What is the approximate diameter of the plug welds in a Dana44 center-section? Just wondering how big of bits I'll need.


This next question is regarding getting the tubes ready to be pressed out. Could somebody explain where Mike Knorr is saying to put a bead down. I would think that a bead should be laid on the inside of the tube so that when it cools the bead will contract.

"The next step was to get the tubes free from the housing. Here I used heat and shrinkage to my advantage. I laid a bead of weld around the entire inner diameter near the outside edge of the housing and then again near the inner edge of the axle tube. Then I let it cool. The welds shrank the axle tube enough so that it could be driven out easily with a punch and hammer."

I have a 20 ton press. Is this enough to press a tube out of a Dana44? Are there any other tricks you guys can tell me to get the tubes out without trouble.



thanks

By the way, the above quote by Mike Knorr and the picture below was found here: Building a Reverse Rotation Front Dana 44 (http://www.bc4x4.com/tech/2000/hpd44front/hpd44front.cfm)

http://www.bc4x4.com/tech/2000/hpd44front/hpd44front.jpg


Any guidance on the above questions would be welcome.

thanks :emb:

anybody??

Hey, looks like what is under my rig right now :)
I would say 5/8"

I could not drill the welds on mine, they were way to hard so I cut them with a torch then I cut a relief down the inside of the tube with the torch and knocked it out with a rod, just make sure you are good with a torch if you do it this way....

Thanks guys.


:)