JK to TJ Rear Axle Swap: Slow Build
- Thread starter S.McArthur
- Start date
OP
I’ve been trying to take good pictures, but I’m too cheap to buy an overpriced camera I can talk with.Come on man, you know you just stole that image from Google
Kidding of course
I really thought I’d have a good write up about this process, but there’s not much to it. Cut, prep, paste, add a few measurements and done.
And I don’t use google...duck duck go, “less” tracking.
Yes, I've been using Duck Duck Go a lot lately for the same reasons. My step-dad is doing it too.
Of course don't worry, once they get big enough, they'll start tracking you, and then you'll just have to find the next smaller search engine to take their place, haha.
Anyways, the axle looks great so far. That's going to be quite the stout axle from the looks of it.
OP
Not bad for a guy who just learned to weld this week.
And I spoke too soon...
Welding is fun and frustrating at the same time. I’ll make a good bead and then completely make a booger. Guess I’ll be cleaning some welds.
And I spoke too soon...
Welding is fun and frustrating at the same time. I’ll make a good bead and then completely make a booger. Guess I’ll be cleaning some welds.
OP
I’m pretty consistent making a good weld then a booger weld. I wasn’t going to post the crap weld, but I think it’s needed to give hope to us mere mortals.
OP
Me too, it’s a good skill to have. We did GTAW/TIG and it seems difficult, but it’s super easy once you get the process down.
Stick welding can go to hell, I was not a fan.
Yes, I think just being able to MIG weld alone would probably set me up for just about anything I'd ever need to do.
I learned stick first, that’s what everyone who welds taught me. I love MIG but being able to stick weld is a skill that comes in handy when you don’t think you need it. Car battery and a rod and we fixed my buddies control arm on the trail lol! Of course I learned welding tractors so 1/2” thick metal sometimes.
Had you spent a few minutes posting up some test welds, we could have walked you through some ways to improve. You're moving the electrode way too much and you are running way too cold. Turn the wire speed down if you can, that will slow down the deposition rate and heat the weld up some, then slow way down on the tip movement and concentrate on letting the weld build up to the height and width you are after with deposition, not tip movement as in side to side washing.
The problem with stick welding is you need clear vision and a lot of practice to distinguish between the puddle of flux and the actual weld puddle. It looks like you are laying down a lot of material and after the flux is chipped off, you have thin stringy booger bead that walks back and forth between the two weldment faces.
OP
Everything you said was the feedback I was getting here. I just finished welding the truss, I have improved quite a bit yet there are still some issues. Overall, I'd call it a success, I need a butt load of practice. If I was trying to act like I knew what I was doing, I wouldn't have posted those welds and acted like an internet hero.
As of now, I'm going to clean up a few of the boogers and get it ready for paint. I need to get into @toximus build thread in reference to re-locating a brake t-block thing/brake line setup and the other things we (Blaine) spoke about.
I haven't been following, so please excuse this post if it's out of line.
You might want to redo some of those welds. It doesn't look like you have enough penetration into the axle tube. It can end up brittle and those welds will crack right out of the tube and take your control arms with it...
Practice on some scrap and use a hammer to make it fail. Ideally your welds fail after the material.
It took me about a month putting in 8 hour days to have welds that I was happy with.
You might want to redo some of those welds. It doesn't look like you have enough penetration into the axle tube. It can end up brittle and those welds will crack right out of the tube and take your control arms with it...
Practice on some scrap and use a hammer to make it fail. Ideally your welds fail after the material.
It took me about a month putting in 8 hour days to have welds that I was happy with.
OP
I know the feeling. After so much waiting I was itching to get going on my build too.
OP
I'm searching your build thread, can you direct me where the post about routing/mounting your parking brake post is. No rush, I'm gathering info for the next steps.
https://wranglertjforum.com/threads...e-adventure-lj-story.9956/page-14#post-260133
and
https://wranglertjforum.com/threads...e-adventure-lj-story.9956/page-14#post-261740
After a few shake down runs I will be returning back to mount the cables to the axle without the zipties around the tube. I know how I'm going to do it, I just need to do it...
OP