08:11:23pm, Thursday, April 18, 2024
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Welding Axles
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John Rupp
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Im wondeing if anyone has ever made there own axle flange and welded it to the shaft. Im wanting to narrow my rear axle and trying to do it on a budge,t so profab or scs axles are out of the question. And I also cannot cut the splines longer on the end that goes into the carrier because the splines are larger dia than the rest of the axle. So I was thinking of machining a flange and putting 2 notches in it, and then putting 2 keyways in the same location on the axle and then welding the new flange to the axle shaft. I know they are hardened just not sure if they could be welded and actually hold. I know the tractor guys weld there hubs on, Anyway the axle im using is a rockwell h170. Thanks in advance. |
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Re: Welding Axles
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welder
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If you do weld your axles, do it with 7018 rod. You did not mention the diameter of the axle. Normally when the tractor guys weld a plate on the end it is on a large diameter axle, and only the outer diameter is welded. That is totally different than cutting the axle off and welding it. Several years ago a friend of mine put a diesel in a gas 2 ton truck. He needed to gear it up so he cut the axle housings off and installed a different ring/pinion/carrier section and welded the 2 different axles together. Even in a street driven truck, he did have trouble holding the welded axles together. He always carried a spare with him in case he broke one. When he welded them together with 7018 rod, they did last longer. In a pulling environment, I do not think they will hold up. If you can't afford the good axles, consider the cost of a destroyed motor or trans if the welded axle breaks. There are usually no shortcuts in pulling. Good luck. |
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Re: Welding Axles
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John Rupp
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Thanks for the reply. but I think You misinterpreted what Im thinking of doing. First off the axles are 2 inchs in dia. Btu my though is to make a new flange or for lack of better words drive hub. Make the flange about 1.5 to 1.75 thick, Key the axle to the flange, and then weld it. I knwo welding an axle in the middle will never hold up. But my thought is what I'm trying to do is not much different than welding a Hub to an axle on a tractor. My only other thought is to Machine a drive hub and broach splines in it and then cut the axle and spline the end of it for the drive hub to slide over. Just a thought. Problem with buying SCS or Profab axles is that you then need to buy a spool and that all adds up. Only reson im trying to do wht im thinking of is to cut weight. I know the axles them self will hold up but Im also going to put aluminum hubs on it to lighten it up. |
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Re: Welding Axles
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wld4x4
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Something else you can do is find another set of axle's that have a big enough unmachined dia to remachine your spline on. If you have 2" splines find an axle that has a 2" or larger unmachined area. I have even found them with a bigger outer flange and machine it down an redrill for your hub. |
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Re: Welding Axles
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fabricator
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I'd wait on the aluminum hubs and spend the money on axle shafts and drive plates myself.
You can get those steel hubs a lot lighter for just some time at the drill press, lathe and mill. ProFab and SCS will make your axle shaft splines whatever you want, so you don't NEED a spool, just that a spool is lighter, and stronger than a welded up center. |
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Re: Welding Axles
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john Rupp
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Reason I wanted Aluminum Hubs is because mine has the large 8 lug hubs on it and they are Im guessing about 50 lbs a piece. |
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Re: Welding Axles
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Registered: 03/26/2008 Posts: 343 |
The welded on Steel hub, or axle plate will work, the way they are welded is key. They need to weld from plate to axle in many x-patterns. Do not weld around the axle as you would normally weld, it will crack over time. Have weld on Plates on many 10,000 Hot Farms, and both of our LLSS tractors. Eric Prewitt The Prewitt Pulling Team Public Relations for The Pulling Radio Network |
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Re: Welding Axles
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Anonymous User
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Good Luck with welding them, I tried the exact same thing a few years back on a 2wd Pulling Truck with a Rockwell Rearend, never made a complete pass, would always break the weld away from the axle, tried several different ways of welding and had no luck, had a larger axle resplined, it lasted 4 passes and then broke at the end off the splines, Finally gave up and put a IH 2+2 rearend in. |
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Re: Welding Axles
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hot
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I'm having trouble with my welded hubs cracking at the axle weld. What do you mean to weld in an X pattern?Do you lay the beads over each other like a X? |
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Re: Welding Axles
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Anonymous User
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Get some f106 drive plates and have your axles cut and resplined for the 1 3/4 plates.You would have to adapt the plate to the hub.Or have your axles resplined [Moser or any axle place] and have custom drive plates made for your hubs.Not sure who your gonna get to broach those splines but if you can find someone you can make them yourself.The 2 keyways won't do anything for you and I wouldn't trust the welding.If you do try to weld,I would use spoolarc 83. |
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Re: Welding Axles
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fabricator
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2 choices,
1) axle shafts and drive plates from SCS,ProFab,TRB 2) take a whiz into the wind You don't NEED a spool, but I would get one. All you would have "invested" is axle shafts and drive plates. When you can afford aluminum hubs, get them, they are "bolt on" replacements for the H172. |
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Re: Welding Axles
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Axles are made from high strength steel. 7018 in imo won't work, I'd be preheating and using a mil spec rod like ER11018M this should meet 10% more than surrounding metal im guessing is around 90k psi steel. Give it a good 6010 root pass grind it out smooth and start laying 110rod down. Make sure your cap pass has smooth toes. Good luck next time |
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Re: Welding Axles
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Done it before
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I agree! Pre heat and the 110's do a great job and wrap in mineral wool and let them cool slowly over night. 11018's and the pre heating and slow cooling are Essential on High carbon content axels. |
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Re: Welding Axles
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done that
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MIG welded a many with know problems |
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Re: Welding Axles, to" done that.
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HP
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Did you use bare wire, or dual shield?
And spec. # on what you used. Also, did you pre-heat, and post heat? Thanks. |
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