Moving sprig-pads on a rear axle

[old jupiter]

Somehow I have never done one of these, and you guys have done a ton of them. I never narrowed an axle either. What I always wondered, particularly with spring pads is how do you weld them on (or even just torch them off so you can move them) without distortion pulling the axle ends upward and introducing stresses and a hard spot (the HAZ) straight across the axle. My assumption is that the factory does all its welds prior to doing the final machining. And what should I know about narrowing an axle?

[H80N]

Great Resources...

Youtube has a Zillion videos on the subject...

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=welding+spring+perches+

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=narrowing+differential

we live in a wonderful age... with all of these great free online resources..

[gnforge]

Moving sprig-pads on a rear axle

I've done it two ways, mostly big trailers so axles are big & if careful heat is easy controlled.
I've used carbide burr and or cut off wheel to cut off and keep cool if able to get into. Also plasma gouge weld off. Just stay off axle and do small section at time & keep fairly cool. Most of them aren't welded on with much weld. Them weld them on same way short bead & alternate weld & don't get to hot. No big deal. Hope it helps. Greg

[old jupiter]

Thanks, and I'll take a look at those videos.

[4given]

Axle Housing Weld

I have a little twist on this thread. My friend put a F350 rear axle in his diesel pulling truck. He just missed a full pull by 4 feet. He was coming in stock and beat all the local pros and semi pros.

Anyway he spun the differential housing upwards. The axle tubes broke loose from the housing. They were able to get the pinion back close to the original position. The guy at the LWS sold him some hi nickle rods and told him just heat it up and weld it.

He asked me to weld it and I told him no, I've never done one and he uses the truck as his daily driver.

Just curious what would be the right way to make this weld?

[aametalmaster]

Anyway he spun the differential housing upwards. The axle tubes broke loose from the housing.

I thought the tubes were pressed in the housing and plug welded in 2 spots on each tube...Bob

[4given]

Axle

I thought the tubes were pressed in the housing and plug welded in 2 spots on each tube...Bob

Yes I believe they are but he broke those welds loose and spun the pinion yoke upwards. Now the $64,000 question is now that the yoke has been pulled back down to near OEM how much of the radius on the tube should be welded back to possibly prevent this from happening again? It is either that or pull the whole rear end and cut the spring perches off and re-weld them too?

This kind of stuff is why I left my Duramax stock and don't pull a 30,000lb? sled in the truck pull!

[musthaveclutch]

On drag cars we would weld them 360 deg to the housing. The plug welds don't stand a chance. We just used mig nothing fancy on the wire. Might want to make sure it's still strait when your done

[4given]

Thanks

Thanks that is what I was thinking was to just weld it with my 252, the guy at the welding shop sold him some hi-nickle rods $45 a lb. He is already talking about getting a spare rear end so it would not be a big loss to finish this one off. I figure as much HP as he has that Duramax turning out it wont be long before he is replacing the rear end or rebuilding the Allison transmission. I give him one more truck/tractor pull run. What good is a plastic trophy with no cash payout when you have to spend $3000 in repairs?.

[old jupiter]

. What good is a plastic trophy with no cash payout when you have to spend $3000 in repairs?.

Shoot, that just sounds like every kind of motorsport I ever heard of.