Today we broke one of the yolks on our front steer axle which is a Shuler. Has anybody welded a new yoke onto their axle and are there any tips or tricks you could share?
axle yoke? Probably require a pic to see where the break location is. http://hdtransaxle.com/products/shuler/
The guys at HD Transaxle call it a yoke but I have always known it as the inner "C" that is at the end of the axle tube which the kingpin runs thru connecting the spindle to the axle housing. It is cast steel & welded directly to the axle tube.
Well, it's fixed.
Tease us with some details. I’m interested.
I was able to get a new (used cutoff actually) yoke from AxleTech that they bead blasted & magnafluxed. We also were able to get the kingpin kit there. I had a field mechanic come & get the old yoke & slug out and install the new one. Getting the old one out was the bitch as air arcing kept slagging the old one to the tube since it has a 4" diameter 10" long solid slug that is cast into the yoke which slips into the axle tube. All in all after 12 hours (in the worst/ windiest rain/snow downpour of the year) it was repaired.
Did you really expect to have a sunny 70 degree day? We live in Washington. If it wasn't raining/snowing sideways, your mechanic would not know how to weld it back together. Mechanics here don't know what to do with a decent day except go fishing. I can only assume there was at least 12" of mud on the landing for everyone to wallow in.
Thanks for the update. My curiosity is satisfied.
Jumbo, I think there is about 8 inches of snow and 14 inches of mud! It was about a 30 mile an hour sidewind and of course we are right on a ridge. His tarps he had strung up blue away within the first three minutes and from then on it was a torrential downpour. Couldn't see through his helmet or really keep an eye on the air Arc or his stick when welding. All in all Chris did a great job and I'm very thankful that they were able to get it fixed up.
See, proved my point. If it would have been good weather, the yoke would have probably broken with a bad weld and fallen off by now. It always amazes me what good hand can get done in abysmal conditions.