Spicer®
Axles & Brakes
P/N: SHAIS132
DS404 Housing Cover Weld Reinforcing Instructions
Subject of Instruction Sheet: The procedure below has been created to assist a mechanical technician in the proper repair of a cracked rear cover weld and the installation of a reinforcement bracket on DS404 housings in Peterbilt vehicles using an Air Leaf Suspension. This is the only approved method for this repair. Any other method of repair may result in damage to the axle, axle housing, or other vehicle components and could affect performance and safety. Failure to follow all steps of this procedure will result in a poor repair and the crack could occur again.
Affected Models: DS404 Drive Housing Used in Peterbilt Air Leaf Suspension Vehicles. See chart below.
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Production |
Production |
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Wall |
Suspension Type and |
Housing P/N On |
Brackets Welded |
Axle Model |
Thickness |
Timing |
Tag |
By: |
DS404 |
3/8" (9.5mm) |
Air Leaf - Before 3/99 |
319402 |
Peterbilt |
DS404 |
3/8" (9.5mm) |
Air Leaf - From 3/99 - 6/00 |
319954 |
Dana |
Reinforcing Bracket Part Number 302527
Welding Equipment and Specifications:
Mig (wire) Welding
Welding Gas – recommended – 80% Argon, 20% C-O2 Gas Flow Setting – 50-60 cfh. Wire Size – ER70S-3 or ER70S-6 .035”
First and second passes cover weld, approximate settings – 30 volts, 180 amps. Third filler pass, cover weld, approximate settings – 26 volts, 140 amps.
Apply three weld passes to the cover and two to the bracket. The first pass should be centered over the fit-up line and penetrate the failure area. The second pass should be placed slightly above the first. Blend the weld smoothly ( without significant cross section enlargement ) with the housing and first pass. The third pass should penetrate the lower half of the second pass to the edge of the housing cover. Avoid any significant overlap of weld or undercut. When making the second and third passes the weld direction should be reversed. Always start the weld at one end, never in the middle the intended weld area. See illustrations below for more information.
Arc (stick) Welding
Miller DC type stick welder set at 140 -150 amp setting.
Use E7018 1/8 inch Electrode for all three passes. Note** Remove slag between passes. E7018 rod must be stored in heated rod oven. Apply three weld passes to the cover and two to the bracket. The first pass should be centered over the fit-up line and penetrate the failure area. The second pass should be placed slightly above the first. Blend the weld smoothly ( without significant cross section enlargement ) with the housing and first pass. The third pass should penetrate the lower half of the second pass to the edge of the housing cover. Avoid any significant overlap of weld or undercut. When making the second and third passes the weld direction should be reversed. Always start the weld at one end, never in the middle the intended weld area. See illustrations below for more information. When welding the second and third passes, reverse the direction of the weld. Never start or stop a weld close to the 12:00 position.
When using an Arc welder you may have to start the weld at the 11:00 position so that you do not run out of electrode at the 12:00 position. You can then go back and fill in the ends of the weld area.
12:00 Position
Second Pass Direction
First Pass Direction
First Electrode
Weld Direction |
Never Start or Stop at 12:00 |
Repair Instructions:
Important : Before starting, always wear the proper safety equipment for your protection.
1.Disconnect the battery grounds and oil temperature sensor wire. Caution*** If the battery ground is not disconnected, vehicle electronic control modules may be damaged.
2.Block front and back of steer axle tires.
3.Jack-up driver’s side forward rear drive axle and support with jack stand.
4.Remove driver’s side forward rear drive axle tires and rims only.
5.Remove inter axle driveline.
6.Disconnect and remove tracking rod assembly.
7.For the repair of the cover weld crack, locate the ends of the crack, mark 2 inches either side of the crack. These marks are ONLY for reference! You must grind until the entire crack is eliminated. Then grind an additional twoinches on either side of the crack.
Locate Crack |
Mark 2” Both Sides of Crack |
8.If the cover weld is NOT cracked on the outside of the weld, mark the housing 2 inches either side of the 12:00 position. Remember these cracks start on the inside of the housing and work their way out. You will need to grind through the old weld to the fit-up line, this is where the cover meets the axle housing. You should have approximately ¼” of distance between the top of the cover to the bottom of the ground area. The blue dotted lines below represent the area to be ground.
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Old Weld |
Housing |
Fit-Up Line |
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1/4”
Area To Be
Ground
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Cover |
12:00 Position |
Radius |
Cover
No Crack Outside Of Weld
9.Use a 4 inch angle grinder to grind away the crack. You must grind just below the old weld, down to the fit-up line. Use the drawing above and the photo below as a guide. It’s very important that you recognize the difference between the crack and the point where the cover meets the axle housing. Caution*** Be careful to not break completely through as this will contaminate the axle’s lubricant with grinding material.
Use a wire wheel to remove paint from area to be welded.
Grind Profile
Approximate
Depth
1/4”
Grind Away Crack |
Side view of Grind |
10.For All Weld Passes Cover Weld – When using a Mig Welder use approximate setting of 30 volts and 180 amps. If using an Arc welder, use E7018 1/8 inch electrode.
Important** The ground from the welder must be connected to the torque rod bracket. See figure below.
Ground Connection
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