How do you cut the factory perches off an axle?

[CDA 455 II]

Equipment I'm using:
1) Grinder - 4.5"/12amp/11,000RPM/.125" thick disc
2) 3lb sledge hammer/14" handle

Skill level: FUCKIN' nOOB!!1!


I have an '87 Sterling 10.25 dually axle that I started cutting the perches off and realized I'm dealing with a solid block of steel!


Over the years I've read countless build-threads where it's been mentioned, "I cut the perches off....".

But never once mentioned what a PITA it was!


Is there a specific way to do it?

"Cut the welds....."

How should I go about cutting said welds?

What I've done so far (after 4hrs of work!) :

 

[Winchested]

A real man would just use a Bastard file...

 

[gt1guy]

Just cut the welds and it looks like they're only welded on the sides. Using thinner disks could help, I only use .045" thick disks.

It looks like you're off to a good start though. If you slice through the welds, you should be able to take your BFH and knock them off.

 

[Aisin]

I use .062 cutoff wheels from harbor freight. They cut fast due to the thickness and the bulk packs are like $9 for 10 discs. Cutting anything off a housing fucking sucks without a plasma.

 

[Winchested]

Rather than cutting down the weld cut into the edges at as close to 90 deg as you can and then smash off with a BFH. Like other fella posted, they are only welded on the sides.

You're cutting into the weld but not close enough to the perch.

 

[CDA 455 II]

A real man would just use a Bastard file...

/
Hi; I'm Pat!

 

[Scott Cee aka 2drx4]

Go in from the side. Cut from near the top of the weld crown at a slight angle down into the perch. Don't go into the tube, you're going to have to eyeball it a bit and watch for the colour change of the metal as it gets thin.

Then turn the housing over so the perch is on the bottom, put a big dull cold chisel between the end of the perch and the tube, or just put a big fuckoff punch onto that edge of the perch, proceed to sledgehammer like you mean it. You can break the thin remaining part of the weld/perch and release the whole thing so you can actually reuse the perch if you want, and so you haven't even touched the tube.

 

[Valley Rock]

Have done many

Cut the weld on one side of the perch as thoroughly as possible without cutting into the tube, you can do a little cut on the other side as well but you do not need to be as thorough .

You can get in there on the fully cut side with a big chisel or just beat it with a big Bertha style hammer and lift up that side and it will break the other side and snap off, grind welds clean, done .

I use a Milwaukee with a high quality cut off wheel .

I can remove both of those and grind welds clean in less than 30 with this technique .

 

[zxkevinxz]

Don't waste time segmenting it like you have. Focus on getting ALL THE WAY through the welds.

 

[TrikeKid]

I always cut in from the sides as close to parallel with the tube as possible if I have to use an angle grinder, then BFH.

 

[Az Scooter]

And remember, you will not cut them off perfectly. You meed to cut enough off to be able to grind the rest off.

 

[total newb]

Yup. Grinder and a hammer.
Get them above the tube at the top 75% of the weld on an angle. Sometimes you have no chice but to go in verticle but its to easy to fuck up and go deep or not enough then you still have to deal with the under side of the weld.

Then a mean monster of a chisle and a short handle 8lb hammer and just beat till it breaks the remainder of the weld/perch. Clean up with a grinder.

Its better to have to grind more after than weld the gouge in the tube.

 

[ArTi54N]

I'm not a harbor freight fan, and I've been working on a youtube video, talkin about something else they make, watchin other people's videos for a week..

so my comment/question.. does harbor freight have great prices on good cutting wheels??

 

[Aisin]

I'm not a harbor freight fan, and I've been working on a youtube video, talkin about something else they make, watchin other people's videos for a week..

so my comment/question.. does harbor freight have great prices on good cutting wheels??

I use these. They are 1/16” thick. https://www.harborfreight.com/4-in-40-grit-metal-cut-off-wheel-10-pk-61353.html

 

[92 Green YJ]

I cut them down as close to the tubes as I can get with the plasma cutter. Hit the welds with an air chisel and clean up what’s left with a flap disc.

 

[CDA 455 II]

I cut them down as close to the tubes as I can get with the plasma cutter.

Hit the welds with an air chisel and clean up what’s left with a flap disc.

I'm poor and a nOOB.

I got that!

 

[92 Green YJ]

I'm poor and a nOOB.

I got that!

Like my mother always said. The job is only as hard as the tools you DON’T have.

 

[CDA 455 II]

Like my mother always said. The job is only as hard as the tools you DON’T have.

/
Amen

 

[Broncokyle88]

Make 3 cuts along those lines. Cut above the welds where you have more room to get in there. Whack it with an 8 pound sledge and bend it over. Work it back and forth a few times and it will break the weld on the other side. Grind the weld down to the tube.

you can cut the other side too if you feel like wasting time

 

[McCracken]

Three options. One, torch with a gouging tip. Two, portaband. It can be tricky but given the right angle it works well. C, grinder and a BFH.

 

[Blown4x4]

Equipment I'm using:
1) Grinder - 4.5"/12amp/11,000RPM/.125" thick disc
2) 3lb sledge hammer/14" handle

Skill level: FUCKIN' nOOB!!1!


I have an '87 Sterling 10.25 dually axle that I started cutting the perches off and realized I'm dealing with a solid block of steel!


Over the years I've read countless build-threads where it's been mentioned, "I cut the perches off....".

But never once mentioned what a PITA it was!


Is there a specific way to do it?

"Cut the welds....."

How should I go about cutting said welds?

What I've done so far (after 4hrs of work!) :

Ordered this setup just recently. Now I need some spring perches to try it out on

 

[CDA 455 II]

Ordered this setup just recently. Now I need some spring perches to try it out on

 

[CDA 455 II]

Make 3 cuts along those lines. Cut above the welds where you have more room to get in there. Whack it with an 8 pound sledge and bend it over. Work it back and forth a few times and it will break the weld on the other side. Grind the weld down to the tube.

you can cut the other side too if you feel like wasting time

I'm going to do this procedure in the morrow.


I bought a 10-pack of 4.5"/.0626" thick cutting discs from HF (they were completely out of .046" thick ones).

 

[billdacat]

I'm not a harbor freight fan, and I've been working on a youtube video, talkin about something else they make, watchin other people's videos for a week..

so my comment/question.. does harbor freight have great prices on good cutting wheels??

I would have never bought a cut-off wheel from HF. One day while buying some gloves I tried a pack and was impressed; but I am not going out on a limb that the next pack just as good. Home use; yeah go for it. Shop; no fucking way!

 

[Doberman Racing]

I used the Diablo metal cutting discs (the disc is metal for cutting metal) when doing my d60 perches. Since it doesn't get smaller like abrasive disc's do it made it a bit easier.

Though for the amount of time it took me to cut them off I could have worked minimum wage and bought an Amazon plasma cutter.

Plasma cutter is definitely the way to go.

 

[CDA 455 II]

Make 3 cuts along those lines. Cut above the welds where you have more room to get in there. Whack it with an 8 pound sledge and bend it over. Work it back and forth a few times and it will break the weld on the other side. Grind the weld down to the tube.

you can cut the other side too if you feel like wasting time

I'm going to do this procedure in the morrow.


I bought a 10-pack of 4.5"/.0626" thick cutting discs from HF (they were completely out of .046" thick ones).

So I finished the first perch; passenger side. 3.5 days!



Did the driver side using the above suggestion; 5 fuggin' minute!!1!

Removed the entire perch intact.

 

[Winchested]

This is the KISS platform!

 

[woods]

Have your kid do it.

 

[Brad]

I’ve done the split it in half lengthwise and BFH/chisel method. Then working at a big industrial fab shop I would just use the carbon arc. Done in minutes

 

[POR]

I'm not a harbor freight fan,

so my comment/question.. does harbor freight have great prices on good cutting wheels??

Roark supply has great prices!!