A question for ZTFAB OR ZAP...............

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I have a friend who brought me a 9" ford that the axle tubes had been shortened.  He is installing it in jeep.  He brought me the axles wanting me to shorten them.  I have never shortened a set of axles, and not really setup to respline.  Here was my thought.  Cut the axle to length, and turn the end down with a beveled shoulder, and take the splined end that I cut off and bore it.  Then heat shrink the splines back on the axle, and weld around the ends.  Will it work?  How do you guys shorten axles? Thanks for the advice.  ~JacksonI'm a Lover, Fighter, Wild horse Rider, and a pretty good welding man......
Reply:Shortening axles never works..You need to find out what length each axle is and send the specs to Strange Or Moser and they will make them to your combo....Never try to shorten or weld axles...Waste of time and $$$$$...zap!I am not completely insane..Some parts are missing Professional Driver on a closed course....Do not attempt.Just because I'm a  dumbass don't mean that you can be too.So DON'T try any of this **** l do at home.
Reply:good advice.  But what if it is a riding lawnmower?
Reply:Originally Posted by HokieEdgood advice.  But what if it is a riding lawnmower?
Reply:The axles are made to spec..Then splined..Then hardened...Once they are hardened...It's all over as far as modificatons are concerned...And thats how this game is played......zap!I am not completely insane..Some parts are missing Professional Driver on a closed course....Do not attempt.Just because I'm a  dumbass don't mean that you can be too.So DON'T try any of this **** l do at home.
Reply:Thanks for the input Zap....  Knowing my friend he will have some serious HP running thru this thing.  He has a 360 mounted in it now that he built, and is building this rear end because he keeps busting the stock jeep units.  As I said, I have never done much axle work, so I didn't want to screw up.  Thanks again.  ~JacksonI'm a Lover, Fighter, Wild horse Rider, and a pretty good welding man......
Reply:Jackson- Zap is right, don't try to weld the axle shafts. It's always a disaster waiting to happen.You can have Moser, Currie, Strange, etc. shorten the shafts that you currently have. They anneal them, cut them down, re-broach and harden them.If you need, I can calculate the exact length the axles need to be so you can give them to whatever manufacturer you choose.If you need help, let me know.- Paulhttp://all-a-cart.comWelding Cart Kits and accessories
Reply:Thanks paul,   I have all the dimensions now.  My friend purchased the rear end from a guy who had started the work, (all he lacked was the axles to be able to build it) but ended up selling the jeep before having the rear end replaced, so My friend bought the unit with intentions of finishing it.  I'll give him the info, and he can get some coming....  Thanks again.  ~JacksonI'm a Lover, Fighter, Wild horse Rider, and a pretty good welding man......
Reply:We used to just cut the axles to lenght then have a machine shop respline them. Never had any problems as long as the axle was strong enough to start with.
Reply:I'm not "ZTFAB OR ZAP" but I'm in complete agreement 737mechanic. It ultimately depends on the end user. I've run resplined axles up to 500HP in my old street racers (illegal drag racing). What's his rig run ? Drag racing, mud racing, street racing, street toy ? If he acually does require a stronger axle then my recommendation would be just to buy axles for the application, they're not that expensive. If/when you re-cut the splines just don't spare the coolant.Anything worth doing is worth doing RIGHT
Reply:Well as of right now I am not set up to re-spline I don't have the required tooling for the job, and really don't won't to purchase it for just a single job.  I have called around to some other machine shops that I know around the area and no one else wants to do them either.   I am gonna reccomend that he send his axles in to one of the companies that Paul reccomended since they specialize in it.   He really isn't racing with it.  We just play around the farms mainly mud and trail riding etc...I'm a Lover, Fighter, Wild horse Rider, and a pretty good welding man......
Reply:Originally Posted by 737mechanicWe used to just cut the axles to lenght then have a machine shop respline them. Never had any problems as long as the axle was strong enough to start with.
Reply:A little off the topic, I have built a few Jeeps and shortened axles.  I know it is not right, but we usually cut the tubes and shafts from the hubs in and reweld. Havent had a problem in over 10 years.Disclaimer; "I am just an a$$hole welder, don't take it personally ."
Reply:what did the 9" come from, if it was a fullwidth from a bronco or f-150 you can shorten it down to match early bronco width and just get a set of early bronco shafts, the width will match jeep width.  It acually is a perfect match for a waggy/FSJ 44.But ill second on sending it to moser or the like for shortening, but I would stay away from currie.  A friend got her 8.8 shafts done there and it was a real pain.Have we all gone mad?
Reply:If he is running anywhere serious hp #'s and I figure he is if he is narrowing a 9", send the measurements to Moser or Strange. Be glad you did later!
Reply:Tozzi, that came to mind, but the guy he bought it from had already cut the axles.  He decided to just get a set made for it from moser.  Like he said, with as much money as he as in this thing, there's no need to shortcut nowThanks for the advice guys..I'm a Lover, Fighter, Wild horse Rider, and a pretty good welding man......