How to cut the snap ring groove in the tranny ouput shaft?

[DonW]

Hello all, I have 3 transmissions apart, waiting to rebuild. Two of them have output shafts that DO NOT have the circlip groove. A friend, who is a very experience machinist and a longtime airhead owner, offered to cut the grooves for me. He has a full machine shop at his house. Some of you may know him- Carl Kultti.

He's never done this particular task before, but didn't think it would be a problem. Well, here's the problem. He is unable to cut into the shaft- using high speed steel cutters, and now a carbide cutter. The shaft seems to be too hard for these tools.

I'm certain folks here have done this or had it done. Can any one tell me what was used to machine that groove in the shaft?

Thanks in advance,

Don

[Major Softie]

So, probably not a cold chisel, huh?

It's very difficult to imagine a carbide bit not working, but, certainly a diamond slotting wheel would work.

[robert]

The failed attempts have probably work hardened the shaft making it difficult cut the groove. Good luck. Good quality carbide should have done it.

[DonW]

Hi again, I'm not a machinist, and know little about metallurgy, so maybe someone could explain "work hardened"? I think Carl attempted to cut the groove, but quickly stopped when the cutting tool was making no progress. Does anyone know if those shafts are hardened some special way?

Don

[Kurt in S.A.]

Several articles on the web about this - Anton Largiader's and Gunsmoke's:

http://www.gunsmoke.com/motorcycling/r1 ... index.html

Snowbum mentions using a carbide tool. If the shaft cannot be cut on now, maybe just buy a new shaft with the groove already cut.

Kurt in S.A.

[Major Softie]

I repeat: if you can't cut it, grind it.

Diamond slotting wheel in a die-grinder mounted in the tool-holder location of the lathe. Mount the grinder so the wheel counter-rotates against the rotation of the shaft. This will probably require grinding from the opposite side of that from which you normally cut.

[jagarra]

It could be cut with a surface grinder. A friend of mine has an attachment that allows an item to come in perpendicular to the grinder and rotate, the disk would then be lowered to cut a groove into the shaft. Or attach a grinder to the tool post of a lathe and bring the rotating disc into the work.

[robert]

Grinding a groove that shallow and narrow with clean straight sides and bottom would be difficult. I have seen circlips climb out of rounded ground grooves.

[SamH]

Dremel.

[Deleted User 287]

Dremel along with a HEALTHY dose of robert's advice.
(What can I say, I trust & respect Bob.)