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trickgq
15th July 2012, 11:06 AM
Hi Guys,
returned from a trip and found my car had leak coming from the front axle housing. When looking from the front there is a triangular weld to the right side of the diff housing, the crack was on the lower diagonal weld, not beside the weld. Didn't hit ant rocks or anything and seems strange that it would crack on the weld as though the seem had opened up. Have welded it back up but wanted to know if anyone has had this or heard of it and an explanation of why.
Cheers Luke
threedogs
15th July 2012, 11:13 AM
Might not help, but most cracks occur next to the weld, material is more brittle there. Quenching with a wet rag after welding may help.
Ben-e-boy
15th July 2012, 11:13 AM
is your diff housing straight?? for it to crack there its possible you might have a bent housing, been doing any jumps lately?
Ben-e-boy
15th July 2012, 11:14 AM
Might not help, but most cracks occur next to the weld, material is more brittle there. Quenching with a wet rag after welding may help.

or there is no penetration or full of perosity
threedogs
15th July 2012, 11:29 AM
May need to laminate it as well as weld in gusset for steering knuckles, weakest point is where its welded to the knuckle
trickgq
15th July 2012, 03:20 PM
havn,t been doin any jumps lately and it seems straight by eye. there is no penetration and what is porosity.
nissannewby
15th July 2012, 05:10 PM
Do not quech it after welding this will make it brittle you are better of letting it cool naturally. Perosity can occur when the are hasnt been prepped there sint enough flux/gas provided for the job and it looks like the weld has little holes in it. What size tyres are you running? By what you have described its like the diff is started to bend up hence it has cracked where it has.
Robo
16th July 2012, 02:26 AM
X2 on let cool naturally.
No water.

checking alignment will tell ya if you have bent housing.
caster would be out of spec.
trickgq
16th July 2012, 05:44 PM
The crack on the weld was on the original weld not the one i did. Didn,t quench after welding and I'm running 35,s. Thanks for the replies, i'll get an alignment and go from there. Any ideas on what the cost of a 2,nd hand axle/diff housing would be.