Axle Trussing

[Tom Mandera <tsm1@domain.elided>]

Anyone truss their front axle and care to share their thoughts?

I need to truss the front of my racer - one design requirement - I don't
have a torch to use to bend heavy steel.

A few ideas have been expressed already.

2" wide by 1/4" thick steel strap, from one yoke to the other, across
the bottom of the diff, and then "bridge" to the axle housing at a few
points.

A variation on this would be to pre-load the housing first, then weld. 
I'm not sure how I'd go about pre-loading it tho'.

Other thoughts revolve around some.. 3x2x1/8" box tube, which would go
partially around the housing yokes, but would be more difficult to bend
over the diff housing without a torch or some other method of applying a
lot of force.  *Perhaps* I could notch and weld one side to the housing,
then use a come-along (or Hi-Lift) to apply pressure to pull the other
side of the tubing down against the axle housing and weld the opposite
end.  This might also provide some "pre-loading" by way of the tubing
wanting ot return to it's original shape.  I'd also "web" the box to the
axle tubes, just like with the 2" strap.

The box sounds stronger but more difficult.

Comments/suggestions?

-Tom Mandera, Helena MT
http://www.tmcom.com/~tsm1/scout