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Who can manufacture this tapered steel tube? (Ford Axle Tube)

Has anyone noticed that this is not a simple cone? Looking at the photo, the taper ends about 3/5 of the way out from the differential and the rest is a straight cylinder. Which means just bumping it on a brake won't do it, it's going to require a die,

Dennis
 
The entire thing has to be practical to develop. If manufacturing cost exceeds retail price then it is a no-go I need to find a different hobby. Reasonably if I could get them finished for around $200 per axle it may be a reasonable business idea. It the tubes are going to be $100--$1500 for a pair then we are out of business. The one time to make a tool to develop the axle tube will just be sunk cost and hopefully over time we can capture that money back in selling other components.
 
Has anyone noticed that this is not a simple cone? Looking at the photo, the taper ends about 3/5 of the way out from the differential and the rest is a straight cylinder. Which means just bumping it on a brake won't do it, it's going to require a die,

Dennis
The standard axle was tapered the entire length if that makes it easier to produce we can do it that way.

Craig
 
I would look at simpler cost effective ways to accomplish the same thing. At the time Ford was making similar things, their costs were different, the subcontractors available were different, and they would think nothing of investing tens of thousands in tooling.
If it were me, I would make a solid steel, either plasma cut or totally machined, hub to bolt to the rear end, (dunno about clearance- if there is a gear protruding, maybe two stacked donuts) then weld a standard pipe or mechanical tubing to it, and weld that to the adapter piece at the end. Of course, the other thing Ford had that you dont is a building full of engineers, and destructive testing. So what diameter, and wall thickness of pipe is a question. Perhaps 2 pipes, one larger diameter at the rear end side, and then another, smaller diameter slip fit halfway down, welded together.
I am assuming that if the original was stamped sheet metal, we are talking "historical" torque and horsepower numbers- a model T was 22 hp. Dunno what this needs to handle, but I would guess not Keith Black levels - If its for vintage autos with lower power, I think a welded fabricated assembly would work.
the typical modern approach would be to machine the whole taper from a solid forging, but no way you could get $200 pricing for that on 2 dozen parts. 100,000 a year, maybe.
 
That's the sort of project I'd do for myself. But sell to the great unwashed, NOT. Chances of something going wrong and costing you everything is too high, well at least it would be for me, and I'm only partially brain dead

I can only imagine the convo with the insurance company when looking for liability insurance.
 
I have a sneaking suspicion that you will not get these made in the sub 100 usd per in the quantities you are after. If they where solid maybe, and that is size and material dependent - and buying a decent quantity at a time. That is also just the axle, not the welding of flange and post turning.
If it is just the axle housing, move to straight pipe. DOM and seamless is available in all sorts of materials and sizes.
 
Here's an outside the box solution. Long ago I saw a local fab shop swage some steel pipe. Long lengths of ~3" OD had the both ends swaged down to ~2.25 dia for a length of about 6", the transition was about 12". The ends were then machined for bearings, the swaging saved making ends from solid and welding them together and made the parts lighter.
The shop put together a temporary furnace of sheet steel and lined it with firebrick, leaving 2 openings for O/A rosebud torch tips. The pipe was inserted into the "furnace" and heated red. When hot, 2 men pulled the pipe out, placed it in swaging dies and cycled the press, rotating the pipe several times and cycling the press to get the swaged end round.
The dies were simple, and were mounted in a large hydraulic press brake because that was the biggest press they had at the time.
This was a shop raised on agricultural equipment, with a smart and clever owner that excelled in getting things done well with minimal expense. The finished job was a lot more attractive than the process would lead you to expect.

I'm thinking I might try swaging tubing of the right wall thickness to a near net outside shape, then turning the full length to the profile you need. This would allow you to sell axle tubes with no external weld seams which could give you an advantagous selling position over the winters tubes, and you could custom profile the tubes to be full taper or partial taper.

No I don't know where to send you to get this done today.
 
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We are on a limited budget. So the lowest cost to get started and then a reasonable price per piece.
ship it to Pakistan ! they will make them out of some old rain gutters ! what you are wanting to do more then likely can not be
done with the funds you have or are willing to spend .[lowest cost to get started and then a reasonable price] and who will
determine what that price is ? you . if you want good clean oats you have to pay a fair price but if you can be happy with oat
that have already been through the horse can comes a bit cheaper. ego don't pay the bills .
 
thanks for all your thoughts seems like I am back to where I began. "If it doesn't make dollars then it doesn't make sense." There is no space in this business plan for a loss leader this is a time-consuming and labor-intensive idea before we even turn the first wrench.
 
thanks for all your thoughts seems like I am back to where I began. "If it doesn't make dollars then it doesn't make sense." There is no space in this business plan for a loss leader this is a time-consuming and labor-intensive idea before we even turn the first wrench.
So the very first sale must pay for all the R&D, the tooling investment, and materials ?

"You've got to spend money to Make money" ring a bell ?
 
thanks for all your thoughts seems like I am back to where I began. "If it doesn't make dollars then it doesn't make sense." There is no space in this business plan for a loss leader this is a time-consuming and labor-intensive idea before we even turn the first wrench.
[thanks for all your thoughts seems like I am back to where I began. "If it doesn't make dollars then it doesn't make sense." There is no space in this business plan for a loss leader this is a time-consuming and labor-intensive idea before we even turn the first wrench.] so next time you go to get something like oh some gas . food or what ever try pulling that one on them and see how far you get . good guys get fucked in this world .
 
thanks for all your thoughts seems like I am back to where I began. "If it doesn't make dollars then it doesn't make sense." There is no space in this business plan for a loss leader this is a time-consuming and labor-intensive idea before we even turn the first wrench.

LOL. This question on the internet was the extent of your business tenacity? Posting a picture of an established product and asking for a quote of exactly how much it would cost to duplicate.

Not how it works.
 
Two very different elements brought up. Can you buy the part for less than what is already sold for by having it made? - likely, very likely, no.
Can you make the parts for less? - depends on your skills and up front capital (money and equipment). Some different approaches suggested here would work with a bit more more work than a passing comment.
 








 
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