Welding a 14bff housing ?????

[JK5]

I have some missing spot welds on my 14bff..
They are the spot welds that hold the left side axle tube...

My question is...

Can I weld the housing with a MIG with steel wire...
or do I need to use a cast iron rod...and stick weld???

 

[sled_dog]

Cast Iron rods and stick weld it. Mig just won't do the job.

 

[jjlaughner]

What about heating the tube up with a torch then mig welding?

 

[JK5]

[ QUOTE ]
Cast Iron rods and stick weld it. Mig just won't do the job.

[/ QUOTE ]

LOL...Yah...that's what I figured..
I just need to set-up an outlet for my Stick welder.. /forums/images/graemlins/doah.gif

 

[tRustyK5]

That should be ductile cast and was probably MIG welded from the factory. I'd preheat it and weld it up with MIG.

Then again I have access to a 600 amp machine if I want. How big a machine do you have?

Rene

 

[JK5]

Hummm...
They looked like MIG welds..

I have access to a 250 amp Lincoln Mig..

 

[tRustyK5]

Any cast that needs welding is usually ductile cast. Things like sculley's (threaded drainhole thingy's). The fact that they press a mild steel tube into the ends of the housing and rosette weld them tells me it would have to be a ductile cast...otherwise it'd crack.

Rene

 

[JK5]

Thanks Rene...

Maybe I'll take my truck to work friday...
and do some MIG welding... /forums/images/graemlins/peace.gif

 

[JK5]

That went well!!!! /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif

I sandblasted the holes..
pre-heated the housing..and the axle tube..
Set the MIG welder at 24V...
And put some plug welds back in...
then threw a fiberglass branket over the housing..
to let it cool slowly..

It took about 1 hour to cool..
No cracks!!!! /forums/images/graemlins/peace.gif

 

[tRustyK5]

Good insurance, but the post weld treatment isn't really necessary. It's nowhere near as brittle as regular cast iron.

Rene

 

[K5Chris]

is this necissary for welding on the axle tubes, or just the housing? i basically know nothing about welding. i need to put some shock mounts on my tubes. i know a guy thats got a mig with gas that will do it for me.

so, the proper procedure for mig welding the housing, is to just heat it up first?

 

[tRustyK5]

On the tubes a little pre-heat is OK. Basically get the moisture out of the material. On the housing same thing...get the moisture out. Either should be 150F or so before welding, no need to get carried away.

Rene

 

[JK5]

I figured it would be a little overkill...
But better safe than sorry..

That was my first experiance with welding a housing..

 

[K5Chris]

cool, thanks /forums/images/graemlins/bow.gif