Sleeving axles?

So I "Doc Locker 2.0'ed" my transaxle and i used a solid shaft. So to get the wheels on would I be able to cut the old axles to correct lengh and sleeve them to the new solid axle, which is too long also, its 3/4 and was wondering if it would be safe to sleeve them together with a piece of 3/4 pipe and then weld it all together

the axle will be weaker at the weld lines, just so you know.... that said, it wouldn't hurt to sleeve the WHEEL hubs... cut a slit in the sleeve for the drive key.

So we're just shortening the axles a bit? How much overlap will your sleeve have? I guess you could make it fairly strong if you notched the axle and could hold it straight somehow, weld that together first, then have a tight fitting sleeve and weld that around both sides. Not sure I am understanding what's going on though, why can't you just shorten the axles at the ends?

Or what i might end up doing is shortening the solid shaft to suit my needs, and weld the threaded portion on to the end and use a nut to hold the wheel to the shaft, would that work?

Much better to not cut and re-weld the axle where it has weight on it, so yeah, out at the ends would be better.

But would this work? Or would the axle just spin inside the wheel?

Ok, lets get the elephant out of the room, are we talking about a keyed shaft? If so, just cut the axles to length and cut a small notch around the circumference to put a normal E-clip on. If the shaft is not keyed, just cut the axles to length and take your grinder and *carefully* cut a slot for a key. Then cut your notch for the E-clip

Using a solid non keyed shaft, and if someone could send me a video on how to cut keyways or some tips or tricks that would be aprecheated

Yeah like CQ said, ya gotta have a key way in the axle shafts otherwise the axle would just spin in the wheel.

Cutting a keyway is simple. You just need a grinder and to mill ut a slot big enough for a key. Or just get a keyed shaft. Welding anything to an axle will weaken the axle.

Craftsman mudder, on your rims.... are they shaped to fit a double flat with a bolt in the center like an mtd? or do they have an actual key?

They are normal rims, not like the mtd ones, they just have the 5/16 or whatever size it is, keyway

If I'm not mistaken, the key way should be 3/16".

CRAFTSMAN MUDDER wrote:

They are normal rims, not like the mtd ones, they just have the 5/16 or whatever size it is, keyway

I'm assuming that the shaft you used for the axle is not keyed.... yup, angle grinder with the appropriate thickness of grind wheel is your best bet

ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, it's a solid non keyed shaft. Now I got ya. Cutting a key way with an angle grinder is a pain. Maybe better if you have the perfect size wheel. I tried it once for a pulley key and got it done, was just a bit annoying. If your patient you can do it.