Straightening a rear end housing

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(Heating and bending)
(Building a straightening table)
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Here's how to make a fixture and rack for straightening a rear end housing.
 
Here's how to make a fixture and rack for straightening a rear end housing.
  
==Building a straightening table==
 
The straightening fixture pictured below is an old gas cylinder cart, bought at a garage sale and the top cut off.  A 6" X 6"  I-beam was then welded to the  cart. You don't need a cart, any sturdy legs will do. This cart just happened to be handy and had nice wheels so we could wheel it around the shop.
 
[[Image:Axle_straightening_table.jpg|frame|none|A gas cylinder cart, converted for straightening rear end housings.]]
 
  
To prevent any mishaps involving slippage and gravity, common jackstands are cut up to wrap the leg of the I-beam. The bottoms were notched and a slice made at each corner to get the stands fitted  to the I beam.[[Image:Modified_jackstands.jpg|frame|none|Basic inexpensive jackstands are modified to wrap the I-beam for stability.]]
 
 
A straight bar is necessary. This hardened and chrome-plated bar is about five feet long, and 1.5" in diameter. It's available from McMaster-Carr for about $115.00. Alternatively, an old length of scrap steel shafting can be used. V-blocks and a dial indicator can be used to verify that a used bar is straight. Smooth, round and straight is best. You could use 1" round bar but the accuracy will suffer. One of the manufacturers that sells these alignment fixtures uses 1 11/16" bar. Bigger than 1 3/4" and the bar will be too big to handle.
 
[[Image:Hardened_bar.jpg|frame|none|A hardened and chrome plated steel bar.]]
 
  
 
==Making the inserts==
 
==Making the inserts==

Revision as of 20:30, 20 July 2008

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