Shaft Choice

[Ed Thayer]

I have set of Oak shafts I rebuilt this summer to use on my bob sled. They are relatively heavy and wondered about using steel shafts. I have a spare set from the forecart with the downward bend in them that look alot lighter. I was thinking of welding a piece of heavy angle on the back of them with tabs that would pin to the front of the bob’s and then mounting an evener on top.

Do any of you use steel shafts or do you stick with the wood?

[Carl Russell]

I used 2×2 ash.[ATTACH]770.jpg” />
This picture was from a few years ago, like 23.

[Ed Thayer]

Carl,

Well I guess I don’t need to worry about the wood. Mine are only 1.5″ square. I see yours are hooke directly to the bobs. Do you have a stiffner between the runners to keep them from flexing to much? Just to clarify, this is a fifth wheel style arrangement on the front that swivels on a steel pin.

The rear bob section has a stiffner between the bob’s but the front just has forged steel straps that run up the sides of the runners to a pin mount.

[Barw]

Highway
We made a set of downward bent shafts from 1.5″ pipe,look great and work fine.
barw

[Carl Russell]

Ed, I don’t think I have a picture, but the shafts are attached to the “roll”, a 4×4 hardwood that extends between the runners. There is a piece of 1″ cold rolled steel that runs through it, with a nut on the end to keep it in place.

The shafts are attached with 1/4″ T-shaped steel straps that wrap around the “roll” up the shaft, as well as perpendicularly on the roll. Then there are 1/2″ steel rods shaped and bolted in on an angle at the base of the shafts (think the reverse of an A-frame support for a pole).

The single tree is hooked onto a hook that wraps around the roll.

I would use a set-up like this for your application as well.

Carl

[Ed Thayer]

Thanks Carl,

I have that in mind to build next.

How do you drill the hole all the way through the roll.

My runners are about 30″ apart.

[Carl Russell]

You actually cut a groove in the bottom with a chainsaw, or skill saw and chisel, and the steel straps and hook that wrap around the roll should be tight enough that they keep the rod in that groove.

You can also laminate the roll, 2-2×4’s, cut a half groove in each then bolt them together before you put the roll in place. But either way the straps and hook need to wrap around the roll to hold it together.

Carl

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