I was taking off my nerf bars the other day and I noticed the bell housing on my 700r4 was cracked half way across it. I guess that is what 380 ftlbs will do to it.

Can this be welded up and be as strong as before or am I out of luck and should be looking for another one?

Thanks in advance.

you shuld look for a new one. It could be welded almost as strong as new, I don't know specifically what alloy it is but any of the casting alloys that can be cast in a shape like that are not very strong and gain very little strength from heat treating. The biggest problem with welding it is that it might not be aligned properly after and it would cost probably about as much as one from a wrecking yard.

It can be welded, but cast stuff tends to have impurities and such in it that don't give a real strong joint. I'ld look for a new one.

the aluminum bellhousing on my 6.9 ford diesel, was cracked, took it out welded it. cracked again had to take everything out again, buy a new one and reinstall again.

its definetly worth it to get another bellhousing if only to save the headache of r&r t-case, tranny, etc.

There was a post on ColoradoK5 the other day about a similar situation with a TH350. I really don't theink the torque of the motor is what did it. The concensus on the other guys truck was that the weigh of the 203 hanging off the back, combined with a thin wall bellhousing (there were different ones), was the prob.

Anyway, he bought an aftermarket bellhousing and installed it. Basically you cut the old one off, and bolt the new one on. I think it was called an Ultrabell. Might try a search over there (it was on the 2nd gen forum (the main one)).

Pete

i know this is not exactly the same circumstance but the bellhouseing on ax-15 (5spd) was broke entirely in half and i had it welded back together. its been about 4 years now with out any problems...the guy that welded it just said it took alot of time to fill in all the bubbles that from since cast is so porous.

also since it is porus(sp?) wont the metal absorba nd oils and such that it comes in contact with