weld lines on rear axle casing - good news

[wibble_puppy]

oh CJ that's the first tiny ray of light .... thank you!! Are the welds on your axle as messy as these?

What do you say to the clonking in the diff?

I know this axle is clean - that's about the only good thing I can find to say about it at the moment, given what other peeps here have said about the welding!

I've been cleaning up my other axle a bit more to see if it might be feasible to repair it (there are holes in the spring brackets) .... will see if I can get an expert opinion on it tomorrow

[jonathon]

WP, the pattern of the weld is not the issue, its the quality of it that is. Just do not believe it to be factory performed.
Just express your concerns to the supplier and see where that leads.

[wibble_puppy]

i can take the axle back no problems, and haven't yet handed over the payment, so it's not an issue of getting my money back, really, it's more an issue of getting a rear axle that works.

I'm sure it will all be okay in the end, it's just such a sinking feeling to find yet another important part of the van which needs attention - as a total novice with no expert help around for 99% of the time.

Onwards and upwards though

How do I stop the diff on the old axle from leaking? *gets out workshop manuals*

[aupickup]

seals and gaskets maybe

[AndrewSkinner]

Wibble I have two axles that are different. The later one has only just been fitted but not tested and has a straight smooth weld line clearly done by a machine. The other axle is original and had covered 59,000 miles with no problems BUT had the V at the end of the weld (near the diff) and looks messy. The axle with the messy welding is allot older than the one with a straight weld and clean finish.

I think it may have been a change in production techniques over the years. The first one may have been held in a jig and hand welded?

[MarkyB]

Don't worry about the case it was made by a bloke in blue overalls who did them all day every day, not a robot
At the worst it might have been done by an apprentice while he looked on.
Just concentrate on oil leaks and/or noises. The rear axle is just there to do a job not to be looked at.

[youngun]

Blimey dont worry about the welds!!!!
Exactly what markyB said, there there to do a job, not to look pretty. Just bolt the axel on and get Moggying!

[wibble_puppy]

ha ha ha

thanks, guys - I really appreciate your opinion

I couldn't give a flying wotsit about how the welds look cosmetically - it's only a problem to me if the appearance of the welds might suggest that there is a potential problem with the axle mechanically.

Maybe I could fit this axle and run it for a while and meantime restore the van's original axle? and then re-fit it in a while? I do like using the original parts where possible (just spent not-going-to-tell-you-how-long grinding all the rust off the original U-bolts lol )

Might make some calls tomorrow, see if I can get someone local to come and look at both the axles and give me an expert opinion.

Thanks also to MoG who suggested putting oil in the "new" axle to see if that removes the clonking in the diff (could be caused simply by metal contacting metal as the diff revolves - there's no play in it)

Tomorrow is another day and this is all supposed to be a fun hobby innit

Night everyone and thanks very much again for all your help and advice, it's really appreciated (don't know what I would have done during this resto without the resource of the lovely peeps on this forum)

wibble xx

[jonathon]

Or the axle might have had a problem with the welds and from the looks of some of this welding, has been poorly re welded.
Its fine to advise yourself that an item will pass your own criteria for safety but a different matter when it involves someone else. If those welds had been performed in our shop then the welder would no longer be employed.
At the end of the day its WP's decision, but if I had paid for a good axle then thats what I would expect to be supplied with, The case after all holds the axle assembly together so it needs to be as good as possible.

[wibble_puppy]

as you know, jonathon, your opinion weighs very heavily in my decision balance (is that a successful metaphor)?

Called today but dear Lord! you appear to take Sundays off!! You'll never build a business that way, young man, dear me, these part-timers I'll call again tomorrow if that's okay? ... if not, you can always pretend you are Chinese if you answer the phone, "So solly no spik Ingrish"

[jonathon]

Velly gu

[motherofgod]

depends if you have his home number


james

[wibble_puppy]

do you know, for some bizarre reason, he hasn't yet given me his home phone number! Evidently some kind of oversight - how odd - sure to be rectified

[jonathon]

Sorry, but the asylum only allows outgoing calls

[wibble_puppy]

The problem with a re welded axle ,if not welded correctly is that it will easily warp with the heat generated.

oooo forgot to ask before: which plane would you expect it to warp in? if I'm gonna hang on to it and keep an eye on it

[wibble_puppy]

... and that last question again, for Big Ginger: "In which plane would you expect it to warp?"

[bigginger]

Me? I don't know - I think what's being driven at is that it would have warped during the welding, and therefore be obvious. You have to preheat the whole unit to get a decent weld in there, and I've never tried that

[wibble_puppy]

you must have been a bit sleepy when you read my post BG but I am very grateful for that bit of advice, it helps a lot with trying to figure this one out

[wibble_puppy]

UPDATE

have taken both axles over to local expert for examination and advice.

The van's original one is okay to use but not ideal.

The "new" one is vgc - the welds are original factory ones - and the expert peep would use it. The diff may not be perfect but won't know till it's in and driving.

So a great load off my mind! and case closed

Thank you very much indeed to everyone who helped me with advice and encouragement

wibble xx

[polo2k]

So a great load off my mind! and case closed

Pun intended?