So I welded my axle tubes on a Ford 8.8 swap I知 doing and I just did it with
.035 flux core wire so the tubes wouldn稚 spin on the trail. I told myself it was a cheap junkyard axle and if it spins a tube I値l just replace it. Now I知 putting gears in it so I want it done right. Haha. Well when I was welding my welder started sputtering and welding like crap. So now I知 wondering if I should grind it down and start again or if I should send it. I知 weary of grinding it down bc I don稚 wanna warp the axle. Any input is appreciated. Thanks.

 

Id grind it out and start over. And practice on scrap metal

 

I am assuming you are trying to weld that with 120v power. If so, you need a bigger welder wired on 240v, period. The welds you have now are not penetrating and just puddling up.

 

what you are saying makes a whole lot of sense. I知 trying to weld with a Hobart handler 140. I welded these leaf perches on and you could tell it penetrated because the metal turns rainbow. The welds above were also done with a stock ground clamp which was making it pop and sputter.

 

There is a big difference from welding in a spring perch and what you are doing with the axle. The perch will actually get hot, the axle may not. When welding the tube, you are trying to weld it to a huge, thick, cast spindle. That thing will dissipate (maybe deflect is the better word here) heat way faster than the axle tube. Best thing to do in your situation is pre heat it (spindle) like crazy with a torch. Don't worry, it's not going to warp, it's cast.

 

Definitely grind it out and redo. Definitely preheat AND postheat, as it's cast and prone to cracking. Definitely use a 240v welder. Definitely clean slag after stopping if not a continuous weld if using fluxcore. Fluxcore can be used but I highly recommend using a gas welder, or 7018 rod using a stick welder, slag rule applies if doing stick. And remember, with slag, drag.

One more thing, when grinding out the old weld, make sure you get all the slag out of the pits/low spots with a wire brush or chisel/punch...slag inclusions will breed rust and contribute to cracking later.

 

Thanks for all the advice and expertise. In the beginning I was thinking I could do this myself but i don稚 have a 220v welder so I think I知 going to find someone who can do it for me. Maybe I can see if someone on the forum can do it. Who knows. Thank you for the input.

 

A titanium 170 welder from harbor freight runs on 120 and 240 and Kicks the **** out of transformer 120 welders.

Inverter welders are scarey but man they are very capable machines when it comes to glueing metal together.