Which housing ends for tapered Ford bearings?
11-07-2017, 10:50 AM
#21
I finally got back to this and can report progress.
One of the challenges with this was holding the housing in positions suitable for welding. I drug out my welding table to get things at a suitable working height and I placed the housing on jack stands. I found that when rotating the housings on the jack stands, sometimes it wanted to walk off one side or the other so if you're doing this be careful not the roll your housing off the table and onto your foot. I used a length of scrap wood as a prop against the pinion area of the housing to hold it in the 90 and -90 degree positions while I relied on friction to keep it in the pinion up position (little sketchy) and gravity to keep it down. I clamped the alignment bushing to the housing end using a pair of vice grips before tacking. I decided on four tacks; first and second tacks 180 degrees apart. At this point the housing end has to be clocked in the desired position, which I accomplished by matchmarking using an electronic angle finder against the original uncut flange on the opposite side.
Once it was tacked I removed the vice grips and was ready to do the finish welding. Although I adjusted the machine by welding on some scrap 1/4", I found on my first bead I had the machine too running a bit too hot, so I dialed it down and continued after the first bead. I moved as quickly as I could to rotate/reposition the housing between welds to minimize time for cooling/distortion. I am admittedly not the best welder!
Once the first end was on, I measured and cut off the opposite end then used the angle finder to match clocking with the other side.
My target flange-to-flange width was 52-1/4 and I was happy to see I got within 1/16th of that.
After welding, I found the alignment bar still slid easily through the alignment bushings so I think I am in good shape. My welds aren't spectacular but I think they will get the job done. We shall see!
Thanks to everyone who provide input/advice.
One of the challenges with this was holding the housing in positions suitable for welding. I drug out my welding table to get things at a suitable working height and I placed the housing on jack stands. I found that when rotating the housings on the jack stands, sometimes it wanted to walk off one side or the other so if you're doing this be careful not the roll your housing off the table and onto your foot. I used a length of scrap wood as a prop against the pinion area of the housing to hold it in the 90 and -90 degree positions while I relied on friction to keep it in the pinion up position (little sketchy) and gravity to keep it down. I clamped the alignment bushing to the housing end using a pair of vice grips before tacking. I decided on four tacks; first and second tacks 180 degrees apart. At this point the housing end has to be clocked in the desired position, which I accomplished by matchmarking using an electronic angle finder against the original uncut flange on the opposite side.
Once it was tacked I removed the vice grips and was ready to do the finish welding. Although I adjusted the machine by welding on some scrap 1/4", I found on my first bead I had the machine too running a bit too hot, so I dialed it down and continued after the first bead. I moved as quickly as I could to rotate/reposition the housing between welds to minimize time for cooling/distortion. I am admittedly not the best welder!
Once the first end was on, I measured and cut off the opposite end then used the angle finder to match clocking with the other side.
My target flange-to-flange width was 52-1/4 and I was happy to see I got within 1/16th of that.
After welding, I found the alignment bar still slid easily through the alignment bushings so I think I am in good shape. My welds aren't spectacular but I think they will get the job done. We shall see!
Thanks to everyone who provide input/advice.
11-07-2017, 05:14 PM
#22
That makes me want to pull my rear out and reweld it. Yours looks good to me. I left a pin hole in one side ---on the bottom, of course. Now I get to wipe it off every couple of months.
11-07-2017, 06:42 PM
#23
I've been trying to think of a way to leak test it. I was thinking spray the weld with soapy water and somehow pressurize the housing (with very little pressure) to see if I get bubbles. I did something like that when I built my fuel tank.
Last edited by -TheBandit-; 11-07-2017 at 06:49 PM.
11-08-2017, 08:32 AM
#25
Yep looks good. A couple tie ins are wide, might have some seepage there so if you havent painted it yet some permatex grey nice and thick around the entire weld will prevent any leaks. Its also SUPER helpful to employ a helper to spin the diff round as you weld to do it it one continual pass. I use wood and a sledge to "set" the housing true after welding with bar in and leave the bar in overnight for cooling/straightening concerns as well. The bar should spin nice and easy in the biscuits before calling it "done"