carcentric
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 posted on 17/2/05 at 05:44 PM |
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Welding to rear axle
Can the suspension brackets for the rear axle be welded to the rear axle without first draining the lubricant?
M D "Doc" Nugent
http://www.carcentric.com
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NigeEss
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| posted on 17/2/05 at 05:51 PM |
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I welded a Land Rover axle without draining it (we were out in the middle of Wales with a snapped spring seat) and have been running said axle for 18
months with no prob.
I did change the oil a couple of months later during a routine and the oil appeared not to have suffered.
Time is an illusion. Lunchtime doubly so.................Douglas Adams.
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clbarclay
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| posted on 17/2/05 at 06:40 PM |
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Unless there is a specific problem with dropping the oil, i would remove the oil and diff as well.
This means that the is nothing to worry about, and you can check the intenals of the rear axle for damage/wear.
The biggest bonus is that with the diff out the axle is half the weight to man handle.
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carcentric
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| posted on 17/2/05 at 06:46 PM |
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Actually, I was thinking the oil might serve as a heat dispersant - transferring some of the weld heat to the far end of the rear axle assembly. I
just wasn't sure if the book didn't mention draining because everybody knows to do that or because it wasn't necessary.
As to removing the diff, would any tolerances be lost with a straightforward remove/replace? The unit's from a US Ford Pinto (actually,
I'm not even sure the diff can be removed - seems that I heard somewhere it was a "throwaway" item (not rebuildable).
[Edited on 17/2/05 by carcentric]
M D "Doc" Nugent
http://www.carcentric.com
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clbarclay
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| posted on 17/2/05 at 07:03 PM |
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I don't know what book you are using, but be it locost or ordinary car, the majority of car books in the UK are published by Haynes, and as good
as they are theres a fare bit they don't mention.
On the other hand, oil is used for cooling on most workshop tools.
Throw away back axles!! I bet the replacements cost a fortune because the manufactures know you can't repaire them your self.
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carcentric
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| posted on 17/2/05 at 07:10 PM |
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Champion's book, 2nd edition.
M D "Doc" Nugent
http://www.carcentric.com
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clbarclay
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| posted on 17/2/05 at 07:34 PM |
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Champions second book is what
I am using, and it is no exception to the rule. What have you done so far with tubes FU1/2?
Usually one of the best way to deal with heat (destortion) when welding anything is to do several short welds rather than one long one and wait for it
to cool between each weld.
welding circles is easiest done in sections any way.
It may affect the oil, but the axle shouldn't be effected by welding with oil in it. It shouldn't cause weld to cool too quikly (the oil
gets heated allong with axle, so it shouldn't be the same as quenching).
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Peteff
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| posted on 17/2/05 at 07:36 PM |
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The diff doesn't need removing but the half shafts might be a good idea. Saying that, I didn't bother on my last one and it's not
failed yet. It did get an oil change though. I have tacked my brackets on the one I'm doing now but I haven't fully welded them yet and I
now have a slide hammer.
yours, Pete
I went into the RSPCA office the other day. It was so small you could hardly swing a cat in there.
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Danozeman
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| posted on 17/2/05 at 10:39 PM |
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I dont plan on stripping mine down to weld the brackets. I did dicaover the other day its got no oil in the other day. (cos its leaked out of the
pinion seal i believe.)
Dan
Built the purple peril!! Let the modifications begin!!
http://www.eastangliankitcars.co.uk
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clbarclay
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| posted on 18/2/05 at 12:05 AM |
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When an axle is leaking then there is oil left to leak out, if an axle is not leaking then chances are its running dry..
Seriously i've seen this in a buyers guide for a particular second hand tractor.
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britishtrident
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| posted on 18/2/05 at 07:56 AM |
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The axle has to be lightened as much as possible and adequately supported before welding or it will bend -- as a minimum this means pulling the
shafts and properly supporting the weight of the diff unit.
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