Front spring bucket/perch with a small rust hole and surface rust

[volcanoman]

Hi IH8MUD community.
I just acquired a 1995 FZJ80 with 250k miles. I just noticed today that on the pre-purchase inspection, I missed some rust in the passenger front spring bucket/perch. It's a single hole, with surrounding surface rust. I've read of other people needing to have the whole spring bucket removed and then a replacement welded on. Has anyone ever just had a similar issue? Would a spot weld work, with treating the surface rust surrounding it? I'm also wondering what the urgency of this is. I'm guessing the hole itself is not that urgent, and can be dealt with in the next year or two.

Any advice would be appreciated. Thank you.

 

[Malleus]

That need to be replaced

 

[volcanoman]

That need to be replaced

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[volcanoman]

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[volcanoman]

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[Malleus]

Well, since you asked, I used to build axles for one the largest manufacturers, but that isn't going to help you, unfortunately.

 

[volcanoman]

Well, since you asked, I used to build axles for one the largest manufacturers, but that isn't going to help you, unfortunately.

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[Kernal]

@volcanoman : AFAIK no one makes a repro spring perch of the same design as our axles use. IIRC some people have added trusses to their axles, cut off the original spring perches first, then added something different (aftermarket generic perch) on the truss??

Or, cut a good perch off a bent/damaged axle housing (cheapest, easiest) and replace what you got.

For a quick fix you could remove the spring, wire wheel all the loose rust/paint off, maybe cut back the rusty metal a bit (enlarge the hole to good/better metal), treat the rusty metal with a phosphoric acid product to stop the rust, then apply any of the rust stopping/covering paints/epoxies and keep an eye on it.

Or, after cleaning up the rust, weld a piece of ~18G sheet metal over the hole, the sheet metal could be cut and worked (hammered) to roughly fit the curves of the hat over the hole. Then coat/paint with one of those rusty metal coatings that seals out oxygen from the steel, drill a small hole in the bowl to spray inside some sort of rust stop, cavity wax, etc, inside after the welding is done.

Just a few WAGs.

None of that is the best/correct method of course ie: complete replacement if you could find one cut from another axle.

Run it by the company below in the link, they make something for Heeps, maybe that could be modified??

JK Front Axle Coil Spring Buckets

If you have a JK with a damaged front axle coil spring bucket, or you're looking to beef up your stock axle this is the upgrade for you! Piece together design ensures correct fitment and strength over your stock components. This product is a direct replacement for the OEM coil spring bucket...

barnes4wd.com

FWIW

 

[volcanoman]

This is so incredibly helpful. I was able to source some OEM replacement perches from a part out. I'm going to look for a shop that has experience welding axles.

Thanks again.

 

[volcanoman]

@volcanoman : AFAIK no one makes a repro spring perch of the same design as our axles use. IIRC some people have added trusses to their axles, cut off the original spring perches first, then added something different (aftermarket generic perch) on the truss??

Or, cut a good perch off a bent/damaged axle housing (cheapest, easiest) and replace what you got.

For a quick fix you could remove the spring, wire wheel all the loose rust/paint off, maybe cut back the rusty metal a bit (enlarge the hole to good/better metal), treat the rusty metal with a phosphoric acid product to stop the rust, then apply any of the rust stopping/covering paints/epoxies and keep an eye on it.

Or, after cleaning up the rust, weld a piece of ~18G sheet metal over the hole, the sheet metal could be cut and worked (hammered) to roughly fit the curves of the hat over the hole. Then coat/paint with one of those rusty metal coatings that seals out oxygen from the steel, drill a small hole in the bowl to spray inside some sort of rust stop, cavity wax, etc, inside after the welding is done.

Just a few WAGs.

None of that is the best/correct method of course ie: complete replacement if you could find one cut from another axle.

Run it by the company below in the link, they make something for Heeps, maybe that could be modified??

JK Front Axle Coil Spring Buckets

If you have a JK with a damaged front axle coil spring bucket, or you're looking to beef up your stock axle this is the upgrade for you! Piece together design ensures correct fitment and strength over your stock components. This product is a direct replacement for the OEM coil spring bucket...

barnes4wd.com

FWIW

@Kernal so i'm thinking of welding the replacement buckets on myself. I'm thinking of cutting off the buckets from the below bracket and grinding them smooth with an angle grinder. I would then weld the new buckets on the brackets using a 120v flux core welder (max 140 amps). I'm new to welding and am wondering if this would provide enough penetration and be safe for driving.

 

[Kernal]

Likely the welding machine you have is up to the task but more important are your welding skills. Flux core is often not pretty (beads) but it can make a solid weld IME but then I'm barely a 1/4 welder so better to wait for someone who has more welding experience especially on an axle housing to chime in.

 

[volcanoman]

Likely the welding machine you have is up to the task but more important are your welding skills. Flux core is often not pretty (beads) but it can make a solid weld IME but then I'm barely a 1/4 welder so better to wait for someone who has more welding experience especially on an axle housing to chime in.

would def need to practice beforehand

 

[alia176]

I'd replace both axle housings, seriously. That's horrible looking, yeesh. Welding (for a beginner welder no less) on a cancerous steel is begging for trouble. I realize your location would make it quite difficult to get a pair of housings shipped to you, but in the long run you'd be better off just replacing them. I'm only assuming rust is everywhere, not just at the spring perches. I hope the frame is better off!

 

[volcanoman]

I'd replace both axle housings, seriously. That's horrible looking, yeesh. Welding (for a beginner welder no less) on a cancerous steel is begging for trouble. I realize your location would make it quite difficult to get a pair of housings shipped to you, but in the long run you'd be better off just replacing them. I'm only assuming rust is everywhere, not just at the spring perches. I hope the frame is better off!

I appreciate your advice. Looks like shipping two brand new axles would be about $5k, not including all the other smaller parts needed. Strangely, the frame looks really good.
Thanks again

 

[alia176]

I appreciate your advice. Looks like shipping two brand new axles would be about $5k, not including all the other smaller parts needed. Strangely, the frame looks really good.
Thanks again

oh man, that really hurts amigo. That isn't a trivial amount of money.