RowdyRebel

whew....JUST about done.

I've got 200 amp service to the house...just 15 amp breakers in the box at the outlets I tend to use the welder in....and it's only a 110v welder. Book said it should be plugged into a 20 amp breaker, so that's what I figger I'd need to not get it to trip. Can't wait to get my shop built...gonna have that wired up for what I need. Anyway, it's all welded & ground smooth. I even welded a new nub on top to hold the spring seat, since the one that was on there was broke (and I lost it when the wire wheel on the grinder flung it across the garage while I was TRYING to clean it up Anyway, once the primer has a chance to set up, gonna put a coat or two of paint on there...let that set for a bit and start reassembling it. Yeah, it SHOULD have been painted last night so it'd have a chance to get good 'n dry, but I ain't got time for that so I gotta work with what I've got. Grabbing a quick snack and back outside I go.

OK...I'm thinking I need to buy a generator. Either that or replace the 15A breakers with 20A, because this is getting tedious. I can only weld about 3/4" at a time before the breaker pops and I have to quit and reset the breaker, chip off the slag, brush it up to get it cleaned up again, and continue welding. I used to pop the breaker when I was building the trailer for my brother, but only when welding the 3/8" on the tongue...and even then, it wasn't as often that the breaker popped. Even then, though, I didn't have the welder cranked up as high as I do now, though...'bout half way through my second pass now...prolly gonna take one more, then grind it smooth and start puttin'er back together.

It was only hypothetical until I started tearing things apart and found it....kinda like if ya can't see it, it don't exist. Anyway, now that I'm fixing it, it is as real as real gets. I'd better get back to work on it, though, if I'm going to get it fixed and put back together today.

<---- It was out of warranty long before I bought it.

What I've been seeing: So, when I got home last night, I dropped the trailer, dumped the airbags and chained the axles and then put the truck up onto the lift. Today, I got to work pulling it apart... ...and this is what I found Well, I got it all cleaned up. Tomorrow, I get to drill out the ends of the crack, grind a groove along the crack, weld it up, grind it smooth, and hope I can remember how it all goes back together. For now, though, it's up for the night.

I think I need a bigger impact gun These stupid barrel nuts are always a PITA to get off...bent up more than one 3/4" T-bar wrapping a chain around it and using my engine hoist to break 'em loose. I bought a 40" breaker bar the other night, figuring it might come in handy... Pulling the wheels off to get the axle broke down enough to inspect it, and had 5 barrel nuts that my 3/4" gun just wouldn't budge. So, I used the 40" breaker bar I bought the other night (yeah, I've had this problem before...Sears is starting to wonder about my super-human strength returning 3/4" drive sliding T handle on multiple occasions after bending the dern thing all to hell...sticking a pipe on the end for extra leverage and using an engine hoist to do the lifting will tend to do that to a tool), and the 40" breaker bar got the first 4 broke loose easy enough that I was just starting to think that maybe I really don't NEED a bigger impact gun after all, but on the 5th one, as I'm leaning on the breaker bar, the barrel nut broke loose with a pop. As quickly as it started moving, it stopped......and when it stopped, the flex in the handle got to rebounding against my weight leaning down on the handle.....and I'm not sure if I broke my friggin' hand or if it's just bruised real bad internally. Hurts like a MFer, and the pain goes up into my wrist. Anyway, it's only pain...never been one to let a little pain stop me from getting things done. Getting on with the project, I found a use for the old steel rims that I removed & replaced several months ago. I raised the rear end of the truck up enough that I set a rim under each side of the front drive axle. I have the axles chained so as not to over-extend the suspension, and the air is dumped from the bags. The brakes hold the truck in place, since the tires are still on the front axle...even if they ARE up on those other rims instead of on the ground. Then, I loosened the u-bolts on the left side, and using a 3 1/2 ton floor jack under the left side tires, loosened the chain a little to allow the axle to drop some, as well as to give it a little flexibility without tweaking something on the other side the wrong way when I lower the other side. Right rear tires were removed, then I caged the brake chamber and pulled the drum as well just in case it required more disassembly as I get further into the project. I put another one of the old junk steel rims on facing out, and used a chain hooked onto the hole in the rim to attach to the engine hoist so I can raise and lower that side of the axle as needed. I got the u-bolts off, and removed all of the spacers and everything else that was in the way, then used a little purple power to get it cleaned up to see if I could spot the crack. Yup. There it is. The wheel-end side of the crack is in a spot on the rear face of the axle housing where it could probably be welded (per that service bulletin I was sent....thanks again for that ), and only a hair over 4" in length.....but the crack goes up around to the top as it makes its way toward the center of the truck. Although it hasn't exceeded the maximum length, the fact that it encompasses both the rear and top of the housing (which puts it within 3/4" of the corner), I'm afraid I might have to replace the axle housing at some point in the near future. I'm still going to go ahead and weld it up to get it to quit leaking, but at least now I know to start shopping for a rear axle. Now the fun part. I removed the air bag, Z bar, torque rod, and shock from that side, too...gives me plenty of room to work. Drained the oil from the axle, and pulled the axle shaft. I think that's enough for tonight. Hopefully I get more work done (and take a few less breaks) tomorrow...gotta have it all back together to work Monday. I'll get started by drilling out the ends of the cracks, grind a groove along the crack, clean it all up, weld it, grind it smooth, and flush the axle tube. Then I get to put everything back together. I hope I remember how it goes. It'll be OK if I have extra parts left over, as long as those extra pieces are u-bolts....I have 4 new ones to use when I put the axle back together. I'll post some pics once I get the camera in here....gotta go get the tools put away for the night.

I dunno....I prefer something a little more like this

Better to repower with a Cat than to send it to the scrap heap....at least the old truck is still on the road working.

http://www.ebaumsworld.com/video/watch/81092441/

eh...just hack a little off your stacks to make up for it...that's what I did.

Dammit. 30 was only a year or so ago for me and I don't remember it at all

The vehicle with the biggest tires has the right of way. Go big or go home. ...not to mention, the taller the tires, the more clearance you have to get under the truck when you need to work on it.

I'm just an amateur, self-taught welder myself....I weld what I have to weld, especially if it'll save me a few bucks. That wire-feed welder has more than paid for itself over the years.

I bought a Hobart Handler 140. I had wanted the next bigger one, as it would weld a slightly wider range of thicknesses....but they weren't in stock, and this one fit the bill for what I needed to do. I remember I hauled it home on the back of my motorcycle, which leads me to believe I was PROBABLY working on my F250...but can't remember what exactly I was needing to do on it. So far, it's served my purposes well running flux-core wire. I could reverse the polarity and buy some shielding gas to run various types of solid wire for a wider variety of metals...but I just haven't had the need to do that. I've also got oxy/acetylene that I use for cutting and brazing. I haven't welded with gas, yet...I usually just use the welder. Actually, since getting the power hacksaw from my grandpa's garage, I rarely use the gas to cut....only opting for the torch-cut if I can't use the power hacksaw. I've looked at stick welders, too...but just can't justify buying another welder when the wire-feed has been capable of welding everything I've needed welded. Almost forgot a few other things.... ...bracket for the hydraulic pump ...and welding an exhaust clamp around the muffler is cheaper than buying a new muffler... That was a tough weld, though. I ran out of .30 wire, so I had to use .35...and it was dern near impossible to get it welded without blowing holes through the muffler. Ain't the prettiest looking weld, but it does it's job.

PBS has a showcase of some of his best performances on right now 'til 10:30... ....sucks 'cuz it's gonna be an early mornin' for me If I watch it 'til it's over, I'll have a whopping 4 hours between my head hitting the pillow and the alarm waking me up. Oh well...I'll sleep plenty when I'm dead.

Full lockers rock. Can't turn for $#!t with 'em locked in, but you can bulldoze your way though quite a bit if ya got decent tires. The freightshaker company truck had full lockers on 2 switches....one for the power divider, one for the diff locks. That was a great set-up....if you just needed a little extra traction or had to be able to steer, you could just use the power divider. If it got ugly, you could lock 'em all in and try to get out.

If I were in this hypothetical predicament, I too have an air compressor in the garage...even ran a line through the wall so I have air out by where the truck parks... I've also got a 3/4" impact gun and other assorted tools, as well as a flux-core wire-feed welder (I could buy the gas...but it's cheaper/easier to just use the flux core) as well as oxy/acetylene to pre-heat the part to be welded....and that's right here where there is no drive at all. I'm a self-taught welder...no formal training. When the aluminum shift linkage for the transfer case on the F250 broke on a cold winters day, since Ford wanted WAY too much money for a new one, I built one with some steel parts that bolted right in... ...Built my brother a motorcycle hauler a couple years ago, too... ...and fabbed up a grille for my '92 Ranger beater truck.... ...not to mention the 2" receiver I welded into the rear crossmember on the Mack... IF I ever run into this hypothetical situation, I think I'll be aight...

I guess you missed the first line of the hypothetical scenario..... "Suppose money was tight"

I know he's come awful close to having to guard against my right hook...

Nope...no AC. Cheap SOB I work for refuses to fix it.

Suppose money was tight. And suppose during your post trip inspection, you notice oil on the u-bolts holding a drive axle to the suspension. It would be a logical possibility that the axle housing might have a hairline crack in it, which would allow the gear oil to seep out. So assuming you found the time to dig into the problem....probably would have to drain the oil, jack up the suspension, remove the wheels, support the end of the axle separate from the suspension, remove the u-bolts and clean off the oil/dirt that has accumulated in order to inspect the axle housing for any cracks. Suppose, hypothetically speaking of course, that there was, indeed, a crack found on the housing. Could it be safely welded? Perhaps drill the 2 ends of the crack until the drill bit tip is just shy of breaking through to stop the crack from spreading farther, then run a cut-off wheel/grinder to cut a wedge into the axle housing along the crack to get a good surface that can be cleaned of any oil residue....then run a bead to fill it back in....maybe grind the bead smooth and repaint so it wouldn't be too obvious to a casual observer.... What about just using a pressure washer to force degreaser and water through the crack to clean it up before brazing it to fill in the crack and get the leak to quit leaking? Which way would be the better way to go about fixing this hypothetical leak? Could either of these fixes be considered safe enough, so that the expense of replacing the axle housing could be avoided altogether? What are some potential problems that may arise should a crack be found and repaired in either manner? Would welding or brazing possibly create a weak spot on the axle housing which would be prone to breaking? What steps, if taken, could reduce/prevent the formation of a weak spot where the repair was made? Would either fix be better than just leaving the crack alone until money was available to replace the axle housing? Or would attempting to fix it just make the hypothetical problem worse? If the hypothetical axle housing crack is welded or brazed, and a DOT occifer happens to spot the repair during a roadside inspection, would it be an OOS? Would the wet u-bolts, if you do nothing, be enough for the occifer to place the truck OOS since it would be logical for him to assume there may be a crack on the axle housing? This is all hypothetical, of course....so what would y'all do if it wasn't?

OK....let's talk. I had to unload under a kiln on a 105 degree, +95% humidity day....clear blue sky with the sun beating down onto the black asphalt lot...and the driver before me plugged up the line and left it. So, I got to spend the first hour unplugging the line with a loaded trailer, where he probably could have had it unclogged in less than 10 minutes with his empty trailer. When I got done unplugging the line and got my trailer started unloading, just for S&G, I grabbed my thermometer out of the truck and put it in a shady spot near where I had been working. Didn't take 2 minutes for it to max out Of course I don't have AC in my truck, either....so I stood behind the engine fan to cool off

Manual transmission vehicles have had cruise control for a long time. Every semi tractor I've ever driven has had cruise...and all but one have been manual transmissions. My '96 F250 is a manual transmission w/ cruise control. Grandpa had an 86 Tempo w/ a manual transmission and cruise....traded that in for a '95 Contour that had a manual transmission and cruise. Only difference is that with an auto, the trans will downshift for you. With a manual, you have to be paying attention because if it starts to lug going up a hill, the cruise will turn itself off. On a Mack, just take up the free play in the clutch to disengage the cruise, bump the throttle to make your shift, and then release the clutch again and the cruise turns back on. That caught me by surprise when I first bought my truck because I was used to a freightshaker where tapping the clutch pedal would turn off the cruise until you reached back up and hit the dash switch to turn it back on.