Famof5Jeep

I'll caveat this by saying cast iron is not my expertise but in a previous life I was an Engineer for 2 companies that produced Aerospace (Jet Engine) components one of which was a welding house.

If you look at at the break on this one it appears to run directly along the edge of the weld for the stabilizer and most likely propagated from that point. This is also the same as gergy9's break. Also it looks like there is rust on the axle to the left of the break. I'd be interested to know what the inside of the housing at that point looks like. A lot can be told by that. Either way if there is rust on the shaft that is a concern. I do know that a good weld on cast iron is not accomplished the same way as welding all other steels. Cast iron takes a lot of diffused heat well but not localized. Localized heat makes cast iron more brittle. If you look at the cross section of the break it looks like a normal cast iron fracture and is very grey and somewhat like what a cheap sintered material looks like. That is the nature of cast iron over other alloys.

The bottom line is that this broke from a weak point like all material breaks. IMHO it broke at the weld. Obviously not through the weld but adjacent to it due to the heat applied in the welding process.

To those that are concerned with the potential of breakage and have cracks there are methods to check for them. This is the first company to come to mind that makes field check kits. http://www.magnaflux.co.uk/magnafluxinforma.html I have no idea the cost of a field kit but an inspection of this area in the field by a technician would be around $150 I think... I'm not an inspector so don't quote me on that.

Did an impact break it or did regular use break it? The answer is YES. Each time the Jeep was driven it helped to break it. The key point is that it was weakened prematurely from the weld (Again IMHO). Manufactures do their best to control an infinite amount of variables and the best control the most. No doubt this sucks but they are not likely to take action until it happens to an unmodified X driven daily, road only, by a soccer mom in highway traffic. In this case these 2 or 3 guys need a louder voice.

Any there any materials engineers on here willing to back this up and take a look at these housings?

Sorry for the long post.

Hog

Lengthy post be danged Famo... (says the master of the 40-word sentence)... GOOD, HELPFUL STUFF and not just because it inflames my scifi? notion that MAYBE (in an honest effort to keep cost controlled) Dana is getting all/some of these from 'somewhere' that isn't Quality=Job 1 famous for knowing/following specifications and manufacturing instructions and techniques (regardless if they want to or mean to). How many of us need to be harmed by too much lead in our toys before the GoVment and g'all dang revenuers take care of us?.. Heh, now that last bit of satire might need being sorry about.

-MAW-

Any there any materials engineers on here willing to back this up and take a look at these housings?

Sorry for the long post. [/QUOTE]

I agree the heat at the weld points does change the moleculor composition of the cast iron used to the point that the molecur bonds of the metal elements do not fuse together after the heat is applied , therefore allowing the metal not to be as strong as when it was originally cast.

Blue

Axle tubes are cast iron?

Famof5Jeep

Correction: I assumed they are cast, I may be wrong on that. The point is still the same the matalugical principles of welding apply none the less cast iron is just more sensative. Again metalurgy and automotive welding are not my field, worked with crap I can't pronouce let alone spell. Throw a bunch of letters together and add ... ium at the end.

Look at the smooth curve of the breaks. They change direction at the weld. Breaks start and change direction toward the weekest point.

Cdash

I'll agree that it looks like a fatigue crack (repetetive stress). I'll also say that since it went up at a 45 degree angle, it was caused by shear as opposed to bending (that would go straight up). Poor welds, or even arcs on material not welded can cause an imperfection in the steel that leads to fatigue cracks, if the stress range in the material is too high. The axles may be designed up to 95% and a little arc, or imperfection in the weld process could cause a stress riser that would set this off.

Cast is very brittle, but usually doesn't weld too well. If I had to guess, I would say the pumpkin is cast and machined, but the tubes are not. Which makes me think that the steel could be to blame, the welds, the design or a little bit of all of them.

For those that suspect cracks, there are "Dye Penetrant Kits" that come with 2 spray cans. You grind the suspected crack location to bare (shiney) steel, spray part 1 on and wait, wipe off, spray part 2 on and it reacts with part 1 to "highlight" the crack. If no highlight, no crack.

Pretty easy and not too expensive. This is one kit: http://www.drillspot.com/products/28..._Penetrant_Kit

mrktwatchr

Gentlemen and Ladies

The only way to resolve anything or get anything done is to report your problem with documentation to the proper safety authorities so they can document and if they get enough of the same complaints they will act and begin a recall . Anyone who has paid for the repair which has been recalled will be reimbursed. So let the Automobile Safety Authority Know !!!!!!!!

bleblanc

Well it just happened to me this weekend. I was driving on a dirt road to do some fishing with my son and out of nowhere a donkey ran in front of me, I swirved (only going about 20-25 mph) and hit a side bank on the passanger side. I have a 4" Rancho long arm and the arm that connects to the top of the axle snapped. I used my winch to hold it up and drove out untill I hit pavement and then called it to get towed. I highly doubt they'll cover it under warranty. I can already hear them tell me now, "too much stress from lift and tires." BOGUS CRAP!

I'm wondering how much this is going to cost.

tkob1060

yeah sounds like you just broke your control arm or control arm bracket?? Not the axle like this post is about

bleblanc

Not sure, I can't get it into the shop for at least a week.