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View Full Version : Spun my diff on the axle tubes-what now?!?!



formula
05-05-2010, 02:47 PM
Hey guys,

Sooooooooo I was driving along, rolling into second gear as I left my neighborhood, and ka-pow! I broke the Factory plug welds on my axle tubes and spun the diff right around them.

I'd rather not ditch this rear as I literally juuuust loaded it with new gears and a truetrac and have all the brackets for my four link on it, so can anybody help me think of a way to reset the pinion so I could then ringweld the tubes back?

big gear head
05-06-2010, 04:30 AM
You might be able to turn the tubes back in the right direction. I recommend that you use a housing fixture to be sure that everyting is straight when you get them in position. Then weld them like this. http://www.nastyz28.com/forum/showthread.php?t=18890&highlight=welding+axle+tubes

John Wright
05-06-2010, 04:37 AM
I'd empty the guts out too before you go heating and beating on that thing. Those factory plug welds aren't the best quality welds...mine were leaking from where they burned completely through during welding.

cheapthrillz
05-06-2010, 05:25 AM
Is the concensus that the rear end has to be pulled?

With a four link, the pinion angle has to be set at ride height. Do we need to put a reference angle line on one of the link mounts before we pull it? This way, the pinion angle can be set properly with the rear end out of the car?

Another thought..... Which is easier, rotating the housing back into position or cutting off the link mounts and rewelding (mounts and axle tubes)?

Damn Jelvis..... he jinx'd you Wes.... lol.

ProdigyCustoms
05-06-2010, 06:04 AM
I told Wes since it has upper and lower link brackets, in the car I would rotate the center back into place in the car to set pinion angle. Then see if the tubes have moved inward or outward at all. If the center simply rotated. I see no reason why you could not stitch weld the tubes a little at a time, 1" stitch, let it cool go to other side, 1" stitch, let it cool, go to other side until you go all the way around the tube. I don't even think you will get the fluid hot if you take your time.

The trick will be finding a way to rotate the center, maybe put it in reverse and dump the clutch, LOL!

JUST KIDDING!

I told Wes since the pinion is pointed positive, maybe a very strong bar under the center, and a strap voer the yoke you may be able to jack the bar and ease the pinion back in place. Wes says he was not on it real hard when it happened so it obviously moves pretty easy not that the welds gave up.

cheapthrillz
05-06-2010, 06:16 AM
The trick will be finding a way to rotate the center, maybe put it in reverse and dump the clutch, LOL!

JUST KIDDING!

Whenever you got off the phone with him sunday, that was exactly what I told him we were gonna do.... of course I said it in my hick redneck voice lol.


I told Wes since the pinion is pointed positive, maybe a very strong bar under the center, and a strap voer the yoke you may be able to jack the bar and ease the pinion back in place. Wes says he was not on it real hard when it happened so it obviously moves pretty easy not that the welds gave up.

We already tried wrapping a tow strap around the yoke to the base of a 3 ton jack, then jacking off (:bsjerk: haha) of the back of the housing to rotate it back around, and it wouldn't budge. So I said "Ok... take this ***** off and get it off the stands.... were gonna do some Towmater driving!" lol

John Wright
05-06-2010, 06:25 AM
Can you take a large drill bit or end mill and drill out what's left of the factory plug welds, then try to spin the carrier housing back around to where the pinion angle is where it needs to be?

big gear head
05-06-2010, 07:45 AM
The plug welds are nickel and a drill bit usually won't touch them. You have to use nickel when welding cast iron to steel.

JEFFTATE
05-06-2010, 10:37 AM
Damn Jelvis..... he jinx'd you Wes.... lol.

I'm sorry .
When you told me about it at Road Atlanta , I was just guessing.

If I were you , I would somehow rotate it back into the correct position ( for proper pinion angle ) and then slowly weld it back into place , without getting it too hot..
Leave it in the car to get the right pinon angle right.
Don't remove it..

cheapthrillz
05-06-2010, 10:45 AM
I'm sorry .
When you told me about it at Road Atlanta , I was just guessing.

If I were you , I would somehow rotate it back into the correct position ( for proper pinion angle ) and then slowly weld it back into place , without getting it too hot..
Leave it in the car to get the right pinon angle right.
Don't remove it..

Haha. It's cool..... When you explained it, it all made sense and sounded like that was what happened exactly.

You have the same concern about pulling the rear as I do....

formula
05-06-2010, 08:36 PM
Haha no worries jeff! I was impressed that you nailed it off the top of your head!

I think what I may need is more leverage. Right now we are pretty much using the spread of the Jack to force the rotation, but the head of the Jack is on the bottom of the diff and our straps are on the front of the diff- I think frank is right, we're gonna need to add a big honkin bar to act as a fulcrum.

Thank you guys for all your help! I'll keep this thread updated when I find a solution.

rohrt
05-07-2010, 05:12 AM
You might be able to turn the tubes back in the right direction. I recommend that you use a housing fixture to be sure that everyting is straight when you get them in position. Then weld them like this. http://www.nastyz28.com/forum/showthread.php?t=18890&highlight=welding+axle+tubes

Good info on the Nickle wire. I did a google and it sounds like nickle wire is available for MIGs. Is the Peening and heat cycles really needed?

I don't know anyone with a Rearend jig either.

AintQik
05-07-2010, 07:40 AM
How far "up" is it pointing? Could you weld something to a bar and bolt it to the yoke? Then get it up on a lift and hang off it.

big gear head
05-07-2010, 10:15 AM
I haven't been peening mine, but I do preheat it and let it cool slow. I've welded a lot of them like this.

John Wright
05-07-2010, 10:23 AM
Personally I see no reason to peen them.....watching the preheat and interpass temps, along with slowing the cooling rate are good practices with any type of casting. Slowing the cooling helps it transition through some of the critical temperatures phases and retain some ductility. The added nickle also helps with the ductility. The toes of the weld and over into the HAZ is where you have to really watch for the cracking...this is the area where the weld metal will cool first.

formula
05-07-2010, 04:30 PM
Thank god for that thread- I'd have never thought to control the cooldown like that.

Does anybody have any concerns over using the high- nickel mig wire?

cheapthrillz
05-07-2010, 06:23 PM
Anybody think that tinfoil might work as well as the fiberglass insulation? I don't know what the R-value for tinfoil would be..... just a thought....

MrQuick
05-07-2010, 08:57 PM
do you know anyone with a large oven?


vince

John Wright
05-08-2010, 02:17 AM
Thank god for that thread- I'd have never thought to control the cooldown like that.

Does anybody have any concerns over using the high- nickel mig wire?
yeah, you NEED to keep your head out of the plume.....or wear some type of metal particulate respirator....

formula
05-24-2010, 10:40 PM
Well, step one complete! Turns out the leg on an engine hoist makes the perfect lever for this problem- I just strapped it to the yoke, then jacked up on the other end and voila.

Now I gotta find a shop that will do this the right way- I just don't have access to a welder beefy enough to take care of it myself. Anybody know any one good in the upstate south Carolina area? I may call hawk's third gen and see if they can recommen anyone.

rohrt
05-25-2010, 05:30 AM
Don't yo have DS&E fairly close and who is the frame builder that makes a 1st gen sub frame that will use the corvette A-arms. They are pretty close as well arn't they?

big gear head
05-25-2010, 07:21 AM
I wouldn't take this to a car shop. I would take it to a welding shop that has experience with welding cast iron. They don't need any car experience to do this job, just lots of welding experience.

formula
05-26-2010, 07:03 PM
I wouldn't take this to a car shop. I would take it to a welding shop that has experience with welding cast iron. They don't need any car experience to do this job, just lots of welding experience.


You win the prize, sir- that's the best advice I've gotten all week. It'll actually be easier to find a qualified welding shop around here than a good mechanic anyway. Thank you sir!