Im looking for a cheap place to buy a Front dropped axle for my 50, tube or solid whatever is cheaper. If anyone knows of a good cheap place please let me know.

 

There have been several threads in the past two months here, try an advanced search. In general, tube axles aren't for trucks. "Cheap" isn't a place you want to go for something as important as the axle, as you'll see in the other threads.

 

I agree with Ross, You shouldn't put cost before safety, Mid fifty has great drop axels, that are reasonable and high quality, sac. vintage as well.

 

I could be wrong, but I don't think an axle for a 53-56 will fit a 48-52 so that would leave out the ones from Mid Fifty.
In the last dropped axle thread a guy that drops stock axles posted. From what I saw on his website he does it right. The prices all seems to be pretty standard 350-400. The only cheaper might be if you happen to run across someone swapping one out of their truck. Do a search on ebay, then set it up as a favorite search. Any time a listing is posted that fits your search you'll get an email notice.

 

Try Classic Performance Products for the dropped axle. They make one for the 48-52 F-1 as well as the F-100's. Cost is still going to be in the $300-400 range, not cheap but that's what they cost. Beware the chrome "gasser" style drop axles you see advertised at cheap prices. They're not what you need for your truck, even if you find one that fits.

 

Axracer is right, mid fifty doesn't sell dropped axles for 48-52...my mistake. sorry

 

Thanks guys, i saw belltech sold a reasonable priced axle for about 220.00 and as for cost before safety. Lets be honest here, and axle is an axle for the most part. I dont think its just going to fall apart while im driving, Plust seeing that im running with a flathead v8, theres not much weight for the truck to be supporting.

 

It's not a matter of cost of as you put it cheap... It's the quality of the axle. You need to be careful with an axle, they can be bent/ stretched incorrectly causing bumpsteer, alignment, and all sorts of driving problems. The "cheaper" one may look good, but when you put it together, you will realize why it's cheaper. Then you'll end up taking it all apart and purchasing the one that is good "quality". The guys in here speak from experience... Cheap is not always the way to go. If you can't afford it, don't do it. Wait till you get the bucks and then do it. The flathead in your truck has nothing to do with your suspension and steering. A cheap dropaxle does!

 

so your saying that an axle from a large manufactuer who sells them everyday of every week of every year is going to sell me an axle that is incorrectelly shaped so that i experience bumpsteer and problems sooo bad that i am just going to rip this thing out and race to get a more expensive more quality axle? Sorry on this one i disagree, im not goint to purchase a badly stretched used axle and expect it to work well, but i will purchase a lower priced axle (new) from a large manufactuer and expect it to perform similiar if not the same to some of these other overpriced axles.


Im sure it sounds like im coming off rude but actually im not. I just get kindoff sick of everyone always wanting you to take the expensive route out when you just dont have too. As always i appreciate the help you guys give me all the time. Without yalls knowledge i would be in a world of hurt, but on this one guys i think im going cheap.....maybe cheaper not cheap, but you get it.

 

if you want to go the po-boy route (I'm all for it) educate yourself on metallurgy, build a jig, break out your torch and make one from what you got. Its how they did it fer ever.

As for the big boys selling poop. It happens. Our Ameri-Wal-Mart-Ecanomy has convinced millions of consumers and tens of thousands of manufacturers that price is higher in priority than quality and this has not held suspension parts sacred.

For instance:
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/s...d.php?t=227556

Back to my initial point. If a cat has a torch, he can drop an axle. If a cat has a bucket of water, he can quench a dropped axle and totally change the grain of the metal and make a deadly dropped axle. I've done quite a bit of reading on dropped axles. Got a manufacturing processes course and lab under my belt from a premier engineering school where we did castings and physically tested parts for tensile, hardness, etc. My dollars may be worth more than my time, though, and I may opt to do my own major mods. But not before I do some hard core research which includes web searches and a trip to the library to read up on metallurgy. I'll even do these to know what questions to ask my dropped axle supplier to ensure a safe suspension component.

I would encourage you to consider a pricier part for such critical suspension/stopping components.

 

I don't think Belltech sells anything for your year truck. If you were looking at Super bell those are for street rods. Anyway good luck on your search.

Chuck

 

Boy oh boy, I just can't agree anymore on this reply. The big guys do indeed sell stuff that is below expectations and still make a tidy profit because they have found fools that have been brainwashed into the "WalMart" mantra and are willing to accept offshore Chinese built crap. Se' la ve'. I believe that you have convinced yourself that you can cheap you way out of this one and I believe that you should go out and buy the $220 unit and then prove us wrong. I have only 37 years of rod behind me and I still don't know it all and still learn from these guys. I too am Not being rude or smart a**, just have to agree with the boys on this one. P/S: I have used P&J,Bell,Magnum,Aim,Vintage,and others in the past, and yes there have been issues with off camber, off caster, wrong kingpin hole size and bending, but the big guys stood behind the product and made it right. Keep us posted and as always take pics.
Jon

 

Bottom line friend, this is your project. Enjoy your journey as we all are and willing to share about the in's and out's and up's and down's. With our industry(classic restoration) becoming "more," glamorized, Sometimes the mass production industry wants in on the $$$. Smaller manufactors, standing the test of time yes, although may be more $$ however, I have more confidence in the "gear head, grease monkey," testing my product more closely and wisely...Guess That's why I still buy a timex or a old timer blade...they just "stand the test of time...Well anyways, send us pic's and updates, we enjoy others progress because it continues the fuel our own passion and hope to complete projects that sometimes tick us off to no end! Cheers

 

You can take it anyway you want to. People in here are trying to help you out with answering your questions. If there was "cheap" drop axles out there, I'm sure someone in here would of posted on it. I'm talking of past experience and what I read from other in here. That's why this forum is great. If I'm doing a project, I do a search on that topic. People in here have NEVER given me bad advice. I'm just like everyone else in here looking for a bargain. It's just my opinion, that there are some things that you shouldn't be "cheap" about. Brakes being one of them. It sounds to me your already set on purchasing what you want. Maybe you should of rephrased your post to say, "Has anyone purchased a drop axle from these guys?" If your so set on that dropaxle from Belltech, go for it! I stick to stuff that I know that has a reputation for being good quality.

 

Please do get that axle if you wish, then report back to us. If it turns out to be a quality piece at a price that low, more should know about it. We all want to save a buck, and until someone is willing to test the waters on a new item we will never know if it really is a good deal or not.
PS: where did you see this Belltech dropped axle for F1s? I just did several searches and found a lot of Belltech suspension parts and lowering kits for late model trucks, but couldn't find a single mention of a dropped beam or tube axle for early trucks from them?