Welding on axle causing warpage?

[Vexy]

Well my gears are all set up in my explorer 8.8, and it is about that time to get my Ruff Stuff brackets welded on. I will put it under my truck and tack them into place once I get the correct pinion angle and shock tab location.
I got three quotes from local shops. Two of them quoted $50 and that was that, and shop number three quoted $350 and said the following:

"Before the parts are tacked on they need to be Prepped, the edges must be beveled at 45 degrees at least half the thickness of the part being welded, the area must also be ground clean of any rust.
Also when ever you weld on a housing it bends the housing and it must be straightened after welding.
The housing must be Stripped Bare and Clean of any oil before any welding can be done.
We only need the main caps so our Rear end jig can be installed to straigten the housing.
Your looking at about 350.00 to weld on the parts and straighten the housing."

My axle is already ground clean of rust, and all prep work will be done by me before tacking.
Anyways, this shop does some amazing work, but $350 is more of an investment than anything. My question is, can warpage be prevented by mig welding 1 inch at a time and allowing the weld to cool, then proceeding?

 

[88_Eddie]

whhhhhhhhhhat? no freaking way that is gonna warp the tube

i've never heard of that....i dont recall the article in the tech library mentioning that

 

[cdawall]

I can tell you without a doubt that it didn't warp either of my D60's and there is a welded truss mounts and such all over the front one. The rear just has the perches. Obviously the 3rd shop wants some free money for bullshit. Either of the $50 shops sounds like a win. Just make sure you don't leave the axle shaft seals in or you will be replacing them.

 

[Vexy]

Okay cool. I found a shop that says he does them all the time.
And damn, I just put in my seals, Hopefully I can pull em out without ruining them.

 

[88_Eddie]

i left axle seals in my 8.8 when i did mine.....i didnt used a 220V machine though....no problems though

 

[Snoranger]

I've narrowed and welded brackets (4 link, ladder bars, etc.) on quite a few rears in my time.

Yes, welding on a tube will warp it EVERYTIME. Usually its very minimal and makes no difference. Thats why a good chassis shop will weld all the brackets in place before they weld the bearing ends on. I wouldnt worry too much about it though, they dont warp much.

FYI... I worked in a chassis shop for years and still help out there from time to time. We wont weld on an axle tube unless its out of the car, stripped down and set up with a jig through it.

 

[Vexy]

I've narrowed and welded brackets (4 link, ladder bars, etc.) on quite a few rears in my time.

Yes, welding on a tube will warp it EVERYTIME. Usually its very minimal and makes no difference. Thats why a good chassis shop will weld all the brackets in place before they weld the bearing ends on. I wouldnt worry too much about it though, they dont warp much.

FYI... I worked in a chassis shop for years and still help out there from time to time. We wont weld on an axle tube unless its out of the car, stripped down and set up with a jig through it.

Okay, lets hope the warping will be kept to a minimum. Because if it is bad enough, I will have to bring it to the shop who quoted me $350, so he can put it on his machine that straightens it.

 

[Sasquatch_Ryda]

Hundreds of guys on here do this at home all the time...no issues. No diss assembly required even for just welding on new perches and shock mounts.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

I did have the guy that welded mine up go about an inch, then go to the opposite corner and do an inch so it would cool down as we went rather than burn it all in at once.

I had the perches and shock mounts put on, welded around the tubes and didn't take a thing apart. It drove really nice for the week it was on the street before I ripped the engine all apart.

 

[Vexy]

Hundreds of guys on here do this at home all the time...no issues. No diss assembly required even for just welding on new perches and shock mounts.

Okay I have confidence in the guy now that he said the same thing as you. Now I just have to wait for my brackets to come in from Ruff Stuff!

 

[4x4junkie]

I did mine in 1" increments also (spring perches and shock tabs). Haven't had any issues.

I'm wondering if just laying some beads down on the opposite side of the tube could help counter the warpage?

 

[Vexy]

I did mine in 1" increments also (spring perches and shock tabs). Haven't had any issues.

I'm wondering if just laying some beads down on the opposite side of the tube could help counter the warpage?

Possibly. It doesn't sound very precise, but if the warpage is bad enough, it sure wouldn't hurt...

 

[nooch450]

Possibly. It doesn't sound very precise, but if the warpage is bad enough, it sure wouldn't hurt...

When I welded my crossmember together (you can see it in my build) it slightly warped... But I did a full about 7" pass on both sides. It only warped slightly. It was also square tubing...

On my radius arms I didnt notice any warping...

If you do 1" or less at at time, I think you would have no problems

 

[Dugan]

If you do it under the truck like I did for a friend on his shock tabs, undo the vent hose... his melted Whoups

 

[legoms013]

I had my expo 8.8 geared and all new seals & bearings installed before I personally welded the perches on.

I sticked them on at 115 amps, with 7018 electrode 2" at a time, alternating passes on ether side of the perches. Also preheated the housing at that time and welding the tubes to be center section.

No visible warpage occurred, and I have been driving on it since last September (about 8000 miles).

MIG it, preheat a little and post heat and you will be fine