How to duplicate the picture images

[Mr Fixit]

Hi Group,

I have this project that is a pedal car for the grandson and it needed refurbishing. I removed the rear axle to work on it and had to grind these dimples off to take it apart. The question is how do I duplicate these dimples when putting it back together? They hold on spacer washers and the rear axle plastic bearings for the axle.
Look forward to any advice. Hope to have it ready for his birthday next month.

TX
Mr fixit
Chris

[JRouche]

TIG.. Super wet the bushings with a very wet cloth. JR

[garyhlucas]

We used to thousands of those. We carefully ground a groove in a pair of bolt cutters. If I was going to make them again I’d start with a ferrule crimping too that already has round slots in the jaws and grind one that is a little smaller diameter than the rod making it deeper.

[RichR]

Maybe cross drill and put in a roll pin. Or make a couple of collars that clamp around the axle.

[J Tiers]

Cotter pins and washers.... Unless you have to keep it original... Then I think you will need your hydraulic press and a die set.

[Willy]

Drill a small hole where the head of the rivet you are going to make will be driven in. You can make the rivet out of anything suitable for the purpose, I've used pan head screws before as an example. Cut the screw to the required depth and grind a short taper on the end so that it will start easily in the slightly undersized hole you've drilled into the axle. Once it's started just give it a firm smack with a hammer and it won't go anywhere.

[Mr Fixit]

Hey Guys,,

I appreciate the suggestions. JR I like your suggestion, thinking outside of the box like I often do, except this time. I don't have to keep it original and I can't believe I didn't think about the cotter pin idea. Willy I like the idea of a blind rivet but for the complexity of the project, If I'm drilling a hole I might as well go all the way through and put a cotter pin in and be done.

TX All!
Mr fixit for the family
Chris

[Willy]

Yes but in 58 years from now your grandson's pedal car will be worth north of $28,500 if the pedigree and hasn't been besmirched and the credibility of the certificate of authenticity hasn't been tampered with.

[dave_r]

If there is room, maybe you could make/get some collars you put there with set screws to hold them in place. I know the axle shafts of various carts I had as a child always had problems around where holes were drilled through them.

[J Tiers]

.... Willy I like the idea of a blind rivet but for the complexity of the project, If I'm drilling a hole I might as well go all the way through and put a cotter pin in and be done.

TX All!
Mr fixit for the family
Chris

Nice thing about cotter pin is that the hole can be pretty small.

bad thing about cotter pins is that they may have sharp ends. not so bad if you bend the tails all the way around back against the shaft.

There are things that are similar to a "palnut" that slip over a shaft and retain by spring action similar to a push-in wire connection. Some are a disc, others are similar to an acorn nut, so that they protect small fingers etc from potential scratches from the end of the shaft.

If you have a decent hardware store with a bunch of those "odd hardware" drawers, they may have those retainers. The retainers do not come off worth a darn, so don't put them on until final last assembly.

[JRouche]

Oh yeah, the fix is easy. I was going for the authentic looking chiseled look which is not easy.

Ground down divot to clean metal and a thin TIG bead I could make it look like an original peened over shaft.

For just fixing it there are many ways to go. Hole and cotter pin is prolly best. JR

[Lew Hartswick]

Yes but in 58 years from now your grandson's pedal car will be worth north of $28,500 if the pedigree and hasn't been besmirched and the credibility of the certificate of authenticity hasn't been tampered with.

:-) Yes but a loaf of bread will cost about $10,000 by then so whats the use? :-)
...lew...

[ulav8r]

Hole and cotter pin will provide a definite weak point where the axle is likely to break if it gets hard use. Self-retaining washers should be a good choice. https://www.mcmaster.com/#standard-washers/=1chma3d