Posted by Patrick M. on June 5, 2009, 12:06 am, in reply to "Re: ARB diff lockers"
211.26.93.225

Hi Ned Sorry Mate I thought for some reason you were in Perth. When you weld such as the block to the axle housing the area welded will expand the axle length along that line (and not come back even once cooled) pushing the line of the outer bearing on that side out of alignment with the other bearing and the diff centre giving your stub axle on that side a missalignment. In other words it's the same as having bent your axle housing. If you can find the installation instructions for the block it will detail how to pre-stress the axle housing and overcome this problem. I had a similar problem when I welded a jerry can holder to the A frame of my off-road trailer. A few weeks after I did it I notice a bend in the A frame and took it along to a mate who was a metal fabricator welder with the view of strengthening it and stopping any more bending, he informed me that it was form welding the holder to the top of the A frame which has bent it not the weight or travelling on hard roads. He then got out his big torch and heated up the bottom of the A frame opposite where the welds had been made and it all expanded back to where it was supposed to be, and it never moved again. When I changed over mine I used the later stub axles and all but I remember there was some litte hitch, I think the later stubs and hubs had a 10mm difference in outward position but it was easily fixed, just can't remember how I did it though. The oils seals I did away with and had it set up so the diff oil fed the CV joints as well as the hubs, worked really well although you has to lift the oil level in the diff so that it reaches the hubs. The oil feeding the CV's and hubs from the diff by the way was Mal Storey's (Maxi Drive) idea. Good idea to because as long as you keep oil levels up in the diff then you know the CV's and hubs are OK. Regards:- Patrick M. --Previous Message-- : I'm in Victoria Pat. I have the locating : bracket from my initial RR. I didn't do any : pre-stress when I welded the other two I've : done, and have had no trouble. What might : happen? Will the axle casing distort? : : I see the difference between the '84 and the : '95. The drive flange bolts are a little : heavier and different thread, easily fixed : by drilling the maxi flange bolt holes to 11 : mm, and I will possibly need to shave about : 3mm off the maxi axles length. The other : problem is the internal oil seal in the back : of the stub axle. I like this feature of : keeping the diff oil in the diff and using : grease in the wheel bearings, but coming up : with a solution for the oil seal on the maxi : axle is the biggest problem. Will go to see : my engineer friend. : : Ned : : :