So I know this isn't incredibly hardcore for pirate 4x4 but I just thought I'd share some of the stuff I've been working on for the past week or so. I'm building up an 8.8 and am just about done with it. Gotta connect the brakelines to the frame rail and get the gears and locker in it. Here is the link to some of the pics and more info.

http://www.mallcrawlin.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=1294

Did you do anything special when welding the tubes to the housing, or did you just mig it?

actually they're tigged.

looks pretty good! I liked the name of the site, so I joined the board there as well :)
Scott

Lookin good man. Get that shit under there and be sure to be at GSSE this year.

Mallcrawlin is a damn good site. There's a Gen 4x4 section on it too now.

There's a Gen 4x4 section on it too now.

I just added that today, trying to appeal to more than just the ZJ/WJ crowd.

Your Jeep is a piece of crap, and so is your axle.


:flipoff2:



I couldn't resist. What kind of TIG do you have?

Your Jeep is a piece of crap, and so is your axle.


:flipoff2:



I couldn't resist. What kind of TIG do you have?


:flipoff2:

its a very nice miller unit but it isnt mine. my friends got an entire shop full of expensive machinery that gets "used" quite often. mostly for fixing stuff on my POS.

getting gears this week :grinpimp:

As some will validate - there's all sorts of ways to weld the center section of their diff to the axle tubes. Some ways are better than others and if you'd like to explore the topic, just one reference, written by Lincoln on their website, has a nice topic that discusses what I did in the process.

I stripped mine down to bare metal inside & out (no oil, paint, etc). It was placed in an oven & preheated to ~600*F. When removed - it was TIG welded with a combination silicone bronze rod and allowed to cool naturally & slowly.

http://www.fototime.com/69094E081F6D8C9/standard.jpg

looks pretty damn good

Welp, seein as my oven ain't big enough for an 8.8 and I've only got a mig, looks like i'm miggin it!!!

going thru the baking process and all that how much strength in this application does it provide over lets say just mig welding it??

From what I've gathered/learned/seen/whatever - MIG or ARC welding it will work very well if whoever is doing it is familiar and/or proficient at welding cast to rolled steel, and even better yet if preheated with a torch (oven not available). Nope - it's not an exact science by any stretch - but like I mentioned earlier - some ways work better than others and are proven to be sound.

Stitch welding works better in this example. Doing so greatly helps to reduce warping the comparitively thin axle tubes. Applying proper heat F* then welding ~1-1.5", allowing cooling and switching to the other side, will yield good results over attempting to go fast.

To what degree of improvement or strength is added by the way I did it is unknown to me. I did a good amount of homework & then after consulting with some pro's, I decided this was the route I'd take.

ARC weldin it with 6011 rod on like 110-115 should do it, right?

Can't the materials just be heated up w/ a torch rather than putting them in an oven?

Can't the materials just be heated up w/ a torch rather than putting them in an oven?


No, damnit, becaues your torch doesn't have a timer that goes "DING" when it hits 600 degrees.... :flipoff2:

I just mig'd my tubes in. My booger welds aren't purdy but I think they'll hold :flipoff2:

It's best to tack a few small sections first to get the axle warmed up before running the bead all the way around.

Can't the materials just be heated up w/ a torch rather than putting them in an oven?


Yes, but controlled cooling is just as/more important than heating it... Although, this is not to say that there aren't countless cast welds out there that were neither pre nor post heated and have not failed yet...

Yes, but controlled cooling is just as/more important than heating it... Although, this is not to say that there aren't countless cast welds out there that were neither pre nor post heated and have not failed yet...


In an application like the 8.8, it's not a completely critical weld anyway, it just adds extra support, correct? Unless you're talking about the entire tube failing.

As some will validate - there's all sorts of ways to weld the center section of their diff to the axle tubes. Some ways are better than others and if you'd like to explore the topic, just one reference, written by Lincoln on their website, has a nice topic that discusses what I did in the process.

I stripped mine down to bare metal inside & out (no oil, paint, etc). It was placed in an oven & preheated to ~600*F. When removed - it was TIG welded with a combination silicone bronze rod and allowed to cool naturally & slowly.

http://www.fototime.com/69094E081F6D8C9/standard.jpg
THAT is an absolutly beautiful weld!!! :eek:

In an application like the 8.8, it's not a completely critical weld anyway, it just adds extra support, correct? Unless you're talking about the entire tube failing.

thats also what I assumed since there are a few plug welds on each axle tube already. however I could be wrong. But dont listen to Braxton, he's a noob. :flipoff2: