New reproduction axle shafts.

[scooterbob]

Hi guys.
I'm a newby here. Just heard of g741 a few weeks ago. Looking forward to visiting with ya. Wanted y'all to know that I have a batch of reproduction rear axle shafts. Made by Foote Axles (L.A., Ca.) My M has a 383 Chrysler in it and I've stress tested them in Moab a couple of times. No worries. A mudbogger in Florida just bought a pair and he's gonna give 'em heck this weekend. He promised to let me know how they did. He's holding off on my Ebay feedback till after.
My pride is a '52 M37B1. She's almost done. Dressed her in Strata Blue. The converted one is OD. She's a 56. A year ago I ran into a WC63 in very restorable shape. Now I know what it feels like to commit adultery...

[Tuko]

any link to axles or legit metallurgy reports? there was a post about ebay chromo axles not too long ago, but nothing worth blinking an eye at. Face it, if you cant prove there worth the extra $ nobodies gonna buy them. We ask the tough questions and expect legit answers. Since ur new to the site I dont mean to come off as a hard ass but people will expect good results for what they pay for.

[w30bob]

Hi Scooterbob,

First let me say Welcome Aboard! I've got an 52 Air Force M37 myself, so I'm Strata Blue too. Ummm......they didn't start making the M37B1 until 1958......but we'll get ya straight on that down the road a piece.

Tuko sounds a little cranked, so let me explain. Back in the July timeframe someone on Ebay (wwilz801) started listing new replacement axles for the M37 made by Foote, and they're still listed last I checked. Seems some on here questioned the guy about providing certification info from the foundry regarding the materials and heat treat used, in order to justify the claims made for the new axles, as they are expensive. Long story short no one ever got any documentation or certs from the guy, which throws up a LOT of red flags. If you're that guy I guess you already know this. If you're not that guy you might want to review the conversation we had on here so you know what beehive you just inadvertently whacked. Here's the link:

http://www.g741.org/PHPBB/viewtopic.php ... ilit=axles

If the link don't work you can do a forum search. The title of the post was "Replacement Axles on Ebay" dated July 10, 2012

We're looking forward to you getting some pics of your ride on here.....and don't forget to register it in the Registry.

Again, welcome to the group. You'll find the amount of M37 knowledge on here is incredible.

regards,
bob

[W_A_Watson_II]

I bought Foote Axles for my M from a known reputable dealer here among the M and PW guys. Price was decent for the upgraded axle, but I did break one (short side), and no warranty or other support. It looked like my axle that broke missed a proper heat treating step, but don't know for sure.
http://m37.wawii.com/images/DSC05631_M3 ... ngAxle.JPG
http://m37.wawii.com/images/DSC01436_M3 ... ngAxle.JPG
http://m37.wawii.com/images/DSC01440_M3 ... ngAxle.JPG

So I'd love to have a good stronger axle to replace the one I broke, I'd a bit more leery these days than I used to be. However I do look forward to details and more information/pricing.

[RMS]

welcome to the G74, good to hear you use your truck

I've stress tested them in Moab a couple of times

got any pics ? we need pics or it never happened

I know i don"t have small block power in my 37 and im running 4.89s, but i abuse the heck out of my truck and never broken an axle. I've broken drive shafts http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cxUBRHlqhcY&feature=plcp springs, spring hangers and steering links, but (knock on wood) never a axle shaft. Ive pulled guys out of mud, snow and ditches. Ive pushed 20' c cans and one day at work i hooked up to a rail car loaded with pulp and pulled it 500ft up the spur.

i have seen broken axle shafts but every rear-end Ive seen with a broken shaft had other things going on. excessive slop causing shock load(axle's broken at the splines) or atv/silicone used rather than one carrier gasket witch would severely stress the axle shaft by pushing it 1/16th off axis causing the axle to break off near the outer end (axle's broken at the hub flange).

looking forward to seeing some pics
cheers
Robyn

[RMS]

back to axles, i have noticed many variants. hear are pics of different m37 axle flanges i have kicking around.
how many different subcontracted axles are there? which are the quality axles ?

[scooterbob]

Wow...the responces! My answer's;
Robyn, I'm sure the stock axles will always take what the stock engine produces and never fail. Thanks for the pics of all the differrent shafts. I had no idea.
Will, I sure hope that they missed the second heat treat step because I'm in for a heck of a surprise party if all ten pair I have got, are gonna fail like yours.
Bob, thanks for the hearty welcome. I agree that Tuco came across undignified but one does get short tempered when it seems that one has to have one's guard up 24/7 to not get scewed over. Point in case: the mudbogger in Florida still owes me $115 and it's been 2 weeks.
Tuco, both barrels come'n at ya bud. I am wwilz801 from ebay. I called Foote axles repeatedly and asked for certs. The salesman Marten told me every time that they don't do that. Talked about their reputation speaking for itself etc. etc. Bottom line. Marten told me that these axle shafts are heat treated twice. The steel quality is 4140. Dunno what that means exept it's the right stuff. All I wanted is one pair for myself. The cost would have been over $5K. The break point was 10 pair and my cost is $396/pair. I'm selling them for $450. Barely covers my time to package them and haul 'em to the UPS/Fedex store. Go check out their website and then try telling me they don't know what they are doing. I bet $4000.00 that these shafts are OK. I beleive that they will stand up fine under normal use. A rock-crawler or mudbogger might tear 'em up just like any other axle. Therefore I won't warranty them. The evidence that these axle shafts come from Foote Axles is a diamond shaped stamp with an F in the middle. The stamp is on the sidewall of the flange.
I'm looking at getting a set of 4:89's from the guy in Vermont. No manufacturers name or reputation. All I have to go by is, do I bet $400 that they were manufctured correctly. If they were a ripoff, then he would have washed out by now. But he keeps ordering batch after batch. Bet he had his share of bitchin' to put up with when he got goin. So, I will take a chance that they are ok.
Last but not least. If you are suspicious that I'm out to rip fellow M-owners off, then how about you go to Foot Axle's website and get their number and talk to them yourself. No point in me posting their number here, you might think it's a setup.

[k8icu]

I've seen an M37 break an axle on wet grass. That's why I've got Dana's going under my truck...

Good luck selling those axles. You might want to get with some of the MV parts dealers and see if they want to take the lot off your hands to offer as part of their product. Vintage Power Wagon, Midwest Military, M Series Rebuild for example.

[Tuko]

what did you expect coming on here with 0 posts and your first post is selling something you couldnt get rid of on ebay??? if you esplained yourself like you just did maybe I wouldnt have been so "undignified" lol

[scooterbob]

back at ya Tuko...LMAO...I expected a tad bit of respect and a wee bit of the benefit of the doubt because (a) I found someone on my own to build me the damn things, (b) for having the kahunas to bet $4k that they work and (c) to pawn 'em off at cost so other M'rs could enjoy their crates more...LOL...either way man, thanks for the roundabout way of an apology. And, oh, I sold 5 pair sofar...there again, maybe I'm shit'n ya?
By the way, Vintage P.W., for example (by way of dealers), wanted to charge buyers a lot more than I do....so, no deal with dealers.

[Monkey Man]

Scooterbob....
If you want to sell axles on here folks need proof of quality, too many have been burnt by "good" axles that weren't much better than the OEM ones, I happy to host any pics you require of the axles, specifications and your Moab pics if you're having trouble posting them on here. Daniel Tibus made axles and had trouble selling them but if you're patient you will sell them all, good info on the metalurgy wil expediate it.

MM

[Tuko]

if you read my post as an apology, it wasnt meant to be one. keep dropping the price on fleabay maybe you will sell 6 sets

[justindearb]

BAHAHAHAHAHA! hello scooterbob and welcome!!!!! geeeez really getting your balls busted haha. for everybodys info i have done alot of research on these axles that foote makes and i belive that they are the top of the heep i have seen video and pictures of scotterbobs m37 in some pretty serious situations and i also talked to the people at foote and they refered me to scooterbob and said that he had ordered a batch recently (this is a a few months ago now) and that is how i got to know scooterbob he is not some chump trying to make quick money he is a very credible and knowledgeable person of not just M37s but of automotive tecnologys old and new in general i have owned my m37 for 15 years and thought i knew alot about them untill i talked to scooterbob so i hope this will settle some skeptics on this topic. with that being said i understand there are a lot of touch holes out there who is selling junk axles so i can undertand some boubt on the topic. but my two cent is that these are the real deal of axles.

[scooterbob]

Hey Monkey Man.
G-day Mate. Thanks for your offer. Lemme get ahold of Foote one more time. Love your country. Backpacked it twice for 6 mths. each time. Cought Buffs in Arnhemland near Oenpelli for 5 mths. in '80. Fair dinkum mate...God was in a good mood when he put Aussie together. No place like the Reef, Gold Coast or Fosters!!
Cheers.

[Monkey Man]

Good to hear you have been in this neck of the woods, you're welcome here if you ever decide to wander down here in the future, I'll make sure there's some beer in the fridge. If I had won the $100 Million on Lotto a few weeks ago I'd have given some of the guys on the forum a holiday down here gratis.....But I didn't win so that plan has been scuttled until I become filthy rich and gainfully unemployed

MM