Technical Welding on a rear end housing

Anybody have, or can you weld 1/4 20 weld studs on a fully assembled rear end housing? Fully loaded and full of 90wt. I’d like to add 2 to attach brake line clamps. Welder is a 211 Miller mig. Thanks.

 

If you know what you are doing and control the heat it is not a big deal. Emphasis on the former.

 

A couple small tack welds like that wouldn't bother me.

Although if it were me I'd just tack a couple small tabs on much like the factory did.

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^Yep, as long as you're only doing spot welds, then there's nothing to worry about, the housing is so thick the temp of the liquid inside won't get too hot.

 

Just because I have a good welder, doesn’t make me a good welder…..so a few tacks should be ok. I’ve done quite a few sheet metal repairs with no problem. Thanks.

 

That’s what I’m thinking as well, but it never hurts to start a conversation, thanks.

 

Maybe think about drill and tap the tube , they are plenty heavy enough to drill and tap . Lock Tight will seal up the threads and prevent leaks . A couple tacks will do the job also , only issue I can see is if it’s painted nicely , your going to loose some , from cleaning , preparing then tack welding .

 

I'd be inclined to weld on a couple of small blocks which have been pre drilled and tapped for clamps. I don't see a couple of 1/2" welds on each tab causing any issues, except for paint damage.

Chris

 

Is the concern a fire inside?

 

Ain't no big thing. Just ground to the diff near where your welding. Try to avoid current going through a bearing.
The heat is not enough to hurt anything by just welding a bolt or bracket to the diff. The oil won't even notice you did it.
Absolutely nothing to be worried about.

 

^^^what he said, ground very close to weld.

 

As was mentioned prior to drill/tap/loctite, that will work fine, use heavy grease on tap to control shavings.
By the way, if it was me, I'd weld a whole 1/4" bolt instead of just a stud.

 

A lot of my concerns are current though the bearings. I’m in the process of stripping and painting now so paint damage isn’t a concern. All in the thread “Blowing this thing apart”.

 

I’ve have weld nuts just down really want to drill the housing, kind of a scaredy cat

 

Shouldn't you bolt on your rear end housing rather than weld on your rear end housing?

Ork Ork Ork Ork Ork Ork...

 

Huh ?

 

Hah?

 

No, don't drill and tap. If you do, the areas will be more susceptible to fatigue cracking than welding on a tab or stud.

 

Proper commas? Or proper quotation, Help Uncle Jack off a horse…..or “ help” Uncle jack off a horse. Probably why I’m a “plumber “ and not a writer

 

I would weld raw steel nuts, and use short stainless steel button head Allen bolts.

 

Any weld or heat applied to the housing will bend it some.
What you want to do, you will probably get away with.
Keep in mind that what you are doing is one method that is used to straighten bent housings.
As noted before, observe carefully where you put the ground wire.

 

Do you think manufacturers straighten each & every rear end housing during the production welding process ?

 

Yes.

 

I don't agree, I've done suspension work for 40 yrs and seen factory new axles every where from -1/2 camber to +5/8 pos camber. Toe anywhere from a 1/4" in to a 1/4" out.

I say it's done on a jig, pulled from jig and checked, if it falls into their loose oem specs out the door it goes....

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As stated above make sure there are no roller bearings between your welder ground and electrode (burny end). Failure to do so will create a whole bunch of tiny welds inside the bearing...

 

When you weld them, clamp them in place so they can't move away from the housing.
Then weld one side of the block or bolt or clamp that you are attaching. Not one side of the housing, but one side of the block or bolt or clamp on each side of the rear end housing.

Then let it cool for a few minutes and weld the other side of the bolt or block or clamp on each side of the housing.

Probably overkill, but minimal heat buildup.

 

I have attached a brake hose bracket to a Ford housing, by brazing rather than welding.

 

That's funny.

 

If your a good welder and have everything ready to go you'll need less than a minute of weld time for each stud. I've done this many times a never gave it a thought. I have tried to not overthink a simple operation.

 

People give a lot less thought to welding on suspension brackets to a rear end housing than has been given to this minor question.