Welding Tips and Tricks

Yes I did search! Normally this concept is simple because you weld it in place. In my case I have to remove the front differential because it's a Dana 44 IFS (TTB) on an 87 Bronco.

I know how to use it once the job is done; one wheel locked WHEN you want 4x4, and both wheels locked while sucking it up like an old schooler and stepping out to lock in the other wheel ONLY to get you out. Now we're passed that

My current thoughts are I'll need TIG tack welds to start and I'd probably be best finishing with Stick hence why I started in this section. Also thinkin some crappy 6013 1/16 I have layin around might do well for tacks too. I'm guessing 6011 but still the setup is going to be more important than the rod/welder skill in this case.

Any advice will be helpful but mostly those that have done this specific job.
Thank you as always

Just out of curiosity, and apologies because I know you didn't ask - but why not install a mini-spool instead?

About $100 to $120.

I spooled the front and rear of a suzuki samuri for a relative - it was crazy good in the mud

I'd have to purchase a mini spool, and then I'd have to remove the ring gear to keep my ratio. If I just weld what's there then I purchase nothing and I retain everything Oh yeah, I also haven't welded anything in a bit and never welded anything functional with Stick really and this can't hurt me (much) so just seemed like a good way to go.

I love Lincoln lockers. I've made a bunch. On cars that definitely weren't daily drivers. Anyways just drain the fluid clean and spray carb cleaner til it's clean. Turn your welder up and fill it up with weld. Spin it so you can get the other side and fill that up too.

I once did it front and rear in a Cherokee we bought for 50 bucks! Even reused the old fluid haha fun stuff

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YES!!!! I mean, you can't go wrong if you have full manual control right????
But still the crux is I have to drop the pumpkin, pull the diff, and bench weld it. I guess what I can gather out of all this is I just get to set it up on the bench, slide in the axles to ensure maximum possible alignment, and then I guess just Stick it.

So yeah, that's my only option on this one right?

entity-unknown wrote:YES!!!! I mean, you can't go wrong if you have full manual control right????
But still the crux is I have to drop the pumpkin, pull the diff, and bench weld it. I guess what I can gather out of all this is I just get to set it up on the bench, slide in the axles to ensure maximum possible alignment, and then I guess just Stick it.

So yeah, that's my only option on this one right?

Your other option is to leave it alone - I heard some people do that -

Have fun though - make sure you practice ahead of time - stick can be difficult.

Yes, you can weld the spiders. I'd get a welder to do it with brass, (braze). You will hate the way it behaves unless you are ONLY climbing rocks, or deep in mud. In mud it might not matter. Everywhere else it makes it go straight when you want to turn, and turn when you want to go straight.

Welded differentials ALWAYS go to a tree. On no occasion has a welded differential missed a tree, unless there is a cliff handy.

Consider what Ford used to do. They put clutch washers on the spiders, offering resistance to the out in space wheel getting all the torque.

Bill Beauregard wrote:Yes, you can weld the spiders. I'd get a welder to do it with brass, (braze). You will hate the way it behaves unless you are ONLY climbing rocks, or deep in mud. In mud it might not matter. Everywhere else it makes it go straight when you want to turn, and turn when you want to go straight.

Welded differentials ALWAYS go to a tree. On no occasion has a welded differential missed a tree, unless there is a cliff handy.

Consider what Ford used to do. They put clutch washers on the spiders, offering resistance to the out in space wheel getting all the torque.

Lol

entity-unknown wrote:YES!!!! I mean, you can't go wrong if you have full manual control right????
But still the crux is I have to drop the pumpkin, pull the diff, and bench weld it. I guess what I can gather out of all this is I just get to set it up on the bench, slide in the axles to ensure maximum possible alignment, and then I guess just Stick it.

So yeah, that's my only option on this one right?

There's no cover to just pull off and weld it in the housing?

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5th Street Fab wrote:

entity-unknown wrote:YES!!!! I mean, you can't go wrong if you have full manual control right????
But still the crux is I have to drop the pumpkin, pull the diff, and bench weld it. I guess what I can gather out of all this is I just get to set it up on the bench, slide in the axles to ensure maximum possible alignment, and then I guess just Stick it.

So yeah, that's my only option on this one right?

There's no cover to just pull off and weld it in the housing?

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If I remember correctly, for the front axle, ford made the "C" formed axle housing into the "cover."

To remove the center diff, pull the bolts and pull the drivers side axle.
Then the stub shaft that comes out the passenger side has a boot covering a splined sleeve.
Can't remover if the whole axle has to come out or if the center section has enough sideways movement to pull out to the sleeve.

I've tore down the front axles before so I'm pretty familiar with that and yes in this case I get to tear down both wheels past the spindles down to the knuckles to get the axle shafts out of the diff. From there it's just unbolting the carrier housing and dropping it which should be it's own level of excitement since the bolts are in front while the carrier is on the other side and I'm sure that carrier is not light and will drop the moment the last bolt is out.

I don't care how it handles when I drive because I'm not driving with all wheels locked in. Like I said, only one wheel will be locked so the tree/cliff story does not apply unless I get stuck and forget to unlock one I locked after I get unstuck. As you point out though, I'm pretty sure I'll be reminded very quickly I forgot if I do

As for just removing a cover.... HA I wish The rear is like that but the front is not. If it was a cover, I'd just remove it, stick it, and walk away.

Here's a shot of the Dana 44 Twin Traction Beam which is very common in the 1987-1992 F-150/Bronco and a common setup for other models/years. They're excellent axles for baja/desert runs but definitely not intended for rock crawling but have made way there too. Very unpopular axle among off roaders unless you just happen to have one you can see that fancy front setup with all the bolts and NO F'in cover. Assholes....

entity-unknown wrote:I've tore down the front axles before so I'm pretty familiar with that and yes in this case I get to tear down both wheels past the spindles down to the knuckles to get the axle shafts out of the diff. From there it's just unbolting the carrier housing and dropping it which should be it's own level of excitement since the bolts are in front while the carrier is on the other side and I'm sure that carrier is not light and will drop the moment the last bolt is out.

I don't care how it handles when I drive because I'm not driving with all wheels locked in. Like I said, only one wheel will be locked so the tree/cliff story does not apply unless I get stuck and forget to unlock one I locked after I get unstuck. As you point out though, I'm pretty sure I'll be reminded very quickly I forgot if I do

As for just removing a cover.... HA I wish The rear is like that but the front is not. If it was a cover, I'd just remove it, stick it, and walk away.

Here's a shot of the Dana 44 Twin Traction Beam which is very common in the 1987-1992 F-150/Bronco and a common setup for other models/years. They're excellent axles for baja/desert runs but definitely not intended for rock crawling but have made way there too. Very unpopular axle among off roaders unless you just happen to have one you can see that fancy front setup with all the bolts and NO F'in cover. Assholes....

Lucky you! Haha ya doesn't look like fun

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For clarity, that's not my truck, that's just the example of what the TTB looks like. Mine looks a LOT cleaner (because I've replaced more parts) than this person's. This just happened to be the only pic with the axle part clean and still underneath the truck
I also didn't do some ridiculous lift because the TTBs don't accept them well without significant camber distortion as you can see. That's when you do an extension drop of replace with a solid axle

I always cut some 1/4” flat pieces to fit in between the spider gears to give a solid base to weld to and helps tie the gears together.

That sounds like a pretty good idea! I know I'll need to mock setup the axle shafts with the diff but I know it won't be accurate nor would I have an easy way to keep things aligned if I do get em aligned.
I think your idea will help a lot to keep things in place as I begin the tacks then beads.
Thank you