JB Weld revisited

[Ultradog MN]

Last week we all had a conversation about that
4400 front axle.
See the link below.
So I finally remembered to ask Ken about the JB deal and if it was a viable repair in that application.
I read him much of that other thread.
His response?
He just laughed.
And shook his head.
No. It wouldn't work and it was not worth trying.
Then he proceeded to tell me several examples he had seen in the giant machine shop where a customer's JB type 'repairs' had failed and the machine shop had to fix it right.
And he mentioned the applications it was used in did not have nearly pressure applied to the JB that it would get on an axle like that.
He said the JB would not last at all. It would just squish out - which is what I said it would do.
So there you have it from the old master -
60 years of welding, fabricating, machining, millwright and mechanic experience.
You guys may fix your tractors as you wish.
Around here, we might use JB to glue some flowers and happy faces on the hood of our tractors but we would never consider it for a serious repair.
original thread

 

[Texas!]

Jerry,
I heard a rumor that you are the majority stock holder of JBWeld,Inc. Is it true?

 

[Ultradog MN]

Used to be.
But I sold my holdings and put it all into Enron.
And well, need I say more?

 

[RodinNS]

You can think what you like about JBWeld but unless you or your buddy has used it in that application then neither one of you know any more than the rest of us about it...
The way I look at it... is that even if one tried it they're still not out any more than their time and the tube of product..

Rod

 

[Bern]

Well sir, as you said in your last post, each to his own. Your friend is going by his experiences, and I'm going by mine.

I mentioned a JD wheel loader frame repair that I did several years ago. It involved egged out dowel holes in the main frame that supported the rear axle trunnion supports under the engine. I just talked to the owner the other day, and he reported that it's still holding strong, tight as can be. Given the constant back and forth that this machine does, I can't think of a better test.

I'm convinced that a large part of the success (or failure) of JB weld is in the prep. As Rod said, if it doesn't work, a guy is out a little bit of time and about $5. No biggie.

 

[JMOR]

and the answer is: everything can be used or misused, applied correctly or incorrectly. Even the most high quality SnapOn tool can be misused. It is up to the user to decide how.

 

[Robert Major]

Hi
In these cases i tell the customer what the proper fix would cost or if you want to try the cheap @$$ way it will cost the time and the product and there is %100 no warranty or comebacks if it don't work.
Sometimes you get lucky sometimes you don't.

I am more interested in A Belzona(i think that's the make) product for some of these kinda jobs. It's pretty expensive to have laying around just in case. Has any body used Industrial epoxy like that here?.
I have heard of guys using something like that for worn bearing housings, and for re building worn 3 point rock shaft housings to hold the bushings in.Regards Robert

 

[sotxbill]

There are five important rules to using jb weld.

1. must be clean
2. must be clean
3. must be clean
4. must be clean
5. will not work if not clean.

 

[Michaels Dad]

Used many a tub of Belzona back in the mid 80's at Exxon Baytown. Had it's place, and one of them wasn't on complicated exhaust system on a turbocharged 12 cylinder compressor engine.
Lots of money up in smoke that weekend.

Going to be using some JB this afternoon on a spindle shaft for my son's rotary tiller. Journal where the upper seal rides is pitted real bad. Just trying to keep the water out, and be able to purge the bearings through a grease zerk I put in.

 

[hurleyjd]

This might be a good product for this repair
Titamium putty

 

[Sean in PA]

That Titanium Putty sounds like some serious stuff:

Allow Titanium Putty to cure at least 4 hours. Machine the piece immediately after the putty is cured. If
you wait more than 24 hours the material will wear your tools.

 

[Tim Barnes]

Robert, my neighbor works with Belzona as a salesman and he does repair work for them. Their products are not cheap but they are well worth the expense. One common job for him is repairing chipped or cracked edges on expansion joints in concrete slabs. His product will take having loaded fork lifts rolling over it constantly. If you have any questions for him I would be glad to ask him.

 

[Tom Joseph]

Love JB Weld for small repairs. Anything major I use Devcon Steel, Aluminum or Titanium as required. I can attest that there is at least one MD-80 flying around that has a major spar join gouge which was factory repaired with Devcon Aluminum.

 

[NNP]

agree with you UD, that sometimes when I am digging it out of someones 'repair'....'what were they thinking?'...

But, I do use it here and there. Clean, and multiple thin, overlapping coats, with sanding in between, on cured coats, Just like any other 'filler'. takes days and days.

I think it might have been invented to take care of small letter series Farmalls, outer block water jacket cracks

Edit: like to add, that I don't use it anywhere that if/when it fails, it will hurt, my engine, drivetrain,.....................or me....