Dropped and filled axle - questions

[maddog]

This axle is an old axle and has been dropped and filled.

Why do they fill the ends?
How do they fill the ends?
Do those that drop axles today still fill them?

This perticular axle is for sale on the HAMB and is said to be a Mordrop axle.

Who is Mordrop?


I've done all I can here, the rest is up to you guys, begin answering.

Thanks

 

[Unkl Ian]

Axles were stretched to drop them,so they got a little thin and ugly.

They were filled for strength and appearance.
Some people say they welded on plates,others say they were filled solid.

New "dropped" axles are specially made,no need for stretching and reinforcing.

Mordrop was the name of a company that used to drop a lot of axles.

 

[maddog]

Thanks Unk

If I were to drop my own axle (I am considering making the fixture to do so) would I want to fill them? What I mean is, would they be strong enough without filling? (of course assuming that the drop was done properly)

I see some axles that are dropped locally and they are not filled.

Personally, I dont like the way it looks when its filled.

Thoughts? Opinions?

 

[Gastrick]

Maddog. Filling is not a requirement for strength on a properly dropped axle and most are not. the dropped portion of the axle can become distorted during th dropping process. If seen some ugly ones and some that were beautiful. I personally don't care for the look of a filled axle. I do love them drilled though.

 

[maddog]

Maddog. Filling is not a requirement for strength on a properly dropped axle and most are not. the dropped portion of the axle can become distorted during th dropping process. If seen some ugly ones and some that were beautiful. I personally don't care for the look of a filled axle. I do love them drilled though.

Not having done one ...... yet, I must assume that the ugly comes from improper heating or a fixture that doesnt hold things correctly.

Anybody know what happens to make a dropped axle ugly?

 

[Gastrick]

Not having done one ...... yet, I must assume that the ugly comes from improper heating or a fixture that doesnt hold things correctly.

Yea that's it Maddog. This causes the shape of the beam flanges to become irregular and not uniform. It causes the beam flanges to close up in the area of the drop and the effected area will not match the center of the axle and it just looks bad. Dropping the axle too much also creates this symptom. I'll post a picture of an ugly one when I get home from work.

 

[donsrods]

I hadn't seen a filled axle in years, but my Son just bought a new one from Pete and Jakes, it's a a chromed, dropped, and drilled Superbell and the ends were filled. Looks pretty trick, I'll have to take a picture of it.

I think the reason they used to do it was to either make it different from everyone else, or to cosmetically dress up the ends after dropping. I have what I believe to be an old Mordrop under my '27, but am not 100 percent sure. I know it was done years ago and there is almost no distortion from the dropping process, so it could be from someone like them. Maybe someone on here can ID it for sure.

Don

 

[Unkl Ian]

There has been a few threads on the HAMB about people dropping axles,
and making fixtures to do it,with pics.

You will need a LOT of heat.Two Rosebud tips should be enough.
Or a Forge.Heat where you want to bend,between the kingpin and perch bolt holes.
Don't heat the kingpin hole too hot,or it will distort in bending.

I think the finished "look" depends on how much of a drop you want,
and which axle you start out with.Some have more material to work with.
The more you stretch it,the thinner it will get.

Some of the old axles were pretty ugly.

"Mordrop" was one popular name,"Dago" was another.
"Dago axle" was common in some old magazines.

I think the label came from a persons name,not a racial slur.

Some people are casting axles now,so the "filled" look may come back.

Thanks Unk

If I were to drop my own axle (I am considering making the fixture to do so) would I want to fill them? What I mean is, would they be strong enough without filling? (of course assuming that the drop was done properly)

I see some axles that are dropped locally and they are not filled.

Personally, I dont like the way it looks when its filled.

Thoughts? Opinions?

 

[Gastrick]

Maddog, here are a couple of axles that I would say are ugly. You can decide for yourself.

 

[Gastrick]

And a side by side comparison of a NICELY dropped and stock axle.

 

[R Pope]

The "Dago" moniker comes from the city of San Diego, where the dropped axle supposedly originated. It was never a brand name.