Technical Warped Axle Housing

I welded some "C" shaped brackets on my '46 merc rear and caused it to warp some on the ends. The beads go 180 degrees around the housing. Some folks are telling me that if I weld a bead around the back side of these welds it should pull it back and that I can tweak it with successive passed. Anyone have experience with this?

 

Search around on here. There is a thread or two about that. It seems that about 50% of the answers say that you can do what you are saying. Some say just heating the area opposite the weld will do it. I never had to try it. That being said give it a try. What you have is damaged already, so you can't hurt it.

 

Heat will do it.

 

Hi Phil, a couple of years ago I had the rear axle housing narrowed in my Model A (avatar) by
C & F Race Cars, Ramsey MN. When they started their work they notified me that the housing was warped from a previous owner welding the brackets for the 4 link. They went ahead and did the work and then straightened the housing by laying 3-5" beads across the housing, each end, to bring the axle back to correct configuration, never knew that could be done, amazed me. They told me that I could dress down the welds if I took my time with my grinder and a bucket of cold water, making sure the housing didn't get hot, took me all afternoon, happy with the results!

 

Seems to me it stands to reason it can work. Years ago I had a Jeep that a body man, a chassis straightening specialist, did exactly that to straighten a housing that had a slight bend near the outer end.

The heat concentration of welding apparently shrinks the metal, as is amply demonstrated when welding almost any two pieces together. The thing I am curious to know is whether that shrinkage, when further applied to the opposite side to straighten, changes the overall length of the axle housing enough to matter.

Ray

 

interesting

 

Welding or heating to the other side will pull it back while putting stress in the metal Heating the whole area where you welded and the other side red hot at the same time should relax the stresses put in by welding.

 

Not enough to matter, a few thousandths at best. I've done a bunch of em that way and had no trouble getting things back together.

 

I'm no engineer, but folks are WAY over concerned about this . Put it together and run the sonofabitch! You think those axle tubes don't bend all over the place under load?
It's just more hot rod bullshit from armchair builders.

 

It's a smart man who recognizes his own limitations.......

Ray

 

I'm starting to feel like Tman in another thread... Why doncha just go buy a Volvo?... pussies.

 

"I'm no engineer, but folks are WAY over concerned about this . Put it together and run the sonofabitch! You think those axle tubes don't bend all over the place under load?
It's just more hot rod bullshit from armchair builders."

Some, maybe not you, would be very humbled if after you "modified" your rear end housing to have a 4 wheel alignment done..........................................

 

Oh, yeah...Years in the frame & wheel business make for few 'surprises'...

 

First laugh of the day!!!!

 

I've run several "bent" rear ends. Some from welding, some from overloading. Never had a problem.

 

The tapered housings on early Ford Banjo rearends tend to warp more than straight tube housings.
If not straightened it will eventually eat the outer bearings & housing ends. Learned this one the hard way.

 

"The tapered housings on early Ford Banjo rearends tend to warp more than straight tube housings.
If not straightened it will eventually eat the outer bearings & housing ends. Learned this one the hard way."
I started a thread on this very subject, Banjo rear ends, wanted to know if I needed to build a jig to keep "things" straight most all said the opposite, Banjo Trumpets don't warp like conventional rears when welded on. I will be building a jig.................................

 

Is that why rear radius rod kits, like Pete & Jakes, have a bracket that is to be welded completely around the housing?
And do you weld say, an inch or so on one side of the bracket and then the same amount on the other side, switching back and forth as you complete the weld?
Would that keep warping to a minimum? (Banjo rear or later rear?)

 

This is about the best rebuttal in the thread for Chaz' attitude, from a guy who has very much "Been there and done that".
I would suggest that the OP pay attention to this rather than some of the other know it all comments.

Roo

 

Well it's off enough the the bearing is tight so I gotta fix it. Remember banjo rear end axle bearings. Keep smokin'.