If tig welding axle tube to center section on a dana what rod is best for this application? Cast iron to steel is the question. Thanks Brian W.

IIRC the center housing is cast steel, not cast iron. It should weld good with any mild steel rod.

Kasey

nickle rod

Nickle or stainless like a 304 filler will do the job..Id pre-heat the cast iron to 250-300 deg before welding and cool it down slow as possible.

Do you really need to do it?
I would say, that if you dont plan to run it on a heavy car with lots of hp, forget about it.
It WILL end up crocked.

i used a mig and mild steel wire , just preheated the housing first

then the ends were put on

You weld it because the axle tube will twist at the big plug welds in the housing.

Pull a dana that was mounted with leafs and see if the two perches are mountedat same angle comparing to the pinion. Happens a lot that they twist up pretty good.

Are the center sections cast steel, or cast iron? If they are cast steel, can't you just weld it with mild steel rod w/ some preheating?

I would not tig the tube to the housing.We usually mig it with a 70K tensile wire.It takes a lot of heat to penatrate the cast housing as well as the tube.We usually tig CM brackets and ends on the tubes.

if i really had to do it i would do it with a stickwelder(sp)

I agree with the rest of the other guys mig it. Make sure you spark test it to see if its cast steel or cast iron, cast iron will be fuzzy looking, and fan was out with short distance, cast steel will be very similat, or exactly like grinding a piece of plate steel. Pre heat, and burn it inn. Also It might not hurt to temperarilly weld up some braces to keep it from warpung in the outer ends. I usually triangulate some strap from outer ends, to the housing. I have welded up many of 4x4 housings this way.

Kasey

Ben you ARC weld the tubes and not TIG them ??

Depends on the housing. Cast Dana or 12 Bolt, stick. Ford or anything else for that matter, TIG.

The trick is the correct temperature and rod when using the ARC

7018 is what I have used.

thers no way in h/%# i would use the mig.
It will be prone to crack.

I used a mig on mine and he had 0 problems so far.