[Rat Patrol]

I will be welding some 1/2" steel to my axle tube and the edge of my diff. where the axle tube enters the housing. What is the best rod to use for this application? I'm sure I will need to pre-heat the housing before I weld, am I in any danger of damaging something inside my dana 44? I will probably just use a propane torch, so its not going to get red hot or anything, will this work good enough to get a strong weld that dosent crack as it cools?
Would I be better of to have someone mig weld it?
Thanks for any advice.
-Jeremy

 

[Insayn]

I would have it TIG welded onto the diff. by a pro if this is for an important component. Otherwise I believe a nickel rod "super missle"? (unsure of the number) is what most use.

 

[66CJdean]

It welds quite fine with a mig welder. It doesn't take much preheating so when you hit it with the torch heat it till just after the water dissipate's to keep down the hydrogen embrillment at the weld. If you are makeing 4"+ long welds use a backstep method. Let me know if this doesn't make sense?

 

[Rat Patrol]

Thanks for the input. I'm having a friend of mine that works at a fab shop get me some welding rod that will work. I'm going to go ahead and arc weld it and give it a try. Its for my anti-axle wrap bar, so I'll post some pics when I get it done.
Thanks,
-Jeremy

 

[diiulio]

I am planning on welding two 1/4" pieces to sandwich my anti-wrap bar, but was wondering what wire I need to weld to the diff. housing? I am new to welding and have made a few brackets and some other misc stuff. I have a Hobart 120 (Yes, you read it right, not 220, 120) and use CO2/Argon gas with it, I can't remember what wire I have, but I also have the flux core wire that came with the machine for welding with out gas.

Should I pre-heat the housing? Will a propane torch or mapp gas work good or will I need an acetylene torch? How long should I heat if I use a mapp tank? (If mapp works because that is what I have, and have no access to acetylene)

As far as an anti-wrap bar, is two 1/4" pieces strong enough or should I use 1/2" and make a few passes?

I am running a ScoutD44 in back SOA w/2.5" Rancho YJ packs on my CJ7.

 

[Rat Patrol]

diiulio,
I welded mine with some 55% nickle rod w/ a 220 arc welder cranked way up. I think you would be fine using (2)1/4 plates. The reason I used 1/2" was because I am only using 1 plate and my rear mounts on my traction bar hang over into the pumkin, to get them as close to center as I could. I'm not sure your mig will have enough juice to burn into the thick steel of your housing or axle tube. By no means am I a "master welder" , but in my experiences, there is quite a bit of force applied to these bars, so you may need a bigger welder for the thicker steel. My advice would be, give it a try with what you got, go test it, if it dosent hold find someone else with a 220 welder you can borrow or use and re-weld it. Good luck, sorry I cant help with the mig wire, but I have to "caveman" most of my stuff. <IMG SRC="smilies/biggrin.gif" border="0">
-Jeremy