I think I have a plan for fixing the axle problem. I just have to make a few things and finish remodeling a house first
So the plan is to move the engine over to the passenger side as far as I can move it like we have been talking about already. Then cut an axle and weld on the stub shaft to the end of it. So when it is done it will have the normal end going into the trans then straight out to another cv joint in the middle then to a shortened shaft going out to the wheel. At the middle joint will be the sprocket and a bearing with a bracket attached to the engine/trans to hold it in place. The middle cv joint I am not sure what direction it has to be mounted. If it is mounted the same direction as the one on the trans side I figure that would be the correct way to do it. If I mount it the other way it would give me more room but I think having ends pointing the same direction on a cv shaft would probably make some real bad vibrations but I am not sure. The bearing will be on the trans side of the center joint.
It will be about like the picture I posted earlier but only one bearing instead of two. The main thing I need to build to get this to work is to build an oven. I need an oven that can get to 800-1200 degrees F so I can stress relieve the axle shaft after welding it together. My first thought is to use an old propane grille burner and put it in an insulated metal box. If I have just enough vent holes to keep it burning and a good temperature probe I should be able to get it to temperature and hold it there. I can then let it cool slowly over an hour or 2 and I should be set.
Anyone here ever build their own stress relief oven? Or has anyone ever used one for that matter that could give me some idea of what I am actually doing?
I won't be able to put any real work on this until after geopalooza, more like Sept probably so I have time to look around and figure out what I am doing hopefully. Driving around in a Metro that is crammed full of batteries that don't do anything other than make a motor without a chain on it spin isn't much fun but it does confuse people when I pull the trigger on it
