[Greeno]

Hi, I've been reading up that the front axle housings are prone to bending slightly in coilys....
Is this true? And how easily does that occur?
Sure say if i were to try jump it it is a lot of stress on it. But i haven't tried that, and don't plan to in the near future.
But i do go bashing up dunes a lot and can have some bangs on the front end at a bit if speed.

I also just bought large offset rims which would put more stress on it.

My idea to fix this was to cut up a piece of angle iron that they use at the to of windows in houses (i work in demolition so its easy to find bits and pieces and work with them to save money). Its about 5-7mm thick so i thought cutting that to shape and Welding it on as just a flat piece or making like a triangle brace from diff to bump stop might work.....

Its just an idea as i can get it easily and free instead of buying one made or is that worth it? I know it doesn't cost that much as i would Just put it in the order with the reduction gears from LROR.

Any thoughts? Is it with even doing at all?

[got_bar_work]

I bent mine at stockton

[Greeno]

Was it just easy wheeling or was it doing something quite hard on the gear?
Do you think if it was braced it would have held?

[sideways]

I'd brace it if you hoon around the dunes. It's not hard to get a few feet of air by accident. Coily stuff is only getting rarer too.

[Greeno]

OK cool I'll definitely do it then.....
So does it really matter what you brace it with? As long as its strong i guess?
Also is there a more certain way of doing it for more strength?

[Fatzook]

There are no rules as to what you can use, but HOW is the importantant question. Its very easy to get it wrong. Also, care must be taken while welding the bracing on, as it is very easy to warp/ bend the housing from heat.

[Greeno]

So how would i get it wrong then? I will definitely seeking advice for the welding part.
But can the actual brace be made 'wrong'?

[tanshi]

look at how the ones you can buy are made.
this will give you an idea of what works
http://www.lowrangeoffroad.com/index.ph ... t-kit.html

google images diff trussing, lots of picks and ideas on how best to build one

[got_bar_work]

I hit a ramp on flat sand about a foot high and got air bourn
Just couldnt c it
When u weld it just do a small weld then leave it for a hour then do another small weld on the other side
Leave it again might take a while
Dont just go lay down a long weld of it will bend the shit out of it
Also get the brace to be a snug fit
If u try and weld a gap it will pull in as it cools

[Greeno]

Cool thanks! Dont mind it taking awhile as long as i get it as correct as i can.

I googled as instructed and using a piece of pipe looks like a decent way of doing it aswell. Just need to get flush with the housing all round before welding and take my time.

Thanks guys! Helpful as fullas on here!

[got_bar_work]

I think i used 75x50 rhs

[31zook]

I would like to say that when I 3-linked my jimny I didn't weld and leave for a bit.

I used a super hot heat and tick tacked it together*. I think the downfall for most is that they try to run a giant bead from one end to the other without much thought. I assembled mine by bracing/tacking along the way to reduce the chance of warping it. Which in the end it's not warped and I didn't take days to weld my brace/upper link mount in.

*PS: I know tick tack isn't normally suggested as a way to complete a task, but in this case I think it works best. If you weld an inch then leave it for an hour it will heat-stress-cool, and the next inch has the same effect which I believe would cause early failure. Where as tick tacking heat-heat-heat-heat-heat, then all stresses at the same time and then cools off. Tick tack can be high penetration if set up right and doesn't put allot of heat into the job.

So as a sort of conclusion, I think tick tack is bad in 99.9% of occasions but can be used properly and well.

[SierraDan]

I welded mine on inch welds at a time, seperate furthest ends each time. Kind of like doing up a wheel properly.

[got_bar_work]

31zook wrote:

I would like to say that when I 3-linked my jimny I didn't weld and leave for a bit.

I used a super hot heat and tick tacked it together*. I think the downfall for most is that they try to run a giant bead from one end to the other without much thought. I assembled mine by bracing/tacking along the way to reduce the chance of warping it. Which in the end it's not warped and I didn't take days to weld my brace/upper link mount in.

*PS: I know tick tack isn't normally suggested as a way to complete a task, but in this case I think it works best. If you weld an inch then leave it for an hour it will heat-stress-cool, and the next inch has the same effect which I believe would cause early failure. Where as tick tacking heat-heat-heat-heat-heat, then all stresses at the same time and then cools off. Tick tack can be high penetration if set up right and doesn't put allot of heat into the job.

So as a sort of conclusion, I think tick tack is bad in 99.9% of occasions but can be used properly and well.

Yeah but u know how to weld i just point and shoot

[Greeno]

So that would be something i cannot do being relatively unskilled at welding?

Damn thing sounds like its getting harder and harder haha

[SierraDan]

I am unskilled at welding.

[got_bar_work]

Most of the guys that welded zooks at the factory are unskilled at welding

[Greeno]

SierraDan wrote:

I welded mine on inch welds at a time, seperate furthest ends each time. Kind of like doing up a wheel properly.

Did you do the waiting inbetween? In my head it seems easier doing it like this but without the waiting and going from corner to corner in no hurry. Would that not keep it heated but without continuously pouring heat into it at one point...? Please realise i have no extreme welding experience and know no terminology or differences in metal blah blah. That's just what could seem like right move in my head

[Greeno]

SierraDan wrote:

I am unskilled at welding.

Sorry man, i meant the whole super hot tick tack thing. Sounds far out of my wisdom

[SierraDan]

Thats easier in my opinion.

[Ace]

Why the fk do you need to leave 2 bits of that thickness to cool for an hour? sorry to sound nasty but WHY???

The closer the fit between the two bits, the less it will pull

The closer to the same thickness of the two pieces, the less it will pull

The more you can tack the full length (if you put one at each end and then tack in between - a lot), the less it will pull

"bead" runs and "stitching" a weld - is far better than a full weld.

If you can make a jig to bolt the axle housing to while doing this the better

[Gwagensteve]

got_bar_work wrote:

Most of the guys that welded zooks at the factory are unskilled at welding

I know that was a bit of a throw away line, but, in reality, cars are made down to a price. Race quality welds are expensive and slow - the fastest possible weld that does the job is all that's required.

Some of the welds on a sierra chassis look terrible, but the parts are intelligently designed and when kept within factory parameters, factory welds almost never fail.

Greeno, welding a truss to a front axle is a pretty skilled task. In all likelyhood, you will warp the housing. A slightly warped housing might not really be an issue in the front though, because the full-floating nature of a front axle means small changes in alignment aren't critical.

However, you need to be VERY smart about where and how you brace the housing. Bracing the housing between the shock/coil mount looks like the obvious place to do it, but in reality, the real force is between the shock mount and the knuckle. Whilst it looks like you need to brace the housing like this:



It might actually make the problem worse because it's transferring the bending force into a smaller area - from the shock mount to the knuckle.

This might be the better way to truss the housing, because you might be able to run the truss right out the knuckles.



I know this is a rear, but my point stands



All up though, there's quite a long way between welding some steel you have lying around to your axle and designing a functional truss that achieves what you want. Worst case scenario is a bent housing that isn't actually any stronger than stock.

Anyways, I'm just throwing some ideas out there.

Steve.

[SierraDan]

Knuckle gussets are good also.

[Gwagensteve]

I've spent some time trying to work out if knuckle gussets can be used on a sierra, and I just don't think there's room, unlike nissan/toyota. Has anyone done it?

Steve.

[Fatzook]

SierraDan wrote:

I welded mine on inch welds at a time, seperate furthest ends each time. Kind of like doing up a wheel properly.

I do them in a similar manner. TIG helps control heat also. But I will do a stitch at each end, and one in the middle, then wrap in kevlar blanket for 15 mins and go do something else. This lets it cool slowly, and also serves to heat the rest of the housing to a similar temp, reducing localised hot spots around the welds. Takes 2-3 hours doing it this way, but it hasn't failed me yet.

[atari4x4]

monkey did them on his jimny, NFI how much difference there is between the jimny & sierra though.

[Fatzook]

Gwagensteve wrote:

I've spent some time trying to work out if knuckle gussets can be used on a sierra, and I just don't think there's room, unlike nissan/toyota. Has anyone done it?

Steve.

Yep.

[SierraDan]

Gwagensteve wrote:

I've spent some time trying to work out if knuckle gussets can be used on a sierra, and I just don't think there's room, unlike nissan/toyota. Has anyone done it?

Steve.

I made some a little while ago. Never go around to welding them on though.

Also, in that link tanshi provided from LROR they include knuckle gussets

[Fatzook]

Housing I did for Bruce.

[31zook]

Neat work FZ!