Welding up the rear axle

[Dan Hunter]

I know a lot of my ideas are...well, I'd prefer to call them unconventional.

Away, my rear axle is weeping at three places - both rosettes and a gasket. Since I'm looking to prep the truck for a heavy pull and the tongue weight will vary significantly, I'm looking at two actions:

• Go with a set of the springs TD suggests
  
• Weld the rear end

The latter is to clean out the rosette welds and flow them enough to reseal them and ensure it pins the parts together. Then, I'm going to drop the axle enough to provide clearance, verify straightness and weld the rear end completely where the pressed tube meets the pumpkin.

The line forms on the left; let the ridiculing begin.

 

[Acesneights1]

I have cut the yokes loose on the old Dana 44 axles and turned and rewelded . Not sure what kind of metal the pumpkin is made out or if welding it will compromise it.

 

[btfarm]

If it's all cast you shouldn't have too much trouble with it. If the metals are very disimilar you might try some stainless rod/wire like 317L. I've had good luck with that. I'd be more inclined to do inch to inch & a half skip welds alternated around to reduce distortion. Our pro welder guys should have a good feel for it. Leo and Mike to name 2.
Just make sure that you don't use any brake cleaner anywhere near where you're gonna weld!

 

[NVW]

Why do you want to weld the tube to the pumpkin?

My thoughts are it may create stress and crack next to the weld. There may be a bit of allowed flex with just the spot welds.

It brings to mind a guy who welded the spring hangers solid to the axle tube on a 5 ton truck. The hangers were basically an inverted U with 4 legs that were only welded 1" at the bottom of each leg. He fully welded the U to the axle tube and it broke off just outside the bracket.

Sometimes you want a bit of flex.

 

[540s10]

no need to weld it unless you broke the factory ones.

 

[NVW]

One other thing I just remembered, the 5 ton was repaired by an accredited shop. They use a laser to line up the tubes.

Welding a good rearend could put it out of alignment.

 

[SnowDrift]

Tubes, themselves should be steel, so welding on them would be fine. Can you just weld the hole shut where it's seeping, or does the part have to be removed (and relocated)? Preheat well and you should be fine for what you're doing. Keep it nice and warm after welding being sure to not let it cool too quickly. Not sure what you're calling a rosette.

What do you hope to gain by welding the diff. housing to the tubes? They're not the same metals.

 

[Steve93mustanglx]

Welding axle tubes is nothing new in the drag racing arena- but I do understand the welder must be fairly knowledgeable of the metallurgical differences (cast center section, steel tubes). It's very common in the Mustangs I play with and is done for strength improvement.

 

[Acesneights1]

Just make sure that you don't use any brake cleaner anywhere near where you're gonna weld!

What's wrong with homemade NERVE GAS....):h

 

[btfarm]

What's wrong with homemade NERVE GAS....):h

I can think of a few people I would recommend they use plenty of Brakleen where they are going to weld. But not somebody I like to keep around...:nonod:

 

[Joey D]

There is nothing wrong with welding the tubes. Most guys who wheel weld the tubes when you run a traction bar or a 4 link as the center section will spin. Look at any solid axle truck and the C's on the front axle are all welded on.
I think most of them say the housing should be pre heated and then covered with a welding blanket to keep it hot after so it cools down at the same temp, cast and steel tubes

 

[NVW]

The procedure is easy enough, use a Nickel based rod. Weld 1" max back stepped as Mike said, weld on opposing sides.

Weld 1" and peen the weld immediately with a chipping hammer or an air chisel to spread the weld bead as it cools. Let the weld cool so you can rest your hand on it then make another 1" weld.

I would think of a clock and make the first at 12 then 6, 3 then 9. the next set would be back stepped into the first four and so on.

 

[SnowDrift]

Yeah, I wasn't intending to say it couldn't be done. Just that the same rod or wire for using on steel tube is different from the center casting. I'm guessing the tube is A-500?