Welding Question

[olin18]

I have finished tearing into a Rear D44 housing that will soon sit under my Jeep. I have removed the shock mounts, spring perches, and track bar mount. (they were all in the wrong places) I also removed about 5 lbs or rust and road crud. Now the housing is all nice and clean.
My question is. Can I paint the housing now, even though the new spring perches and shock mounts wont be welded on until later. Or should I leave the metal bare for the welder.
I would much rather paint the whole thing now. Then touch up the spots later that the weld burnt off. But if the paint will make welding harder I think I will leave it alone.
Thanks for any help.

[Crazy_Jeepman]

Whoever does the welding can hit it with a grinder if the welder feels it neccesary.

[Sundowner]

I'd grind it clean after painting it and just touch it up later
root pass with 6010 to blast the paint and cap it with 7018

[scotty]

id just paint it with an epoxy primer to keep any bare metal from rusting. the welder will grind that off where he needs to,and you can put the final coat on after its all welded.

you were gonna use primer,right? ;)

[Sundowner]

what is this "primer" you speak of?
is that a name brand?

;)

[scotty]

tongue.gif :eek:

[OBX-AUTOMOTIVE]

Originally posted by Sundowner:
what is this "primer" you speak of?
is that a name brand?

;) THE BASE COAT THAT PAINT STICKS TOOO YOU KNOW FLAT LOOKING STUFF,NO SHINE PRIMER,LIKE PRIMER THE WOOD BEFORE YOU WOULD PAINT IT!! PRIMER!!!!!! .. smile.gif

[OBX-AUTOMOTIVE]

I'M GUESSING...E-6013 :cool:

[Sundowner]

ohhhh!!!!
<slap on forehead>

you mean MUD!

yeah, I always do that before painting.

[zmjeeps]

A little off the subject, but whoever does the welding for you, you can't just weld a Dana 44 cold. The tubes are cast iron on a D44, not steel like a Dana 60. To properly weld a D44, you have to preheat it and keep it warm, then weld it, then keep it warm for a while longer. I don't remember the duration of the pre and post warm, but its a while. If you don't the welds will crack.

[olin18]

My plan was to use Hammerite, and a lot of it. I love that stuff. It goes on real well, holds up great, and best of all. It is super easy to touch up.
In the back of my head I have been thinknig of bringing the Housing to a shop and have it lined with pickup truck bed liner.
The Idea being that I wont wont have to keep re-doing it every year.

I "repaint" my frame twice a year with Hammerite. Once in the fall before the salt, and once in the spring, after the salt. And it holds up real well.

[OBX-AUTOMOTIVE]

Originally posted by Sundowner:
ohhhh!!!!
<slap on forehead>

you mean MUD!

yeah, I always do that before painting.SURE!!!... :D

[OBX-AUTOMOTIVE]

Originally posted by zmjeeps:
A little off the subject, but whoever does the welding for you, you can't just weld a Dana 44 cold. The tubes are cast iron on a D44, not steel like a Dana 60. To properly weld a D44, you have to preheat it and keep it warm, then weld it, then keep it warm for a while longer. I don't remember the duration of the pre and post warm, but its a while. If you don't the welds will crack.THEN E-70?? LOW HYDROGEN....LIKE LH STEEL WITH LEAD...KO I GET IT!! :eek: :D

[Crazy_Jeepman]

Originally posted by zmjeeps:
A little off the subject, but whoever does the welding for you, you can't just weld a Dana 44 cold. The tubes are cast iron on a D44, not steel like a Dana 60. To properly weld a D44, you have to preheat it and keep it warm, then weld it, then keep it warm for a while longer. I don't remember the duration of the pre and post warm, but its a while. If you don't the welds will crack.Though I myself do not weld, I have taken many in to have welding done. I was never told the tubes are cast and have watched many many perches get welded on, no preheat or special cast weld procedures were done. I do not think they are cast. I think Cast tubes would be stupid, kinda rigid for axle tubes. Bending would be a little difficult with cast tubes, however I have bent a few BADLY.

[ February 06, 2003, 08:29 AM: Message edited by: Crazy_Jeepman ]

[OBX-AUTOMOTIVE]

MY TWO CENTS...CAST STEEL??

[Sundowner]

Iv'e cut, built, worked on at least 3 dozen dana axles and I've NEVER seen one with cast iron tubes

[Crazy_Jeepman]

I just called the shop I get my work done and asked him, he said he has welded on axles for YEARS and never seen a cast tube either.

[OBX-AUTOMOTIVE]

OK!! HOW ABOUT EXTRUDED STEEL!

[Crazy_Jeepman]

Sigh!!! I am not calling him again!!!! he already thinks I am a pest. I have 3 axles there now. I will ask the stupid question when I pick them up. LMAO

[scotty]

yikes! :eek:

ya,i bent the crap out of tubes,to the point that the pinion was pointing almost striaght up
1 :eek: well,ok,maybe not quite that much, ;) but i did squish up the tubes very badly.
i had to cut the perches and reweld them on the f***ed up tubes in order to get another couple trips out of it,and didnt have any prollems with the welds on the tubes,or the perches...

[Crazy_Jeepman]

LOL Scotty, was that driving to the store you did all that. I told my wife that I hit a curb to fast when mine came home on the back of a wrecker. Them curbs is hard on axles!!!! :D :eek: :rolleyes:

[Sundowner]

OK!! HOW ABOUT EXTRUDED STEEL! ABS PLASTIC!!! smile.gif

[Tad]

I have never heard of cast tubes either, makes no sense. They would be too brittle.

[kyjman]

The tubes are of steel I dont know what grade but they are NOT cast anything......Welding with the old trusty 7018 will be just fine. If its colder that 30 degrees I'd put a little heat on it before welding.....just get it barely warm to the touch. No after cooling is necessary.

[PAJEEPER]

The pumpkin itself is the only part thats cast.

[JJK4666]

What is this 6010, 7018 etc. you are referring to. Don't you mean to say .035, .045 etc.?

[TexasJ10]

Can you mig weld the shock brackets on or do you have go with a stick welder? I assumed I could weld the pads and shock brackets back on with a miller 185 mig and .045 wire

[ February 06, 2003, 08:14 PM: Message edited by: TexasJ10 ]

[JJK4666]

Anything on one of our rigs that can be welded stick can be welded mig. Just turn your amperage up with that size wire until you get good.........penetration!(Or slow your wire speed down)

[Tad]

Originally posted by JJK4666:
What is this 6010, 7018 etc. you are referring to. Don't you mean to say .035, .045 etc.?We are talking electrode type, compsition and a good deal many other refrences to position and poarity.

Originally posted by TexasJ10:
Can you mig weld the shock brackets on or do you have go with a stick welder? I assumed I could weld the pads and shock brackets back on with a miller 185 mig and .045 wireYou betcha, not sure why you are running .045 wire unless you build tanks but it will be gust fine.

Yes the dif housing is cast iron but a very different grade than your typical stove top skillet, the tubes (at least on what I have dealt with) are all welded into the housing through the holes in the dif housing.

[TexasJ10]

I thought my truck was a tank! Actually I have never run .045, but thought I might for the pads to insure penetration. Probably overkill

[jeepguzzi]

Originally posted by PAJEEPER:
The pumpkin itself is the only part thats cast.Actually, I think the confusion here is that the steering knuckles are also cast. When someone does a major lift, to the point of rotating the knuckles, they have to be rewelded.
The tubes are mild steel tubing.(not extruded!!)