Barnett Diff Covers

Hardfacing wire is used to put a very hard and abrasion-resistant surface on an item. It's used on excavation equipment all the time. I assume mrblaine is recommending that because it is very resistant to sliding on rocks, not because it makes welding wrought steel to cast steel easier. Welding wrought to cast requires pre-heating and controlled cooling because the two materials expand at different rates as they cool and will crack if not done properly. I think a high silicone wire will help with that, but it takes some skill to do it right either way.
Generally you are correct, in this case not quite as critical. Cast is like steel in that there are dozens upon dozens of different alloys or mixtures that achieve the desired strength, elongation, and hardness one is after. In our world, we like the high strength nodular iron and the cast in the stock TJ Dana 44 center section is very close to that. It requires very little to prep it for this type of welding. Basically get it shiny clean, heat it up slightly to drive out any moisture, crank the Mig up a bit higher and run a hot fast pass, then back down to normal and do a cover pass over the top of that. Cover it with a welding blanket or piece of fiberglass insulation to keep any breeze off of it that will fast cool it and it's good to go.

OTOH, the crap iron that is in a Ford 8.8 is so challenging to weld using all the high zoot specialized space age alloy electrode, heat, cool, peen, stand on one leg, twirl while whistling the Ode to Fancy Welding anthem off key while wearing a sombrero and it still fails, that we won't even try any more. It is a crap axle anyway, why bother?
 
In addition to. The plate still wears away, the hard facing slows that way down. I know of almost no grown or mostly grown adult male who hasn't seen hard facing before, they likely just didn't know what they were looking at.

It is done on most any implement that digs in the ground. Backhoe buckets, dozer blades, etc. to slow down wear.
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As you say, having operated heavy equipment for a living many, many moons ago, I've seen this often. Also as you say I didn't know what I was looking at.

Thanks for the education!
 
In addition to. The plate still wears away, the hard facing slows that way down. I know of almost no grown or mostly grown adult male who hasn't seen hard facing before, they likely just didn't know what they were looking at.

So that is what that crosshatching is! I have wondered what that is whenever I see one but always forget it immediately after the moment passes. Thanks for explaining that mystery.
 
Skids make it worse. Best thing to do is pull the housing, flip it over, weld a strip of 1/4" that is even with the gasket edge to just short of the edge of the front shoulder. Weld that after some serious cleaning of the iron. That will buy you lots of time.
Skid was in the way all day. Fuck that thing.
 
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For reference, here is the Dana 30 cover that will work with the correct number.

Screenshot_20220118-223430.png
 
On Monday, I posted an update on my quest for front axles and gears from Revolution to the forum, and in that I noted that I had also contacted T and J for an update on the Barnett covers, but was waiting to hear back. I promised to post what I heard. I just got off the phone with them, and they are at their wit's end dealing with this. They honestly don't know when to expect the blanks from Dana.

I guess, like more and more of our favorite parts, patience is a virtue, my friends! I'm so over these supply-chain issues!
 
The 40869 is stamped on my lp30 housing from a 2005 lj. I think it was mentioned previously that a hp30 cover was needed. Seems that cover isn't just a hp30 cover only.
 
Dana finished good number for the 30 cover is 707180X and is still showing backordered until the second week of June.
 
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Skids make it worse. Best thing to do is pull the housing, flip it over, weld a strip of 1/4" that is even with the gasket edge to just short of the edge of the front shoulder. Weld that after some serious cleaning of the iron. That will buy you lots of time.
About how wide is the strip? Would T1 or ar400 work better than mild? I’m assuming you are referring to a36/mild.
 
Generally you are correct, in this case not quite as critical. Cast is like steel in that there are dozens upon dozens of different alloys or mixtures that achieve the desired strength, elongation, and hardness one is after. In our world, we like the high strength nodular iron and the cast in the stock TJ Dana 44 center section is very close to that. It requires very little to prep it for this type of welding. Basically get it shiny clean, heat it up slightly to drive out any moisture, crank the Mig up a bit higher and run a hot fast pass, then back down to normal and do a cover pass over the top of that. Cover it with a welding blanket or piece of fiberglass insulation to keep any breeze off of it that will fast cool it and it's good to go.

OTOH, the crap iron that is in a Ford 8.8 is so challenging to weld using all the high zoot specialized space age alloy electrode, heat, cool, peen, stand on one leg, twirl while whistling the Ode to Fancy Welding anthem off key while wearing a sombrero and it still fails, that we won't even try any more. It is a crap axle anyway, why bother?
That last paragraph was the height of linguistic welding artistry.
 
On Monday, I posted an update on my quest for front axles and gears from Revolution to the forum, and in that I noted that I had also contacted T and J for an update on the Barnett covers, but was waiting to hear back. I promised to post what I heard. I just got off the phone with them, and they are at their wit's end dealing with this. They honestly don't know when to expect the blanks from Dana.

I guess, like more and more of our favorite parts, patience is a virtue, my friends! I'm so over these supply-chain issues!
I’m so over the supply chain issues too, but now we have to live with the consequences of our stupidity. I told people in 2020 that if they went along with this BS the economic problem would be far greater than a little virus. What, we can stop working and everything will be fine? I don’t think so. It’s time to pay the piper. 🙄
 
I’m so over the supply chain issues too, but now we have to live with the consequences of our stupidity. I told people in 2020 that if they went along with this BS the economic problem would be far greater than a little virus. What, we can stop working and everything will be fine? I don’t think so. It’s time to pay the piper. 🙄
I need about 6 people to make my revenue targets this month...Do you and your kids wanna move to beautiful Michigan and work? Decent money and lots of life skills LOL!
 
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I need about 6 people to make my revenue targets this month...Do you and your kids wanna move to beautiful Michigan and work? Decent money and lots of life skills LOL!
It’s more tempting than you might imagine. Of course, we’re working here, but workers could be pooling together. It may be the way of the future.
 
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I received my Dana 44 Barnett covers today! The blanks were different for the two I got, which is not surprising because T and J is getting creative on sourcing blanks since production is extremely limited. I know that they got some from Dana/Spicer, and one of mine looks like a new blank was used. The other has no Dana stamp visible, is a slightly thicker blank, has a larger fill hole in a slightly different location, is shaped a little different, and has some rust pitting on the inside, so I suspect it was a used core, maybe from a Dodge pickup, since they used the thicker cover, I think. Don't misunderstand - I'm not complaining about the used core. It's gonna work just fine, and I have it in hand!

The price was $169 (they're still listed on their web site at $160), and that nominal increase didn't bother me. They are asking for cores when you order (if you have them) so that they can keep producing them. Unfortunately, my stock covers, as with all TJ Dana 44 covers (I think - not sure), are the thin wall that they can't use due to warping.