well a buddy and i are each making full floater 9"s in the spring and we need some advice. we are gettting the flanges made locally to accept a chev d44 spindle and need to figure out the best way to weld the flanges to the tubes. for simplicity we would like to press them on but for total alignment they should be butt welded with a jig right? if we had the flange made with a sleeve that presses over the axle tube like 4"s would that be enough to make sure the flange is perfectly aligned with the carrier bearings? ideas please...

You won't need a jig, buy a good angle finder.
I use a machinist combination head with a level vial for everything. Just keep everything at the same angle in relation to the machined surfaces on the pig. Align the spindles, rotate the housing 90 deg. and align it again, tack weld it and double ck. everything.
A small slip fit would make it easier than a butt joint.

Anybody else? We could sure use some advice on this...

Chris

well with the huge response i will rephrase the question. if i gave you a r/c 60 housing (to cut down/lengthen) to put in the back of your jeep would you press the flanges on or use a jig with aluminum pucks for total alignment????

*this is if you could get any flange made you needed.*

Originally posted by cornjeeper
well with the huge response i will rephrase the question. if i gave you a r/c 60 housing (to cut down/lengthen) to put in the back of your jeep would you press the flanges on or use a jig with aluminum pucks for total alignment????

*this is if you could get any flange made you needed.*

I'd pay to have someone with the jigs do it right (Sorry DR). This is because I don't trailer my rig so it's important that it is exact. Them bearings are expensive.

Id use (and will be using) a jig. You'd be suprised, they're not all that expensive.