Axle question

NORCALHOLLER

Member
Joined
Apr 11, 2005
Location
asheville nc
we are working on a chevy 1500 1978.. When it broke it made a popping noise and we took the cover off the front axle and nothing was broke. I was wondering if anyone had any info about how to weld the front axle for all time four wheel drive.
 
So how do you know its broken? And if I had to guess you aren't seeing anything inside the diff/ broken u-joints at the Cs... then its probably a hub. And.. you can weld the spiders, but thats not really recommended at all for a 1/2 ton D44, especially the front. And as far as all time four wheel drive goes.. thats in your t-case.
 
i haven't ever ran a locker in any of my 44's they just don't turn good when hubs are locked.
I weld mine by taking a flat plate of steel maybe 2 inches wide and laying it inside the carrier on top of the spider gears putting a good weld across the top of the plate welding it to the gears at the top of the case. Then i take ahammer and bend the plate down until it touches the lower set of spider gears, weld the bottom and both sides i don't leave any gaps (fill up the holes between the teeth with weld until they are touching the plate) but i do move around from side to side to try and not get everything to hot.

I have an offroad only rig and i wheel it hard i run a 350 motor chromo shafts with 5.13 gears and haven't ever had to redo a carrier after i welded it just remember if you do the rear leave one side open if it isn't a full floater so you can remove your c-clips for the axles in case you need to remove them.


Have fun, my advice do what works for you, if you only do what is recommended you will spend a crap load of money on stuff that isn't essential to having a good time in the woods and that is what it is all about
 
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