gun-drilled axles in a stick car?

[Pvt Parts]

I don't know what kind of axles you're thinking about using but here's my experience. I used to have a sponsorship with Strange. I used all Strange brakes, parts etc on my Superstock cars. They even sponsored my first comp car. One year at a D2 Warner Robins points meet I broke a R&P in my Corvette. My fault, too much clutch. When I went to change rear end I had to use a slide hammer to get the 35 spline Strange axles out and a sledge hammer to get them back in. They were twisted over one whole spline. I called Strange and they told me that their axles will do that and that they would replace them if they moved 2 splines. I decided then that I didn't need that BS.

When I bought Larry Kopp's Olds Cutlass it had Strange axles in it. Running B/A with over 900 HP I didn't want to think about twisting an axle 2 splines, let alone trying to change a rear on the fly. So, I ordered new MW 40 spline rifle drilled axles. I changed them at the first opportunity and caught all kinds of crap from the Strange rep. I told him that if you could supply me with axles that don't twist, I'll use them, otherwise they were unacceptable.

When I won Topeka in B/A, I had to change rears between rounds. The MW axles came out with two fingers and went back in with a tap. Now a lot of people on this forum use certain, dependable parts without consideration of the time necessary to change them between rounds, if needed, but that's important. I always carried spare everything for my car. Including engine, tranny and rear end. I would not have won the Topeka race without the spare rear end assy and the ease of changing it. If you can, buy MW quality, you'll never have a problem with it and you never know when you'll need it.