Dana 44 cracked plug welds

[Hagan]

So I've narrowed my axle and noticed most of the plug welds on one side are cracked. Is it alright to just go ahead and weld them up?

 

[1badexplorer]

Check and make sure that those are all that's cracked. Double check your caster angle to make sure that the tube hasn't turned then reweld them. I'd also try welding the tubes to the center section just for extra strength.

 

[Hagan]

I can weld them with normal mig wire? Some people on another forum were telling me I need special wire to weld to cast?

 

[dangerranger83]

Heat up the cast before welding to it is what I have always read and been told.

 

[1badexplorer]

Jut heat it up and weld. It will work fine.

 

[Maverick]

Grind as much of the factory plug weld out as you can before you weld it back up. You can use regular mig wire, but you need that SOB hot and it needs to cool slowly keep from pulling back and cracking. If you have a digital temp gun you'll want the weld area up in the 600-700 degree range before you start welding. It's easiest to do that rosebud tip on a torch. Weld the tubes in as well. It needs to be a 220 welder as well, a 110 won't cut it. I've welded a few sets of tubes in with no problem until I did my D44 front axle. Between the thickness of the tube and the cast I was not able to get the weld area hot enough (didn't have a rosebud) with a regular tip on the torch and the weld cracked within about 30 seconds of completion. I ground it all out and took it to a friends shop and he dual shielded it for me, that thing was still warm to the touch 30 minutes after we finished.

 

[Hagan]

Ok thanks guys! Unfortunately I already welded over the plug welds. I was using Flux core crap and none of them cracked but I ground them all flush. Do you think I should drill them out and start over? This time I have shielding gas and mig wire. Also, I have an oxyacetylene torch

Also, I picked up another housing for $20, but its really rusty which I might use. That way I can weld them correctly. And someone also welded over a couple of them.

Thanks, your guys help is greatly appreciated!

 

[Sasquatch_Ryda]

Did you weld the tubes to the center? I definitely would.

 

[Hagan]

Yes, I did weld the tubes to the center. I didn't preheat or let them cool down though

 

[legoms013]

I've always just sticked housings with 7018 at about 100 amps with 3/16" rod. With a couple mins of preheat and normal cool off I haven't had a weld crack ever. Preheat the rod too in a rod heater or in the oven at about 200F.

That's what I recommend.

MIG can do it but it doesn't penetrate as much and cracks more often than not if preheat and post heat isn't followed to the T.

 

[Hagan]

I don't have an arc welder. Thats out of the question. I'm just going to drill them out and start over.

 

[The Jester Race]

Ok thanks guys! Unfortunately I already welded over the plug welds. I was using Flux core crap and none of them cracked but I ground them all flush. Do you think I should drill them out and start over? This time I have shielding gas and mig wire. Also, I have an oxyacetylene torch

Also, I picked up another housing for $20, but its really rusty which I might use. That way I can weld them correctly. And someone also welded over a couple of them.

Thanks, your guys help is greatly appreciated!

Yes drill them out. Whenever you are repairing anything that is cracked you want to drill both at the beginning and end of the crack, otherwise the crack with just continue to split through the new weld. You can use MIG (you need to burn it hot)but preferably you'd want to use Stick with a rod that will really bite into the cast something like 6010 or 6011. And like the others have said, pre-heat and post-heat.

-Jester

 

[Sasquatch_Ryda]

Die grinder with a good carbide burr will chew em out pretty quick too.

 

[Hagan]

Die grinder with a good carbide burr will chew em out pretty quick too.

Can't decide if I should use my spare housing or keep this one? What do you think? I've already narrowed it but my welds look like poo poo

I tried drilling them out and my drill stopped every time at a certain point. It is a new drill bit and it wouldn't go very far.

 

[SAY789]

How far is the drill stopping at? Your most likely stopping at the axle tube, its a much denser alloy than the weld. If you can, have someome with a 220 reweld it for you. Keep the other housing in case you decide later you want full width