Axle Tube Crack

While I was inspecting my Jeep the other day I noticed a small crack in the axle tube. No fluid is coming out yet on that side (the other side is leaking at the spring pad which is what prompted the inspection).

For those of you with experience in this matter, will a weld repair be sufficient to keep this from spreading and also allow me to continue to use the Jeep on and off road?

I may need to weld the other side as well. I am thinking that someone may have moved the perches at one time since the tubing looks bent inward at those locations also.

I am searching for a new housing, but it might be awhile before I run across one.

 

Ouch.

Hard to imagine the "Rat Patrol" forces involved to cause that - but I'd be wondering about wheel alignment and bent axles, etc. Front and rear.

 

No rat patrol here. I off road, but not insane stuff at all. That is the same side that the axle retainer failed and I almost lost the axle on the interstate. Since replaced both axles, seals, bearings in the rear. Never noticed the crack before though.

 

No offense intended.
I was thinking of a previous owner… you seem to say the axles had an unknown history. Your lost retainer experience might tend to confirm my fears.

I once lost a whole front wheel wheel/stub-axle assembly . Then discovered both sides were previously bent from PO abuse.

 

Are you positive it's a crack and not a gouge or cut that's been there from the time of assembly? The tubing would bend or the cast housing would crack well before the tubing would crack, if from abuse.

 

Pretty sure it's a crack. It's new for sure since it was shiny when I first saw it. This Jeep has been on the road since I finished the rebuild in 2012, I've put 10,000 miles on it.

 

Can we assume this is a front 30, and we are looking at the inboard side of the long tube? From what I've seen at the Jeep dealer, the cast iron carrier will crack long before the tubes do. Typical breakage is from the big plug weld hole out to the edge of the casting, which allows the long-side tube to hinge up so it's no longer in line with the housing. I suspect this is a tool mark, rather than a crack.

BTW they used to run 30s in the Jeepster race cars, with a truss and welded all around where the tubes enter the carrier. In 1976, they eliminated the truss because Jeep Corp said the new housing design was stronger, and the truss was no longer needed. Still welded the tubes into the carrier.

 

Dana 44 rear, driver side in-board. But I think the story remains the same Tim.

I'll check closer for depth, but why would a 42 year old tool mark be all shiny?

 

Took a close look with a magnifier, it's a crack.

 

No problem fixing it..........But , The first thing I would do is take it somewhere to get it cleaned up ( 1/4 car wash ) so you can really make an in-depth inspection as to where it starts and finishes on both sides.............you'll have to V-out both cracks from end to end.......the oil inside the housing may cause some contamination to the weld...........once clean I like to take a torch and burn up whatever residue is present although the grease will migrate towards the heat.
Arc welding would probably be the best bet.

 

I guess first things first before you repair it, find out why it cracked. Is there major undercut from the weld at the spring perch that would cause a weak spot? U-bolts overteightened?

Just grasping at ideas here....

 

Yeah, I'll pull the whole axle off the Jeep so I can get it really clean and see what else I can find before starting in on repairs. I was looking for some sound advice on repairs, or even if it's worth it. I've read where it's a good idea to clean with brake cleaner or such and also apply some heat (after the brake cleaner is dried of course) to try to rid of any residual oil and avoid weld contamination. I'll potentially drill stop holes and bevel the sides of the crack as best I can for better penetration.

I wish I knew why it was cracked. I don't wheel it terribly hard, and certainly no jumps, but I obviously did something to jar it enough to generate a crack. It is starting at the perch weld, maybe there was some weakness there from when the weld was done. I didn't do any welding on this, but who knows if the prior owner did?

 

I've seen a lot of yota alxe bent...but old dana like you're it's a first time....

 

That's weird, like it could only be collision damage. Or it almost fell of the hoist, and was hanging by the axle tube? Still, it seems like there's not much in static load that could do that, and in my experience a rear 44 housing does not break from driving abuse. I'd try to replace it. A centered D44 3.73 axle should be easy to source ... car-part.com shows more than a dozen available nationwide. Maybe try WTB here, jeepforum and pirate, and your local 4x4 boards.

 

The only think I can think to cause it is a weakened spot at the weld, then many years of repeated articulation and twisting from starting/stopping? I'm no engineer, but I'd think a longitudinal crack in tubing would more likely be caused by twisting than lateral force.

This may sound silly, but do you or did you ever have any type of ladder bar or anti-wrap arm on the rear?

 

Isn't it a no-no to use brake cleaner on something you're going to weld?

Safety Alert! Brake Cleaner = Phosgene Gas

 

I've already posted a WTB here, and on other Jeep pages. I'll check out car-parts too. I'll probably take it off and see what I can see after a good clean up. I really don't beat on this Jeep...but like I said, I do take it off road, maybe I just twisted it the wrong way once...who knows. I really only need the housing, I'll have to swap everything else over since I have newer axles and an elocker in it.

No ladder bars etc either. I've owned it for 11 years and I've put 10K miles on it. The rear is stock except for an e-locker I had installed 2 years ago.

Thanks for the tip on the brake cleaner, that is a scary article.

 

the phosgene alert is interesting. good to use a mask with filters.
About Rat Patrol jumping, I wonder not only how many Jeeps have been destroyed, but also how many bones have been broken!

 

I re-looked at the mark you say is a crack. That looks to me to be a whiz-wheel (very thin cutoff wheel) mark left by a previous owner when he was cutting something in the neighborhood. A crack would be a hairline mark, and yours is too wide, plus, it would not be shiney. The location also is not a location where I would see a crack propagating from as the stesses are wrong to make this happen.
Please take a closer look, but I don't think it is anything to worry about.
-Donny

 

Well, magnifying glass and a probe says its a crack. I'll work on the repair once I get a chance to remove the entire assembly and clean it all up for a close inspections.