8 3/4 housing brace and perch welding choices

[Kent mosby]

I have a shortened 8 3/4 housing that I will be putting behind a 512 stroker with 727 trans. I will be welding on a support brace that I got from summit as well as new perches. What is the best weld to use? TIG or Stick? I know that you have to go slow and alternate sides to keep heat down. I could take it to get done but I trust myself to be careful more that anyone else.
Please don't say MIG as I do not have a MIG.

 

[pishta]

Can you get a fat bead with TIG? If you could stick it, that's the way to put some lava down. But TIG would give you better heat control. I only MIG weld, and thats because I cant strike an arc with a stick!

 

[fishy68]

I agree with Pishta. If you do stick weld it make sure you take your time and keep it as cool as possible. If it's an original housing it's most likely at least a little bent anyway. Don't need it worse. I bought the jig to narrow rearends and only weld on housings when I have previously straightened them and have the jig installed

 

[Garry in AZ]

You can TIG weld it, but you'll need a fairly high powered TIG machine. Assuming the brace is 0.187" thick, you'll need around 175 amps to fillet weld it, or 150A if it's a corner weld. If it's only 1/8" thick, then less current will be needed. If I had to choose between stick and TIG for this, I'd use TIG if I had a big enough welder. Cleaner, and better heat control.

 

[CudaFactHackJob]

Those real long welds that go the full distance are the ones that warp a tube. The end welds are doing all the work anyway. A bracket that goes further around the housing will take less weld. I use my air hose after each short pass to cool it down. Water in a spray gun works too. Lotsa air; little moisture that dries on contact. With the axles out and some third member parts out of the carrier, you can look thru a housing and tell if it's warped.