I've been searching the board for over an hour now, came up with some good info but not what I need. It seems that there is cast iron and cast steel and nodular iron and probably a few others that I missed.

I need to mount a control arm to my diff housing, it's a GM Dana 60 front. I thought I read somewhere that this was cast steel and there aren't any special precautions for welding to it... Please steer me in the right direction! I don't want to ruin a Dana 60 housing!

Thanks,
Squash

Your housing is nodular iron. Weld away! don't make long
beads, at best go about 3/4" in a stitch pattern. let it cool
between welds. since I assume this is a "complete" axle
assembly, preheating it sounds out of the question.

If using arc, try and buy some hi-nickle content rod.
I haven't looked for high nickle welding wire, but I would guess
it's available.

--Sherpa


Preheat tech:

put the housing in a woodstove/range/whatever.
heat it to about 400+, then pull it out, weld it, then
immediately put it back into the heat source.

keep it there for about 30 minutes to "even-out"
the concentrated heat. pull the housing back out,
then allow it to cool on the floor or where ever.
don't quench it.

I tack welded my brackets on, and it seemed to "respond" well to the MIG (DC). Is high nickel wire a requirement? I can preheat it with a torch if needed, but it is a complete axle and I don't have an oven that big :eek:

I know those Terra 60R housings are supposed to be nodular iron, and they are cast flat on top for welding on link brackets. I wonder how people are welding on those?

Thanks,
squash

I migged a spring perch on my waggy D44 housing and its permanent :D

Originally posted by Rockbuggy
I migged a spring perch on my waggy D44 housing and its permanent :D


Yep, me too. I just did it a couple days ago.

Dont know if this turned up in your search or not.

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=7234

Sherpa Rig knows his sh!t, that sounds like it came straight out of a materials engineering text, thats the kind of advice i like to see!