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Post by Shade Racing on Feb 4, 2008 16:42:10 GMT -7
::)Has anybody ever thought of chroming axles since chrome is harder than nickel.
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Post by A-Line Performance on Feb 4, 2008 18:50:00 GMT -7
I have tried it and if you ask me, there wasn't a noticeable difference from non-chromed and obviously a question of if it was worth the $2 per axle to have it done.
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Post by Barnyard on Feb 4, 2008 19:01:08 GMT -7
I have tried it and if you ask me, there wasn't a noticeable difference from non-chromed and obviously a question of if it was worth the $2 per axle to have it done. What about QPQ'ing (Quench-polish-quench) them? Has anyone tried that yet?
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Post by Shade Racing on Feb 4, 2008 19:09:22 GMT -7
a-line axles where highly polished before chorming? BARNYARD WHATS QPQ
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Post by Barnyard on Feb 4, 2008 19:36:25 GMT -7
It stands for Quench-Polish-Quench. I don't recall the temperatures without looking them up and I believe they differ slightly depending upon the metallurgy you're dealing with. Basically, the part is heated and then immediately quenched in a water or oil bath to drop its temperature quickly. It is then polished (again, I don't recall exactly how) and then quenched again.
The result is a very smooth and very hard surface that needs little lubrication. We use it on down-hole oil tools in sliding sleeves and simple journal bearings. I don't recall how it is priced (if it's by the part, weight, heat run or a combination thereof - I can imagine small parts like axles might be a little more than their weights would dictate).
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Post by race2win on Jul 4, 2008 13:22:31 GMT -7
Have not tried chroming but would doubt that it would be cost effective as A-Line mentioned. QPQ can be a bit hazardous if not done right. Annealing (heating then quenching the piece) aligns the molecules and makes the metal more workable (softer) so you get a good polish faster. However if you over-heat it can warp your axle and if you do it correctly you still need to work harden the piece again to stiffen it. One of our little 'secrets' is we actually go straight to hardening it in a tumbler after the burrs & Bumps are removed. This means that each level of polishing after that takes less metal off, but can get much finer results and retain max shaft diameter... Often we will do a second hardening with rottenstone (At Ace Hardware, $5) in oil or dish soap, then do the final rounds of polish and cham'ing et cetera Note! if you do anneal and soften the metal do not spin it at very high speeds, the heat generated can soften it further risking it breaking and throwing the nail dangerously. Also always use mask when sanding metal - metal dust often stays in your lungs for life.
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