Yesterday I took some tools (no one you'd know
) and bought a spare front axle, as a 'just in case' for the future. A reasonable buy at $100.
It was virtually unmolested, but has had replacement brake hoses at some time.
Unfortunately it doesn't have the lifting flanges that I wanted, so I continue the search for those.
Incidentally, One of the hubs was stuck fast to the brake shoes, and had to be removed for a cleanup before I could roll it to it's resting place. When I removed the hub cap I found that this axle has the same system of locking hub nuts as Phil showed in his earlier photos. That being; Twin hub nuts with a double layer of lock ring between, and a keyed washer installed before the nuts. There is also holes through the thread for a cotter pin and castle nut, so I suppose it could use that method as well.