GQ Diff Bracing

[AndrewT]

Just had airlockers and 4.8 gears fitted to my GQ and want to brace the front diff. Anyone simply welded with internals still in place or is it gunna cook stuff?

[ChevyMQ]

Welding your diff should be ok if you take care,your not welding the diff centre

[big red]

i think your biggest problem might be pulling it out of alignment.
maybe ask ruff strangerover etc if its ok.

[CRUSHU]

it would be best to stichweld the bracing on, to avoid cracking of the welds, and dont do it in the same area, do a little here, and then do some on the other end, to avoid heating up an area.

[V8Patrol]

go n see "Tony" at the local engineering shop, get him to press up a piece of 3mm plate into a "C" section. Get either ChevyMQ or myself to shape the "C" section to fit the diffcentre/& axletubes ( I'v seen you use a grinder!!!) then stitchweld it to the diff. For added bracing place a piece of 75x6mm plate to the top/bottom of the brace and again stitchweld (pending wether you are going over the diff or under the diff with the brace).
Make sure that the brace comes to the centre of the axletube, this way distortion is mimimal. Welds dont need to be any longer than 50mm and should be atleast 50mm apart. DO NOT WELD THE ENDS OF THE BRACE "ACROSS" THE AXLETUBE, this will cause distortion and will, I repeat WILL, weaken the axletube.
Best welding technique is do 1 weld say at the front righthand side then 1 weld diagonally opposite on the back of the diff. then go n make me a coffee !!!!!!, when the 2 welds have cooled enough to leave your hand on do another 2 welds ..... then go n make ChevyMQ a coffee ....pmsl !! Rush it and wreckit !!!

[V8Patrol]

p/s..... have emailed you a sketch of a brace

[big red]

you should also weld a small brace across the valley between the ball and the tube, this is where they usually bend when jumped.
have to be carefull it doesn't hit when steering is on full lock though.
usually a brace on top and bottom on each will do.
shane

[Zac Zec]

Should you pull all the internals of the dif out? Eg, centre axles and cv's or is it not nessesary. This is before welding I mean. I want to strengthen my diff too. I also want to weld a rock guard onto the pumpkin

[V8Patrol]

There are 2 internal seals in the actual diff housing that seal off the oil from entering the diff tubes, there are also 2 other seals at the end of the axletubes ( near the hub) that do likewise. If you weld it and TAKE your TIME it should be ok but if in dout......
My preferance would be to strip the axle, remove it from the 4bee and do the brace work up on the tressles/bench. My reason for this is that you get a clear area around the diff to work on and can move it to the desired position for a better weld.
If you are using a MIG welder then its likely that you may have penetration problems with the weld (migs hate paint,rust,grease & oil), a quick wipe over with a grinder will fix that prob and a better weld will result.
While youve got the diff out, its a good time to check/replace any bearings/seals/diff oil as you reassemble it, then you know exactly where you stand, I know....the only bearing I didnt replace was the pinion bearing when I did mine, guess whose got a stuffed pinion bearing now