I plan on welding my axle tubes where they meet the center section (pumpkin). What's the preferred method? If I use a torch, will it get too hot inside and screw something up? I prefer Torch over Spot Welding, but whatever works...I don't want to risk damaging anything that is there/around the connection.

I have a 3.27 9 Bolt Posi.

Thanks!

 

Not to hijack this thread, but I've heard that the factory spot welded the tubes on, but there are no welds at all on my tubes. What gives?

 

I'd either MIG it or TIG it, one or two inch beads at a time, keep it cool and don't hurry.


Ed

 

There's spot welds. 2 of them on each side. Look at the front and rear surfaces of the housing about a half inch in from where the tubes plug in; you'll notice a round dimple about the size of a dime at each of those points.

I agree, MIG and lots of patience; might want to do up the OE spot welds, as they are rarely perfect and complete, and almost always leak a little bit.

 

not that it makes much differance but they're plug welds not spot welds. i use e7018 and a stick machine. pretty much any process would work with the correct filler metal. tig is slow and makes a lot of heat, it would be my last choice. mig would be good but i like the LH filler and stick better.

 

I took mine to a welding shop and they welded up both tubes in under 30 seconds. I told him to spot weld, but by the time I could have done one spot weld he had the whole tube welded. He used a pretty big mig.

Hope I didn't warp the tubes!

 

If I torch weld it, will it get too hot for whatever is inside at that point? I'd have to get it red/white hot in order to do this. Only reason I ask is b/c I don't have a MIG welder, only a wire fed spot welder (w/ Oxygen tanks)...would that work too?

 

i wouldn't use a torch, it'll take a lot of heat to make it weld. if you don't have the equipment to do it find someone that does. sounds like you have a mig welder not a spot welder and it's not oxygen in the tank. most likely co2 or c25.

 

i thought the housing was cast and the tubes mild steel and couldnt be welded with out someone knowing what theyre doing? if this isnt the case i could mig mine up when i rebuild my rear end.

 

center section is cast steel not cast iron. it can be welded as easy as anything can be welded.

 

sweet i was going to take mine to a machine shop and have them welded but ill just do it myself thanx guys any tips on doing this?

 

Quick, high heat spot welds 3/4" apart. Not enough of a heat buildup to really screw anything up, but enough to keep those little rosette welds from breaking.

 

They sell Oxygen takes, and from what I've heard, it makes the weld "hotter" so you don't need Flux in the wire...what would be the advantage to changing it to co2 or c25?

 

yeah they sell oxygen tanks, i have 3 of them in my garage. you don't use oxygen with a mig (GMAW) welder. c25 or co2 is the most common shielding gas for wire welding. oxygen does make with weld "hotter" but you only use 2% or 5% oxygen the rest is usually argon.

 

How do I know if what I have is in fact a MIG welder? It doesn't say anything on it. It is wire fed and has a connection to put a tank on it. Runs on 110v. Not much else about it...

 

it's mig but if you use a hollow wire with flux then it's a flux core (FCAW) machine and if it's solid wire it's mig (GMAW)

 

I am with ede on this one I prefer stick and my second choice would be mig using co2 for the penetration factor...Also in order for you to tig it you would have to clean the **** out it plus it will take longer then it's worth IMO.....

 

Weld half of one tube, then go and do half of the other tube. Wait a little while for it to cool then go back to the other side and finish welding, then back to the other side and finish the weld.

This way will help keep the tubes centered. You are allowed 1degree of variance from square on the tubes. Any more and your bearings will not last long.

 

dark i think your 1/2 tube method would tend to maxamize distortion since you apply so much weld to one area without any support on the oppsiate side. then move away from it allowing it to shrink back and distort. i tihnk if i were to do it and was concerned about distortion i'd but 4 small tacks around the tube come back and fill in between them and then weld a cover pass over them. the more evenly heated part will distort less since it has to also cool more evenly.