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Welding/repairing aluminum transmission casing question

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  • #1

    Welding/repairing aluminum transmission casing question

    I have a ZF 5spd out of an early F250 (88-95), and I had it shipped to me from a salvage yard somewhere. This was a few years back, and it's just been on a pallet in storage. I pulled it out recently & found that the cross member mount is broken on the PS bolt hole. I got a good deal on it, so I'm not too put out.

    I've found a fabrication shop close to home, and they are going to weld a piece of flat stock to it (1/2" thick aluminum, 1.5" wide, length TBD, but the contact area to the transmission will be 6") that I will have new bolt holes in ( I have to fabricate the cross member from scratch anyhow, this doesn't matter). I will use poly isolators btw the new mount (bolts through the poly bushings) and the cross member.

    The welder who'll be doing it said that aluminum transmissions absorb so much fluid that it's difficult to weld to (says he can do an inch at a time, then clean) and they are unsure if it will be permanent.

    It's going in the bronco ('68 in my avatar), which has a healthy 351 in it, the torque is there.

    I plan to have the new flat stock loosely bolted to the transmission through the DS mount hole (threaded), so that before they weld it up, it can be tightened act as additional support

    Anyone see this welding as a bad idea? Sorry it's long winded and maybe unclear...
    Last edited by barronj; 12-03-2014, 12:58 PM.
    Ronald Reagan:"Government's view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it."

    Homer: "Bart...there's 2 things I know about women. Never give them nicknames like "jumbo" or "boxcar" and always keep receipts...it makes you look like a business man."
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  • #2
    It happens all the time, and he's full of shit on the transmission absorbing the fluid.
    "If I asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses." - Henry Ford

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    • #3
      I regularly have motorcycle cases welded. Find a better welder
      Originally posted by soap
      i can fix anything from a broken tractor to an aching pussy!!!

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      • #4
        Good info.
        Ronald Reagan:"Government's view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it."

        Homer: "Bart...there's 2 things I know about women. Never give them nicknames like "jumbo" or "boxcar" and always keep receipts...it makes you look like a business man."

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        • #5
          I've had issues with welding alum that has had lots of oil exposure, good prep helps, lots of preheat, scrub, acetone and you can usually get it done
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          • #6
            I said I would clean it with a wire wheel & acetone, they said to only use a stainless brush on aluminum, b/c steel brush can leave steel residue...
            Ronald Reagan:"Government's view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it."

            Homer: "Bart...there's 2 things I know about women. Never give them nicknames like "jumbo" or "boxcar" and always keep receipts...it makes you look like a business man."

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            • #7
              Originally posted by barronj View Post
              I said I would clean it with a wire wheel & acetone, they said to only use a stainless brush on aluminum, b/c steel brush can leave steel residue...
              He's right, and you always keep aluminum and steel brushes separate, so buy a new brush for this. If you have an old oven, after you clean it you might heat it up to 200-300 to get the case to outgas, that way it will cook out anything that may be in the metal. It's not uncommon to have to outgas metals when Powdercoating, so I don't see why it would be any different for welding.

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