9 INCH TECH QUESTIONS

I read somewhere that NASCAR Detroit Lockers are different. Something about modifications for left turns only. Just might want to check it out.
I have the jig to narrow and/or replace bearing ends. I have used it several times. YES...warpage is an issue. So is welding sheet metal. Slow down and cool the metal. The jig helps. I tack weld the whole housing to my bench or to to my frame table. Getting the inside of the housing clean after all this work is real important and quite difficult. I finally found a shop that had a large enough hot tank to clean them. Good time for a back brace or a truss.
Just a couple of steps to add to the list....

the jig you are talking about, is it the long pipe with the inserts that go where the bearing go to keep it all straight?

Should I keep that in when i do the suspension mounts and the rear brace?

Yep...the long piece of solid bar stock with the bearing cup adapters on the ends with the center section bolted in. Welding the housing to a flat surface also gives you a 'bench mark' to square and align everything that you are welding in place.

detroit lockers only come in 28,31 and 35 spline. just tack your ends on while measuring and setting bracket i to tack the housing to a I beam fixture then cut the end lose and use a bearing fixture align bearing ends and weld
dragweek quickest street rod
2009 2010

Here's my ancient housing jig setup I made years ago. The C/L alignment bar works with both small & big bearing housing ends. And the jig table rotate 360* to make it easier to do assorted welding on housings.



The C/L alignment bar it's self isn't used to hold the housing straight while other assorted welding is done to the housing (brackets, back brace, etc, etc) that's not it's job. Holding the housing "straight" (tweaking/preloading the axle tube centerlines around if necessary) while welding on the housing is done by bolting/clamping/tack welding the housing to the jig table. The C/L alignment bar's only job is to hold the housing ends in place while tacking/welding them in place. This is done after all the other assorted welding is done to the housing.

Frank, if you still want to do your own housing, contact this guy, Addicted2blnalky@aol.com he makes housing narrowing jigs. Here's a link to his ebay add http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/FORD-9-GM-10-12-BOLT-REAR-END-NARROWING-JIG-/220747299803?pt=Motors_Automotive_Tools&hash=item3365907bdb. Looks like a good tool at an affordable price. I'm going to get one myself.

68stangbbf wrote:email sent.

so i went to see the "barely used" rear and all i can say is wow!!!!!!! One of the best internet or wherever deals ever!

Looks practically new, even had the user manuals for the detroit locker, all receipts everything....pics in morning!

Picked up the rear (which i priced through currie tonight at 2800bucks) for 400!!!!! I dont think i could find a better deal on a rear EVER!!!


thanks again Jim!!!!!!

Sweet deal there Frank.
That alignment fixture in the ebay link was $409 shipped by itself. I would have sent you mine to use but you would have still been in for a bunch of $$$ in parts.
Now get busy so we can see some track videos

No problem Frank. Glad I could help you out.

Jim K

ok, so i need to get new axles for it now.

i need 5 bolt stock length axle for disc brakes....current axles on rear are 4 bolt for drums

anyone know the size i need to order.....


also has anyone ever used the currie ctl axles?

Call Currie Tell them your housing width and the brakes you plan to run. Let them do the math.

oK, so i want to strip the paint off the rear to do a re-paint and make it look super pretty!

And recommendations....Just sandpaper and time, the paint stripping disc you can attach to a drill, grinder with wire wheel, chemical?

then i assume, primer, three coats of black and two coats of clear?

I used "chasis saver" on my rear end. Black only. It looks nice and shiney but will dull in sunlight. Mine still looks good after 5 years. Way tougher than paint. It goes by other names too...

the1969fordguyinky wrote:I used "chasis saver" on my rear end. Black only. It looks nice and shiney but will dull in sunlight. Mine still looks good after 5 years. Way tougher than paint. It goes by other names too...

Where do ya get it?


Keith

I got it from Auto Paint and Performance in Shepherdsville, KY. They sell Matrix products, so I would say anywhere that sells Matrix would have that brand, but any auto paint store will have the same type thing. Pretty neat, the demo peice was tin covered with product and you could flex it with the stuff bending with the metal and not flaking off.

studly wrote:

whatbumper wrote:http://www.quickperformance.com/index.htm

X2

X3 These guys are the best!
Dave

DILLIGASDAVE wrote:Here's my ancient housing jig setup I made years ago. The C/L alignment bar works with both small & big bearing housing ends. And the jig table rotate 360* to make it easier to do assorted welding on housings.



The C/L alignment bar it's self isn't used to hold the housing straight while other assorted welding is done to the housing (brackets, back brace, etc, etc) that's not it's job. Holding the housing "straight" (tweaking/preloading the axle tube centerlines around if necessary) while welding on the housing is done by bolting/clamping/tack welding the housing to the jig table. The C/L alignment bar's only job is to hold the housing ends in place while tacking/welding them in place. This is done after all the other assorted welding is done to the housing.

I have just bought the C/L alignment bar kit for bearing ends. What is the best method of tacking/welding the ends to the housing using MIG?
Thanks
Lonnie

FORDMANLCRACKEL wrote:........What is the best method of tacking/welding the ends to the housing using MIG?....

IMO regardless if Mig or Tig is used try to square up (grind/dress) the shortened housing tube with the bearing end as much as possible. This is because if the end of the cut housing tube isn't real square with the bearing end (which can leave a large weld gap/seam to fill on one side) the extra heat/filler rod used to fill that larger gap on one side can pull the bearing end off-center as it cools.

Also always grind a slight 45* chamfer around the cut/shortened/dressed end of the housing tubes (before welding on the bearing ends) to help aid welding heat penetration. Especially true when Mig welding since the Mig process has a colder start/initial puddle. In fact if the Mig welding process is used (and depending on the housing tube thickness & the size of the Mig machine) the "cooler" Mig welder might need a little extra "help" with heat penetration by grinding a little larger chamfer on the dressed end of the housing tubes than you would for Tig.

And because Mig is a "colder" welding process always try to start (if possible of course) a Mig puddle/pass on clean weld seam/gap away from tack welds or the "starting point" of another Mig puddle/pass. Try to plan out your tack weld placements & plan out your weld pass order/direction so that you only run the middle of a Mig weld puddle/pass over tack welds, and/or run the end a Mig weld pass on top of tack welds (or the end of another weld pass) after the puddle heat has been fully established to better help "burn-in" a tack weld, or burn-in start/end of another puddle/pass. Starting a Mig pass on top of a tack weld, or starting on top of another start/end of another puddle just isn't the best idea (again if possible, but sometimes it can't be avoided).  

Starting a weld puddle on top of a tack weld (or on top of other weld pass) isn't as big a deal with Tig welding because you can control how hot the parent metal gets before adding filler rod. Plus the tack welds are a lot smaller size with Tig so they are a lot easier to burn-in.

Four tack welds is usually enough for Mig (for me anyway). Using too many tack welds when Mig welding the bearing ends on can lead to less heat penetration as the weld puddle cools a little each time you run over a tack weld.

IMO use ER70S-6 solid Mig wire, & for more heat penetration use straight CO2 gas vs 75/25.

DILLIGASDAVE wrote:

FORDMANLCRACKEL wrote:........What is the best method of tacking/welding the ends to the housing using MIG?....

IMO regardless if Mig or Tig is used try to square up (grind/dress) the shortened housing tube with the bearing end as much as possible. This is because if the end of the cut housing tube isn't real square with the bearing end (which can leave a large weld gap/seam to fill on one side) the extra heat/filler rod used to fill that larger gap on one side can pull the bearing end off-center as it cools.

Also always grind a slight 45* chamfer around the cut/shortened/dressed end of the housing tubes (before welding on the bearing ends) to help aid welding heat penetration. Especially true when Mig welding since the Mig process has a colder start/initial puddle. In fact if the Mig welding process is used (and depending on the housing tube thickness & the size of the Mig machine) the "cooler" Mig welder might need a little extra "help" with heat penetration by grinding a little larger chamfer on the dressed end of the housing tubes than you would for Tig.

And because Mig is a "colder" welding process always try to start (if possible of course) a Mig puddle/pass on clean weld seam/gap away from tack welds or the "starting point" of another Mig puddle/pass. Try to plan out your tack weld placements & plan out your weld pass order/direction so that you only run the middle of a Mig weld puddle/pass over tack welds, and/or run the end a Mig weld pass on top of tack welds (or the end of another weld pass) after the puddle heat has been fully established to better help "burn-in" a tack weld, or burn-in start/end of another puddle/pass. Starting a Mig pass on top of a tack weld, or starting on top of another start/end of another puddle just isn't the best idea (again if possible, but sometimes it can't be avoided).  

Starting a weld puddle on top of a tack weld (or on top of other weld pass) isn't as big a deal with Tig welding because you can control how hot the parent metal gets before adding filler rod. Plus the tack welds are a lot smaller size with Tig so they are a lot easier to burn-in.

Four tack welds is usually enough for Mig (for me anyway). Using too many tack welds when Mig welding the bearing ends on can lead to less heat penetration as the weld puddle cools a little each time you run over a tack weld.

IMO use ER70S-6 solid Mig wire, & for more heat penetration use straight CO2 gas vs 75/25.

I have a Miller 252 MIG The tubes are 3.25 OD and wall thickness is.234. My plans on tack welds are 12,3,6 and 9 oclock with the tubes 45* chamfer.  (First i will do some pratice welds with some of the tubing that is cut off the housing.) Should a complete weld 360* around tubes or maybe 90* of weld opposite each other?

Thanks again
Lonnie

I would do a complete 360 weld without stopping if possible. That way your weld has the same cool down time and will be stronger. The more you have to stop the more you will have cold spots in the weld making it weaker.

69F100 wrote:I would do a complete 360 weld without stopping if possible. That way your weld has the same cool down time and will be stronger. The more you have to stop the more you will have cold spots in the weld making it weaker.

Thats my thinking also, but wanted to make sure.

Thanks
Lonnie

IMO doing a one pass 360* weld around the housing tube/bearing end weld seam is kinda hard to pull off Tig or Mig (for me anyway) without some form of an automated housing rotator.

With a housing sitting on my jig table I can usually get a weld pass around 1/3 of the way around the tube before having to stop & either re position my hand/torch placement, and/or rotate the jig table to continue welding.