Dana 44 axle tube seperating from diff housing

[Jeeps]

I did a search with no luck...

Has anyone had this problem of the axle tube on the rear dana44 seperating from the diff housing and causing a small oil leak at that location? Is my mate's TJ up for a completely new axle housing or is the axle tube able to be re-welded/fixed to the diff housing? Are there any repairs out there before his mechanic orders a completely new rear end?

cheers

[Jeeps]

the tubes are pressed into the housing, contact Geoff England engineering. 0427351392, he can fix this issue for you.

Thanks, i gave him a call and he said that unless it's leaking out of the welded plug hole which can be cleaned out and re-welded, it's new housing time :(

I'll have to go over and take a look at where it's leaking.

cheers

[lovemewrangler]

I did a search with no luck...

Has anyone had this problem of the axle tube on the rear dana44 seperating from the diff housing and causing a small oil leak at that location? Is my mate's TJ up for a completely new axle housing or is the axle tube able to be re-welded/fixed to the diff housing? Are there any repairs out there before his mechanic orders a completely new rear end?

cheers

cant you just weld it up?

[ian]

i know with d60 etc alot of them spin the tubes in the housing and to fix it thay just weld all the way around the tube onto the housing. i would guess its the same on a 44?

[Jeeps]

Not sure if it can be welded, but hopefully it can be because the jeep has hardly ever been offroad. I've been told by a few that it's too hard to weld because the housing and axle tubes are of different metals and welds don't take.

Looking on some US sites, it seems that it's pretty common to leak after some miles are put on them.

Anyway, we're gonna clean it up, shove some talcum powder on it and try and find out EXACTLY where the leak is coming from first up. Then i'm gonna clean mine up and see if mine's doing the same thing ;)

cheers

[josh9465]

Not sure if it can be welded, but hopefully it can be because the jeep has hardly ever been offroad. I've been told by a few that it's too hard to weld because the housing and axle tubes are of different metals and welds don't take.

Looking on some US sites, it seems that it's pretty common to leak after some miles are put on them.

Anyway, we're gonna clean it up, shove some talcum powder on it and try and find out EXACTLY where the leak is coming from first up. Then i'm gonna clean mine up and see if mine's doing the same thing ;)

cheers

you should ask murray on welding 101

[lovemewrangler]

hahaha two in the pink and one in the stink

[itchy]

you should ask murray on welding 101

X2 on Muzz the Welding Guru.

[tigermuzza]

i cant see the problem with welding it, they do it from the factory somehow, theres wire or stick out there for every type of steel. if someone could find out exactly what type of cast it is i could find out.

Im a boilermaker for a company that deals with opencut, underground and washerys, theres a heap of different types of cast within the company so im sure one of the old heads at work will know something

[Matty ducati]

I've been told by a few that it's too hard to weld because the housing and axle tubes are of different metals and welds don't take.
cheers


But they weld the plug which is the tube welded to the housing.

your not gunna lose anything by just welding it, the jeep doesn't get of road much like you said

[murray]

why thanks guys
tiger i would be one of the old heads you talk about
what you need to do is clean all the oil from the joint area
you will notice that there are a couple of plug welds on the pumpkin that weld the pumpkin to the axle tube take a rotary file in a die grinder and remove these welds i bet they have cracked this will allow the tube to flex and move in the pumpkin

remove plug welds and reweld with a weldall rod or similar flood the plug hole with weld
now as far as a weld around the tube to the pumpkin i wouldnt do this as this is a high stress area thats why it sleeves into the pumpkin
i would make sure that after i had welded and let it cool out slowly and was totaly clean i would use the likes of a loctite super retaining compond and let it wick in to this area this will seal this area and prevent any fretting occurring in the future
that will help to flog the hole out of round and enlarge it more

[yetiboy01]

I welded my damaged Dana 30 Axle, it is still holding up well & not leaking, the axle tube spun in the housing smashing the pumkin, if I could repair this axle you shouldnt have any problems welding up you mates dana 44
http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/ii313/yetiboy01/Its%20a%20Jeep%20Thing/20100429_85.jpg

[TOYROX]

Weld and brace.

[Jeeps]

Thanks guys, and thanks murray for the informative post ;)

i'll try and get a pic but it looks like the plug welds on the leaking side have corroded or are almost non existent. The other side looks nice and filled with weld. We gave it a wash and degrease today and cleaned it up and we'll take it for a spin on the weekend to see where it's leaking and how much. He just noticed that the rear axle/swaybar etc was covered in a light oil film, otherwise there's no other symptoms.

It'd be a shame to waste an entire rear end because of a silly little oil leak.

cheers

[RED_TJ]

Might have to have a look under mine to see if i am gatting the same problem

[Jeeps]

Cleaned it up and went for a drive, about 50klm or so of hwy and some bumpy country roads. Got the diff nice and warm and... nothing. No leaks, no noises, doesn't look any different to mine. I think the oil might have come from elsewhere...maybe the pinion seal LOL :) we'll keep at it... ;)


cheers

[Rosie]

My D35 seeped on the XJ but i had a big F off 6mm RHS truss welded on it so there was no way that axel tube was going anywhere. I'd do as murray said and maybee even truss it if you can.