Thread: Salisbury diff question ?

Originally Posted by mark2

Just curious - did the welded flanges in your Dad's Defender fail? If welded properly on the outside (they will break if welded inside the flange), I have heard of them lasting a long time.

I'm considering doing it (with preheat and high amps as JC suggests) to eliminate a clunk until I can afford HyTuff axles and flanges.

The weld bead will interfere with the end of the stub axle, too. I only welded the outside for this reason.

JC

No the weld did not fail it was found while we were adjusting wheel bearings but the welds didnt look to crash hot... And it was only on the outside also.. so then he claimed the county axles and maxi drive flanges we had lying around
Im thinking replace Aframe balljoint that usually stops the backlash whilst under load changing gears then hi tuff axles how much roughly for rear axles and flanges justin ?
Another thing I have been pondering is since I have it a bit lifted (am going to 3" soon) the trailing arms are on a bad angle so I was trying to design trailing arms that are adjustable using large rose joints etc etc

Got a price on rear end it will cost $785 including flanges or if I get a maxi rear locker of them they put in the axles and flanges all together it is $1900 which seems good then I'll get a ARB front locker for $1000 then thats that

Don't know if everyone does it this way, but I've successfully welded a few defender axle/drive flange sets in the past and this is my method.
First step is to remove halfshaft and driveflange, clean and degrease.them.Temporarily tighten wheel bearings to eliminate any endfloat, refit shaft/flange unit back to axle assembly in order to keep it as square and straight as possible.Attach earth lead of welder directly to a driveflange bolt and before welding(outside only) apply park brake and turn hub or wheel backwards so that the shaft splines are hard up against the flange splines to ensure that drive loads are taken by the splines, not the welds, except in reverse gear.
Remove axle unit, readjust wheelbearings and refit.If when you offer the flange up to the hub it looks out of square, that indicates the welding process has cocked the flange off square with the shaft.This can usually be fixed by peening the weld bead with a ball ended centre punch.Peening relaxes or stretches the weld bead.
Wagoo

Originally Posted by wagoo

Don't know if everyone does it this way, but I've successfully welded a few defender axle/drive flange sets in the past and this is my method.
First step is to remove halfshaft/flange, clean and degrease.them.Temporarily tighten wheel bearings to eliminate any endfloat, refit shaft/flange unit back to axle assembly in order to keep it as square and straight as possible.Attach earth lead of welder directly to a driveflange bolt and before welding(outside only) apply park brake and turn hub or wheel backwards so that the shaft splines are hard up against the flange splines to ensure that drive loads are taken by the splines, not the welds, except in reverse gear.
Remove axle unit, readjust wheelbearings and refit.
Wagoo

OI! You've been looking over my shoulder?????

I preheat a little too, do you think that is worthwhile? I was always taught to do that with HT metals.

JC

I don't preheat.Could be worthwhile. I just use Weldall electrodes.These are only meant to be temporary repairs, but they usually tend to last as long as a new grease lubed shaft/flange unit.
See edit on my first post about peening.
Wagoo.

Originally Posted by wagoo

I don't preheat.Could be worthwhile. I just use Weldall electrodes.These are only meant to be temporary repairs, but they usually tend to last as long as a new grease lubed shaft/flange unit.
See edit on my first post about peening.
Wagoo.

Agree, some of the ones I couldn't preheat have lasted just as long, and yes, they can last as long as new ones

I'll go back and have a squiz at that post, thanks.

JC

Originally Posted by wagoo

I don't preheat.Could be worthwhile. I just use Weldall electrodes.These are only meant to be temporary repairs, but they usually tend to last as long as a new grease lubed shaft/flange unit.
See edit on my first post about peening.
Wagoo.

Would you think MIG at highish amps (mine will do up to 250) be OK?