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Axle truss... Weld to diff or nah?

ShoeterMcgav

ShoeterMcgav

NAXJA Forum User
NAXJA Member
Location
Colorado
Axle truss... Weld to differential housing or nah?

Heres my dilemma, Ive done my research and was all set to burn the truss to the pumpkin... Torch for pre and post heat, fiberglass welders blanket, mover blankets, and digital temp gun.

And then the ocd....


My truss is of the Rustys flavor due to the low profile, fits over the axle tube for 180* welds... Yada yada. My initial thought was to tie it in to the diff, no biggie just heat it to 400* and slow cool it. Now, I'm second guessing it. Ive read that welding the tubes is kind of a no no? On such a smallish axle and introducing heat adds weakened points. Found that odd but ok..

As for the truss, it only runs the length of the long (passenger) side. Nothing for the driver side. Thats what worries me! I dont want to introduce heat only to the one side and/ or risk warping the diff?

Since its only a turd shall I forgo this step and just leave it welded to the tubes only? Or should I just run small stich welds for where it meets on the passenger side with appropriate heating/ slow cooling?



Thanks for any input- yet again
 
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when you say weld the tubes, are you talking about where they are pressed into the diff?
if so I dont think its needed if theres a truss over the tube, it should prevent twist.

funny i was just reading on this the other day. the real up in the air ? is welding to the "cast iron diff?" but the truss to the tube is fine if you go slow, ide tack the living shit out of it lol.

im still in the air doing this myself, for this reason the tnt truss it a thought, gets the diff out of the picture, but then you loose that support it gives it. My plan, should i join you in tackling a truss is to tack everything to the tube. weld opposite sides, let it cool and repeat as you close into the middle. Then, if you had the diff to weld to, preheat 425ish and burn that sucker in, wrap it up and let it cool. I was asking a reference on here for advice, but the axle seals may need replaced if your cooking the diff.

the other article i read, some ancient naxja thread, said to use nickle rod on the diff, so im ousted on that idea lol
 
I just installed my artec Dana 30 truss. It's fully welded to the diff, and I welded the tubes to the chunk. Preheat and loads of post heat. Once it got down to 200 degrees I wrapped thermal shirts around it because I'm to cheap for a proper blanket... That was months ago and I have no cracks, no bending, and no worries. To beat all I used a 110 Lincoln with flux core ..... I wish I had more welder don't get me wrong, but proper process seemed to work.

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A better truss? This one is exactly what I need... the small little LEGO piece for the drivers side would be the only thing a more expensive truss would offer that would be beneficial.. if only barely


I guess I wasn’t clear... it’s already welded to the tube. So I’m not going with something different. I was methodical in the install, alternating sides time to cool etc. The diff welding is all that I have left should I choose to do so.


I’m worried about warping the diff since I would only be welding to one side, albeit small areas.


Axle seals are already out of the diff, pinion seal may need replacing as I will burn the truss to the diff with it in and hope for the best if I do do it.

Guess I’ll just go for it... it’s a baby axle anyhow
 
Flux core wire for the welding process btw... read to f not nickel this will suffice
 
I installed another Artec truss last month, this one on my friend's D30. Once I have the main section of the truss stitched to the tube, I pre-heated the diff, laid the beads and then posted heated and wrapped for a few hours. Worked great.
Miller 175 GMAW using .035 solid wire.
 
Artec goes on top and both sides of the housing right?

Thats a beefy tryss for sure... Mine is mych more sleek and there isnt anytging over the diff or on the drivers side. But its what I wanted out of what I looked at and price and everything considered


Im worried about heating and welding just the passebger side and not doing anything to the opposite side.

Probably silly concern honestly. More welding would introduce more a heat and increase chances of warping most likely.


Im just gonna send it
 
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Debating welding to where the truss meets the housing and possibly the top

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I’ve read nickel or flux is best for welding to the cast... couldn’t tell you why exactly sorry. I imagine it’s due to the flux core being an inherently “hotter” welding process?

It was on pirate and I googled welding Dana 30 axle tubes. A lot of don’t do it’s on that topic.

I don’t have a gas tank atm, so yes running flux .035 wire
 
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As far as post heating the issue I had was the mild steel cooled at a much faster rate than the cast housing causing the weld joint to take the temperature difference. I tried to keep the truss the same temperature as the cast housing until they were below 200 degrees. Then I wrapped in thermal for 2 hours

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I've welded unit bearing spacers on half a dozen WJ knuckles using GMAW and never saw the need to pre or post heat. I prepped the surface, tacked them in place and then burned them on.
Zero cracking issues.

The center diff has a much thicker/larger surface area than the knuckles, therefore it requires more heat to bring it up to a matching temp AND to maintain a gradual post-weld cooling process, to minimize the potential for having the truss-to-cast steel diff housing weld crack. A simple and effective solution is to use a torch to pre/post heat and thermal crayon, which is designed to melt at a specific threshold temp. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=97re6ruhhME
 
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I sure did...

But now my bump stops are on back order till end of month.. Pita to put the axle in and tear it out again... Prolonging this project is even worse tho!

So ya, burned in... Painted...on the garage floor still
 
Depending on your coils, you may be able to install bumps without pulling them. I used cheap Daystar poly bumps and they fit through my metalcloak coils.

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Without shocks and long brake lines, should able to droop out low enough to easily swap the springs in and out to at least check clearances.
 
Im getting the big ol poly insert in the bumpstop thread I posted... Its almost the diameter of the inside of the coil and I think like 8"s tall...
And ya itd require full removal of coils.
I suppose i could remove the shocks and limit straps, break lines are extended braided lines, but with the additional mounting for poly weldes to the perch would probably have to drop calipers too.


I guess the moral of the story is it wouldnt be tooo much work to drop the springs.

I guess my main hang up is a. The tube i will be welding to perches, want to double check fitment into polys before I send it... And b. Needing them in hand to properly set up the upper end- an adjustable plate of sorts that needs to be distanced properly from top of poly.


So I could install the axle now.. But will have a decent amount of work to do once the poly comes in either way so idk
 
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