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.5 gussets. to heavy?

xj9140

xj9140

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Sacramento, CA
I cut these gussets out for my inner c's. Are they to heavy? Should I pre/post heat the c's?
I am debating how I will be attaching these. I have access to: DC stick welder, nickle rod, stainless rod, or 7018? or should I use the mig? I read somewhere that stainless electrodes work well with dissimilar metals.
0625091752a.jpg

hp d44 inner c's
0625091812a.jpg
 
A little overkill isn't a bad thing - but I'd probably put at least a 1/8" chamfer on the side that's going to be welded - both sides of it - to give better penetration of the weldment.

And, recall that the inner C is cast. As I recall, best results on welding/welding to cast are going to be had with pre- and post-heating, and with use of a high-nickle filler metal. Can anyone else confirm?

A couple other things:

1) Make sure you'll have room to change the ball joints when it's all done. Cut the outer corner back a bit if necessary.

2) I'd make sure to invest in some six-point sockets, if you haven't already. 12-points have been known to round off screws (I rarely use mine, unless I'm working with 12-point screws. And those usually get replaced when I'm done, if the system will tolerate it...)
 
5-90 said:
A little overkill isn't a bad thing - but I'd probably put at least a 1/8" chamfer on the side that's going to be welded - both sides of it - to give better penetration of the weldment.

And, recall that the inner C is cast. As I recall, best results on welding/welding to cast are going to be had with pre- and post-heating, and with use of a high-nickle filler metal. Can anyone else confirm?

A couple other things:

1) Make sure you'll have room to change the ball joints when it's all done. Cut the outer corner back a bit if necessary.

2) I'd make sure to invest in some six-point sockets, if you haven't already. 12-points have been known to round off screws (I rarely use mine, unless I'm working with 12-point screws. And those usually get replaced when I'm done, if the system will tolerate it...)
Click to expand...

"weldment"? lol Never herd that one. Will have to use it. I haven't changed my ball joints before. How much room do I need? Should I remove them before burning the gussets in. I am debating adding some more material around the ball joint mounting area. But am concerned about the joints fitting properly after completion. Good point about the sockets.
 
xj9140 said:
"weldment"? lol Never herd that one. Will have to use it. I haven't changed my ball joints before. How much room do I need? Should I remove them before burning the gussets in. I am debating adding some more material around the ball joint mounting area. But am concerned about the joints fitting properly after completion. Good point about the sockets.
Click to expand...

Considering the heat involved, you're probably going to cook the grease. Leave them in place while setting up, tacking, and nailing down the weld, then change them (having them in place will help the hole keep shape.)

Don't stitch them down all at once - tack one end, then tack the other. Tack two or three places in the middle. Then stitch it down. This also helps to prevent distortion due to thermal stress, and helps keep the knuckle from becoming misshapen (and don't do the full stitch all at once, either.)

"Weldment" is an old word - not sure where I heard it anymore, either. But, since I'm fond of archaics, I'm not surprised that I dug it up.

Don't add too much around the ball joint mount. Make sure you've got enough room to stick a fairly large sleeve around the thing - a sleeve is used to give it room to come out ("catcher") and a sleeve is also used to give room for the stud as it goes in ("pressor") It's usually the same sleeve - it's just moved to one side or the other.
 
Currie uses 1/2" gussets on their -44 axle "C"s. It'll be fine.
5-90 said:
And, recall that the inner C is cast. As I recall, best results on welding/welding to cast are going to be had with pre- and post-heating, and with use of a high-nickle filler metal. Can anyone else confirm?
Click to expand...
A little tough to weld up. The high nickle rod is what you want for the cast.
 
Overkill is the way to go! Pre-heat the C's and bevel the edges of the gussets to 45deg. angles. Stick welding them is your best bet if you don't have access to a tig machine or large mig machine. Like said before tack in many places before burning them in fully. It will turn out bad a$$
 
Just for reference, high nickel rod is what you want to use. Also on a DC welder, swap the polarity for cast.
 
The inner "c"'s are cast steel, not cast iron and it is not necessary to pre, post heat them nor is it necessary to use high nickel rod. These techniques are used for cast iron.
 
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