[Bob Timmermans]

Anybody have firsthand experience with welding arm brackets and spring perches on rear axles ?

I've got a message about it warping the tubes , but I'd like to know how bad it gets.
Does it ruin the axle or is it only marginal ?

I don't own a welding table or axle jig , so I'd weld them on with the axle on a bench or something.

[steve25]

Just take your sweet time!

Tack weld the brackets in place first then weld a 1.5" long section of one bracket, then go do the same on the compete other end of the differential giving each welded area a change to cool substantialy.

[Cliff R]

I ripped the factory welds loose on the spring perches on my 8.5 diff. I carefully clamped them back down and welded them back in place with 7018 welding rod in my commercial grade stick welder. That was nearly 20 years ago. I also welded the axle tubes to the carrier, and "stitch" welded them moving 180 degrees from each weld to keep from "pulling" on things really hard and spreading the heat out some. I've welded up quite a few diffs in similar fashion with zero issues to date. Just take your time, and get the welder set up correctly before you start the work........Cliff

[charlie66]

Ive done new perches on my rear with no problems. Just weld slow like explained above and you will be fine.

[Sirrotica]

From my experience building/repairing dirt track cars as well as fabricating all kinds of modifications on street cars and a few drag cars, I'll echo the same advice.

Tack welding the part in place will position any new additions or strengthening additions you're going to be adding. When working on anything that is round best to tack it in place first, check your positioning before welding the final welds. Then weld on opposing sides to keep the shifting from expansion and contraction equal around the piece. Work in short spaced areas, letting the parts cool as you weld and pull together as they cool.

I've also welded on rear axles a fair amount over the years, and have never had any problems after doing fab work, or repair work, due to accidents, or abuse.

If using common sense you'll be fine, it's not rocket science.

If someone is narrowing an axle, you'll need an alignment bar and arbors part to keep the parts in alignment before, and during the welding process. You don't mention narrowing, so you're not going to have a need for such equipment. Most times when doing welding on a bench or floor people use jack stands to support the work as they're doing the welding. Wood blocks will do the job as well, as long as you're able to rotate the work and weld on opposing sides.

Link to a video of how to narrow a 8.8 ford which you're not doing, but watching this video will give you some idea of the procedures used for the heating and cooling sequences, and how he uses jack stands on a bench to hold the work: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cNlW7TfZYQw

The guy that is doing the work, and narrating, is well versed in how to properly weld on a rear axle assembly, good information resource.

[Bob Timmermans]

okay guys . thanks.
If there where significant problems with it , I would've probably heard about it .

Glad to be able to procede without complications.

Cheers Bob.

[HoneyHush]

Bob I’ve had several 9” rear ends cut down and modified to ladder bar suspensions and such along with adding all the bracing etc such as the back brace on the 9” and I would heavily advise you to take it to a chassis shop or buy a jig. The guy that does our work owns a chassis shop so I get to help/watch with our work. Believe me it doesn’t take much to pull the tubes one way or another or up and down and so on. I’ve watched him go around one end six or seven times moving the heat from one side or another to get it perfectly straight. He does this for a living on very fast cars. I can give you his number if you would like to speak to him. If one end moved only an 1/8th and the other end only an 1/8th.....how much pressure is that on your axle splines and bearings? It robs horsepower and kills parts. I would strongly advise at least talk to some chassis shops. Just because we CAN do it doesn’t mean we should. How are you going to see it move without a jig?

[242177P]

Originally Posted by HoneyHush

I can give you his number if you would like to speak to him.

Is he in Europe?

[Tom Vaught]

Originally Posted by HoneyHush

Bob I’ve had several 9” rear ends cut down and modified to ladder bar suspensions and such along with adding all the bracing etc such as the back brace on the 9” and I would heavily advise you to take it to a chassis shop or buy a jig. The guy that does our work owns a chassis shop so I get to help/watch with our work. Believe me it doesn’t take much to pull the tubes one way or another or up and down and so on. I’ve watched him go around one end six or seven times moving the heat from one side or another to get it perfectly straight. He does this for a living on very fast cars. I can give you his number if you would like to speak to him. If one end moved only an 1/8th and the other end only an 1/8th.....how much pressure is that on your axle splines and bearings? It robs horsepower and kills parts. I would strongly advise at least talk to some chassis shops. Just because we CAN do it doesn’t mean we should. How are you going to see it move without a jig?

I wanted to run the Explorer rear disc brake system on my 9" Ford Rear.
When I bought the axle housing from Butler (when he first offered the Moser Rear axle housing for Pontiac A-Bodies) it came with the Big Ford Bearings and Flanges designed for Ford Brake Drum Rear Brakes.

So I knew a very good Fabrication Shop (Technosports) that did a lot of NASCAR and SCCA fabrication on race cars. They had the proper jig as they did a lot of Ford Rear Axels. They shortened the axle tubes 1" on each side, and welded on the proper housing ends for the Explorer Brakes. I had the axle shafts cut 1" of the length of each one.

Brakes fit perfect, axles fit perfect, in my case street car so no need for a back brace. I use a Strange Center section and 2.75 Ford Sterling Gears with a 9" SOFT LOCKER rear.

So IF you have access to an axle jig, pay the money and move on.
Otherwise take your time and check everything multiple times.
A bunch of small length weld beads will still do the job fine.

My experience on the deal. No experience with 8.5 GM stuff.
DANA stuff is HEAVY.

Tom V.

[HoneyHush]

He can’t talk to a guy if he’s not in Europe?
I’m in Kentucky and was still able to communicate with him in EUROPE

[Bob Timmermans]

Originally Posted by HoneyHush

He can’t talk to a guy if he’s not in Europe?
I’m in Kentucky and was still able to communicate with him in EUROPE

Yep , long distance communication problems have been solved for some time now.

I saw a guy in a youtube clip mounting a laserpointer to a straight bar that pointed on to something like a shooting target , so you could exactly follow which way it was bending when he started welding.

I think that is a great idea.

[Tom Vaught]

Now that is a very informative tool utilization, (that would tell you exactly where you were at any time).
Someone with front end alignment experience perhaps.
I will remember that one. Thanks Mr Timmermans.

Tom V.

[Bob Timmermans]

Originally Posted by Tom Vaught

Now that is a very informative tool utilization, (that would tell you exactly where you were at any time).
Someone with front end alignment experience perhaps.
I will remember that one. Thanks Mr Timmermans.

Tom V.

If you like to watch it , here's the link sir : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0pf-qQDslhU .

Cheers , Bob.

[lust4speed]

I've seen people eyeball the rearends when shortening them and they seem to get away with it. I had a local shop use the correct massive bar with preloading and they still messed it up. We were replacing the outer big Ford bearings about every fourth outing because they were chewing themselves up from having a misalignment. Pulled the rear back out and paid Currie to do it right. It's been five years now and still on the same bearings they put in.

First chewed up set were probably Chinese from the autoparts store, but the next two were expensive and they self destructed also.