Is it possible to weld an axle?

reidy01 · Mon Sep 23, 2013 3:14 am

G'day all just had a guy come in and ask if I could weld an axle out of an old Bedford van, its actually an ice cream van,
a Mr Whippy, I've never heard of it being done so I thought I'd ask the question where I'm pretty certain someone would know.

Thanks for any advice in advance.

jwmacawful · Mon Sep 23, 2013 4:17 am

certain components are welded to axles but that sounds like a job loaded with liability.

Braehill · Mon Sep 23, 2013 5:27 am

reidy01,
The short answer if you're talking about the axle shaft itself is no. The long answer is if you have a way to heat it to above 1650 degrees F. for an hour or more and then oil quench it, then bring it back to 650 d/F and let it cool slowly to room temp, after you weld it and then still not be sure if it will last, then yes.

But if we're talking about an axle housing then the answer is yes with some thought going into what kind of metal it is. The center housing is usually some sort of cast and the tubes some sort of steel. Most are welded from the factory in one fashion or another. Not sure what's in a Bedford (or what a Bedford is for that matter) though.

Len

Follow da blue light · Mon Sep 23, 2013 5:43 am

I weld axles day in day out to mild steel suspension components, the biggest problem is the mill scale on the axle plus all the cutting fluids that are there too.

Grind back to bare metal on the axle, compare two welds, the pre ground and the not ground and you will be amazed at the results.

Axles are huge chunks of steel, crank up the amps, it can take it, if you dont you will end up with a cold chicken shit looking weld.

Mon Sep 23, 2013 7:17 am

Hey,

Lets make sure we are on the same page here.

An axle:

noddybrian · Mon Sep 23, 2013 2:19 pm

Interesting difference in terminology with some vehicle parts depending on location - but Mr. Whippy & Bedford rather imply it's in the UK & pretty old- mostly their Transit's or Sprinter's now.

So in the US I believe an axle is just a drive shaft as depicted by Mick - but in the UK an axle is the entire assembly - which you call a" rear end " - the part you call an axle we call a "half shaft" then we have the axle tubes ( likely the same ) & in the middle we have the "differential / diff " which I believe you call the 3rd member.

So confusion over hopefully - agreed though welding the drive shafts is not usually practical except in emergency situations - I have done it successfully but would not on an ice cream van as they are almost always running at 1.5 times their allowable gross weight - the outer casing / axle tubes however are fine - they have bits welded all over the place from manufacture - almost always Mig - just be careful of earthing & heat near bearings / seals.

qwerty12 · Mon Sep 23, 2013 6:06 pm

Not realy shore what exactly part are you all talking about...buth just to say my friend who works ats small tractor trailer factory welds axles and all other trailor body and gearing parts constantly.

We call that diferential...its the part on wich you atach rear wheels...hee welds them constantly because they buy it on junk yard...split them on half and weld again because they must make them wider for stability. Also he welds the axle that goes from back wheel(diferentials) to the tractor transmition. (mostly he makes trailors for 4x4 tractors that also have trailor drive)

He welds it with an old industrial welder. 3.2mm 6013 cheep rods. Cranks the amperage little higher than usual. And then welds it in couple of pasess.

For instance that trailors are mostly loaded with logs, 1-5 tons of cargo weight, and they mostly drive on bad forest roads.

And for instance as far as I know it has never ocured that any of his axle welds cracked.

Its not so much in the tools and rods and devices...he is just a god damn best welder I ever seen.

jwmacawful · Mon Sep 23, 2013 6:11 pm

someone smarter than me was asked the same question. he said to use an alloy called unobtainium #47 and to accept no substitutes. don't do it!! unless this is a one of a kind vehicle axles are easily had at the junk-yard.

Oddjob83 · Mon Sep 23, 2013 6:41 pm

weldin mike 27 wrote:Hey,

Lets make sure we are on the same page here.

An axle:

I done one of those, the hub snapped off leaving half the hub attached. Took some quick tacking using the break marks to align it. then using a rosebud tip, heated that sucker up till it was cherry red where i needed to weld it. Used regular mig wire es70-2 stuff and 27v-475wfs and poured into it. without even touching it physically i lost a glove on that job. I slow cooled it in a covered rubbermade bin with an aluminum plate on the bottom, and old sandblasting sand. Took 8 hours to cool. my brother in law ran it on the lathe and it was only .020 out of round. it was for a CASCAR, NASCAR for us in the great white north. the guy ran one race and bought a new one. he just didn't have the money for a new one at that time.

Oh yea no I still wouldn't trust it for long term use, but to get you one long trip from A to B and off the highways then sure.

Follow da blue light · Tue Sep 24, 2013 3:07 am

Its a bit of a bad pic but the machined end of the axle is towards the camera, these are for caravan independent suspensions, I churn them out by the dozen, very very few fail, even with traveling in the outback.
(I took the pic to remind myself which way was which......

)

Tue Sep 24, 2013 6:56 am

Hey,

I think an axle off a caravan/ trailer is a different situation to our bedford axle.

Mick

reidy01 · Wed Sep 25, 2013 7:56 pm

Hey Guys sorry for the slow reply things are going crazy. Anyway I should have put more info. But yes it is the axle shaft, and it snapped about an inch and a half to 3quarters past the bearing. Sounds like a real shit fight

I was going to put it in the lathe and make sure it was all in line using a dial indicator. But I think I'll just tell him he's prolly better of getting a new axle. Thanks very much for all your replies.

reidy01 · Wed Sep 25, 2013 7:57 pm

Hey Guys sorry for the slow reply things are going crazy. Anyway I should have put in more info. But yes it is the axle shaft, and it snapped about an inch and a half to 3quarters past the bearing. Sounds like a real shit fight

I was going to put it in the lathe and make sure it was all in line using a dial indicator. But I think I'll just tell him he's prolly better of getting a new axle. Thanks very much for all your replies.

Wed Sep 25, 2013 8:00 pm

Thanks for the clarification.

For an axle shaft, I agree. Replacing it is far safer. Repairing it is specialty work and the results leave you open for liability.

Unless it's a rare vehicle/part, the salvage yard can fix you up on the cheap.

Steve S

jwmacawful · Wed Sep 25, 2013 9:10 pm

jwmacawful wrote:someone smarter than me was asked the same question. he said to use an alloy called unobtainium #47 and to accept no substitutes. don't do it!! unless this is a one of a kind vehicle axles are easily had at the junk-yard.

some jobs just aint worth da aggravation of cranking up the old welding machine. this was prolly one of them.