welding a cracked block.

[Ryan_289]

Ive got a 2010 JD that has a crack at the bottom of the block. Is it possible to weld up a crack like this in frame?

 

[Harvestmoonpuller]

if you can get to it easily enough to drill the holes heat it up and weld it i dont see why you couldnt.

 

[Welding man]

If you are lucky enough to get the oil and antifreeze out of the cast to get it to weld, 9 chances out of 10 it will crack somewhere else when it cools. I've been welding for close to 40 years, and there are no gaurentees on any cast iron repair. What will work for one won't work on another.Sometimes you fix it, sometimes you make it worse. Good Luck.

 

[willys53allis]

drill holes in the ends to keep it from getting any bigger, then weld it or JB weld it. it says on the package that some town did it on a dozer motor and saved bug bucks. hahaha

 

[usetob]

using nickel rod

 

[buickanddeere]

Stainless rod instead of nickle. Not as hard and doesn't contract as much when cooling.

 

[D.B. in Mi.]

Skips tractor repair in Hamburg, Mich. Were I have some work done on my '49 8n , says they use JB weld on cracked blocks all the time with good succes. Grind the crack into a v, then fill with JB weld. It works for them.

 

[oldhousehugger]

You have to decide what caused the crack. If it was due to freezing or impact and doesn't adversely effect the strength of the casting then JB weld would be the easiest way out. I patched a crack in the bottom of a transmission casting caused by an impact years ago and it still holds oil. I recently patched the head on a pressure washer with the stuff but I have yet to see if it holds pressure.

If you need to repair threads and Helicoil is not an option, clean the hole out very well. If there is any metal left at all in the hole run a sharp tap in and make sure to get rid of any cross threads.
Use a die grinder if there is severe damage to roughen and clean the area. Smear JB weld all around the damaged threads in the hole working it well into the metal. Wait.
Let it get putty hard (4 hours) and then spray WD 40 on what you need to thread in and carefully thread it into the hole. Once you have got it threaded in a ways enough to get a sharp tap started, back it out and wait for the JB weld to set (over night). The JB weld doesn’t stick to the oil lubricated bolt threads. Clean the JB weld repaired threads out with the sharp tap.

As usual I digress
The other opinions about welding will be necessary if the crack is in a structural area. Bare in mind that if you heat an old casting and weld it, it may distort and require additional machining to straighten things out.

You know this can be a can of worms sometimes.
John

 

[Scott Hightower]

I used nickel rod in a similar application with pretty good success. The trick is to start with a clean surface. Take a wire wheel or a stone to the area and then clean it well with a degreaser.

Good Luck

Scott
Fab Manager
http://www.welders360.com/