Sidegear fit in SA Superdiff

[Marc]

Fellow at another forum says he's having trouble fitting stock `61 sidegears into the Superdiff in his new Pro Street trans. Is this a common problem? I presume one just needs to use a flap wheel to polish out the bores?

Any truth to the rumor that `66 axle shafts are stronger than the older ones?

[Pablo2]

I've only seen an issue when the diff is well used, and a lip has formed at the circlip groove. Does this diff have oiling crosshatch grooves in the bores? I suppose those could still be rough, requiring a slight hone.

The '66 short axle is definitely stronger than earlier short axles.

[Marc]

Thank you, I'll pass that on.

[Dougy Dee]

How do I identify a 66 axle?
I have a pile of these in inventory and you've raised my curiosity...

[Marc]

I think they're chubbier near the spade - look for that feature.
When my son had a `67 Bug drag toy we had to switch to short axles to make room for his new M&H "street-legal" slicks and all we could come up with on short notice was a pair from a split-box. I polished them but they still didn't last for more than a couple of passes (and yes, I did observe direction of rotation wasn't changed) - first time he did a brutal launch the RH one broke, the spool kept it moving until the LH one snapped when he grabbed second. The 200-mile flat-tow home with both axles broken was "interesting" even with stock skinny tires fitted

The blue/yellow/pink paint stripes indicate the size group of the paddle width on all swing axle shafts so that's no help in identification.