welding question

[wrangler]

I need to weld a spring perch on a front axle but where it goes lands right on the axle housing which is cast iron. Is it ok to weld on it, or should I just let the u-bolts hold it on? Should I make a gusett (sp?) from the perch to the axle tube? Thanks

 

[iamsparticus]

Um you have to weld it or your axle will not be held by your leafs and it will rotate and slide around. as for welding to cast it gets tricky because the steel and the cast cools at different rates and heats up at different rates which can cause the weld to crack from cooling. Some people heat the cast with a torch to keep it hot and make it cool the same as the steel but its not easy from what i understand. What exactly are u doing this on? get some pics up

 

[wrangler]

Its on a front D44 out of a grand wagoneer

 

[UNSTUCK]

Do you mean the entire spring perch is going to sit on the housing? That is kind of rare, I'd say. What rig is it going on? Do you need to outboard the springs? I've had to install perches where one side of the perch was welded to the housing and the other side was welded to the axle tube. I've just welded them on with good success. If you want, you can put a little heat on the housing before you weld, just a "spit sizzle". You don't want to melt the seal right inside there. Then weld the perch on. Right after you are done welding wrap the perch in a blanket or something to insulate it so it cools down slower. This will help prevent cracks. If you really want to go all out, stick it with some high nickel rod and be done with it.

 

[iamsparticus]

i talked to a friend yesterday because i knew there was a home grown way of doing it, i agree with unstuck but what you can do that works pretty well is get a BBQ that can fit the diff at least and get the whole thing hot that way, stick weld it with high nickel rod or a nice jet rod and slowly cool it in the BBQ, my friend said it works really well

 

[wrangler]

this is going under a 92 YJ. ( SOA) I got some nickel rod, what % nickel should I use? I will insulate with some k-wool. I also have a small propane torch for pre-heat.

 

[O'neal]

I never had a problem welding steel to cast....Welded a perch on a buddy's D44,still strong after 3yrs...Also welded link tab's to the cast on my old D44,never broke under my old samurai,then was mounted under my old kick and it's still going strong for the current owner and is severly abused to this day.

No pre or post when I welded and used 9018 rod.....

 

[wrangler]

Thanks o'neal.

 

[RNandKT]

i talked to a friend yesterday because i knew there was a home grown way of doing it, i agree with unstuck but what you can do that works pretty well is get a BBQ that can fit the diff at least and get the whole thing hot that way, stick weld it with high nickel rod or a nice jet rod and slowly cool it in the BBQ, my friend said it works really well

Wow I want to be at the guys house for BBQ's ..... If he can fit the whole differential he could cook half a cow at once .... ;-)

Seriously though you can also mig it, but works best if it is preheated and then wrapped in heat blankets to cool. I have done it a couple of times, it never looks pretty though.

 

[iamsparticus]

I think the propane torch might not be enough to heat it. See if you can at least get a mapp gas bottle to use i have used mapp gas to bend 3/16 steel before, it burns pretty hot and just might be hot enough for what you are doing, let us all know how it goes:greg:

 

[4x4_Welder]

Pull the internals including that seal, and use a propane weed burner to get it up to temp. Weld shops and I think CAL Ranch carry temperature crayons, different wax compositions that melt at different temperatures. Get a 250, a 350 and a 500 degree stick, and use those as your guides. Heat it up to melt the 350 stick, but don't weld it if it's past 500, and don't let it drop below 250 in the entire welding time. Check about 1/2" to 1" from the weld area, don't contaminate the weld area with it.

 

[iamsparticus]

i have never heard of heat crayons but they sound cool

 

[Dan Fredrickson]

The D44 is Nodular Iron and it welds fine. It should be pre-heated but most people have no problem with it.

However, everything bigger from Dana was not Nodular Iron and welding a D60 is entirely different from welding a D44...Pre-heat and post heat and cool over 24hrs. I bury the casting in sand overnight so they stay hot for a very long time...I will also stick weld it for better penetration...