Welding front axle extension

[stevey30]

I was wondering if anyone on here could tell me the best way to weld the front axle extension,the weld broke where the horizontal and vertical tubes meet.I assume that the axle should be taken out and do the normal pre weld prep,but will my 120v wire welder get the tubes hot enough for a good weld or should it be stick welded for best results?Thanks

[Eugene]

My opinion. I would go with the stick welder for several reasons.

1) I keep an assortment of different rod sizes and compositions on hand. I should be able to match up a welding rod to the task. If I don't have the welding rod I need, I can purchase a small package at the local hardware store.
2) I get a much better penetration with the stick welder than with my wire welder.

[CSA_CUB]

I agree with Eugene on this one.

[Boss Hog]

Clean it well and grind a v all the way around. Use 7018 rods if your welder will burn them. you will most likely need to replace the bushings
Boss

[ricky racer]

Won't 7018 rod require DC reverse polarity? It's been a while since I've done much stick welding. Most guys that have a stick welder at home just have a buzz box which is AC only.
If you don't have the proper equipment to do a quality weld you may want to prep the area, tack it in place with the MIG and take it to a professional so you get a quality job done. A nice looking repair will make it easier to sell if you ever decide to sell and give you more confidence in a good repair if you decide to keep it.

[DieselDennis]

All good advice so far. I agree with the need to be stick welded.

Or you can follow Ricky's advice and take it to a welder who has a wire feed machine with enough juice to give good penetration. If you prep it good so the welder just has to weld, and if you can wait until he happens to have the right wire in his machine for another job, then maybe the welder will do it for a pretty nominal fee.

[John *.?-!.* cub owner]

If you do not get it perfectly aligned, it will be hard to steer forever. Once you get it out, you might be ahead to get another one, or if it is rusted really solid, an entire axle. As to welding it, I agree with the others, the little 110v wire feed will not provide enough penetration to make a good weld. I got a good deal on my cub with loader because a previously welded extension had broken loose and it was nearly impossible to steer it. Neither the seller nor I realized what was wrong till it was on my trailer and up at eye level when we spotted the broken weld.

[SONNY]

Don't waste your time with wire welder!---I bought a bale spear from TSC and had to re-weld the whole thing with stick welder and it NEVER broke after that!---wasn't pretty,---BUT it held! thanks; sonny

[rjfcsa]

Not much of a welder myself, but my cousin has a big wire welder 220 volt and I needed a loader mounting bracket added to for my 684 international and it was 5/8" plate steel, we veeded it deep ad he made several passes, let me say he can weld nice. I would say it is on your ability or the faith you have in you welding buddies. but for this, like John said I probably would find another.
But on another note here is how you really do it. viewtopic.php?f=1&t=83071&p=664504#p664504

[BigBill]

Stick weld it. I would use good strong rod like certainimum 701 it's 90k tensile strength. I keep the certainimum 707 in-house too. It's 100k tensile and work hardens to 200k tensile if it sees and flex. I never broke a weld or seen a crack with this quality rod. I welded the snowflake lower frame on my jeep and put the jeep airborne on the plow by accident. It was a good test for my design and my welds.

With the wire feeders make sure your blowing away the parent metal and filling it at the same rate so your getting a completely solid weld. Make sure you have enough heat. I've repaired plenty of attachments and boat trailer that had cold mig welds.

[stevey30]

Well I got the axle welded,found a sprinkler man at work who welds,he welded it up on his lunch hour for me,asked him what I owed him,he said nothing, but his buddy told me he likes Bud lt in bottles,so I am going to take him in a case.His weld looks better than the factory one did,nice to know there are still good people in the world.