The pinion shaft has come loose in my diff centre and made contact with the pinion and crown wheel chipping the teeth.

 

The pinion and crown wheel still turn ok so I would like to lock this centre via welding with my arc welder.

 

I have a new diff for the car so don’t care how long the locker lasts. It’s always had a lot of backlash anyway.

 

What I want to know is:

 

• Can I weld the pinion shaft to the differential case? Would I use cast iron rods?

• Do I use cast iron rods when welding the side and pinion gears?

 

Locker will be used at the track for sliding practice.

 

Any help would be dandy.

hey i welded up my ke70s diff its my paddockl basher, i just welded the spider gears together, i just cranked up the amps of my little arc and shuved heaps of rods into the diff. it doesnt take as much strain as if it was on tar but its been done for over half a year and nothins happened yet

i've always cut two steel plates (about 10mm thick) squares that fit inbetween the spiders then weld the gears to the plate, that way if it brakes theres nowhere for it to go, although ive never broken one, technically you should use low hydrogen rods(cast iron rods) for welding cast but you diff is never going to get hot enough to require this IMO

crank up the amps bout 100- 110 if your using 3.2 electrodes. rutile or low hydrogen 16tc's doesnt really matter but low hydros are better. and not all low hydros are cast iron.

 

just weld around the sungears turn it around and do it again also the closer you can get your earth clamp to what you are welding the better cos you don't want your bearings arcing trying to get earth through to what you are welding.......... if your in the trade you know what i mean

 

 

hope this helps Nicko

Excellent info guys. Thanks a lot.

with that welding u be laughing probly wana be aware that u probly bend the teeth on ur axels first b4 u wreck the centre so better have some spare if u don't already have one incase it happens or ur car will be out action for a while trying to find some just a thought

preheat and postheat the diff will give you your best results.

 

Interestingly enough, the engine builder I use has a nice home made oven for welding Cast Iron heads and Blocks. They just built a box out of bricks with no lid and they have 3 of those portable camping ring burners in the bottom. They let it bake before welding and once they're done they just shut off a burner every 15 minutes to slowly lower the temperature.

Edited August 26, 200917 yr by philbey