can't tell from the pics but isn't that shaft made separately from that sprocket flange?

[hermie]

its all one piece the spline marks you see on the sprocket side are from the axle leaving a mark. I am not sure who made it, but I thought he said something about apple tree automotive in michigan. I don't see anything like it on their web site. Who could make one and harden it? It won't snap then? Or are you saying buy another and have it hardened? They both snap right were the splines stop.

[fabr]

The way it's made the splines are the weak spot but I see little way to do differetn. I have to leave now but have a couple ideas and a couple bette answers IMO. I'll be back later this afternoon.

[fabr]

Since 1 piece I'm betting just mild steel was used. Rest assured there is a fix.

[dsrace]

oh I bet either they used ag shaft or they cut down a stock vw axle and re-splined the other end in which case looks like they did it on an end mill and should've use a horizontal to take the sharp edge out but still need to harden when it's done. call them and ask for sure.

[hermie]

what about getting one made from titanium?

[fabr]

No. If money is not an issue make the entire thing from 4340 and it will never again be a problem. Barstock in 4340 of approximate size you need would be around 350-500 bux.Titanium ,if even to be had would be 4-5 times that.
  IMO,best option is the welded assembly using the existing flange with Vascomax 250 steel shaft heat treated. A bit more expensive than 4340 but it welds very readily and the heat treat is a piece of cake. A piece of Vascomax 250 barstock would be in the 100-150 bux range.

[Carlriddle]

I'm curious about this as I fear my center section may be my weak link.  One side welded to flange other is splined. Any way of increasing strength of unit with heat treat?  I'm sure stresses of welding could be evened out.

Thoughts? 

[fabr]

Exactly what is it made from? Without that info there is no answer possible.

[hermie]

money is an issue, but a coworker said his son might be able to make one out of titanium that he already has. I don't even know if he can, and what he would charge.
What would you charge to do it for me cheapest way but that it won't keep breaking?

[fabr]

What are the major dimensions? If it would fit my small oven I'd do it with the Vascomax 250 material for the shaft  press fit into the bored out flange you have now and then welded both sides . That part would be  fairly inexpensive,as I said about 150 bux. My problem is that I don't have the cutter for the splines you have (well MAYBE,I do but need to check tomorrow). If I were to have the cutter made it would be approx 300 bux for the cutter and another 100 bux setup and machine time. Best case ,if I have cutter-400ish bux.Worst case,if cutter need made-another 300ish. Need to know dimensions to be sure tho.

[hermie]

Roughly 8" long 1" diameter and the flange is about 6" diam
But I don't have anything to get actual measurements

[fabr]

close enough. I'll see if it would fit oven.

[hermie]

I got a hold of the guy that they thought made this spool and sent him pics.
He said he didn't make this and the shaft is to small for a busa and it wasn't hardened, He called the owner of XTC sandrails because he use to make them for XTC and wanted to know where this came from. Found out XTC bought them from a local sandrail rental place in silverlakes and they were designed for a 30hp rental buggy. So he is making me a new one out of solid piece of 4340 and is going to have it hardened. He is also going to make it a larger diameter and send me new bearings and a new flange for the splined side for $400.
Thanks for your help masterfabr