Is this rust on my axle anything to worry about?

[lagunaMS]

Just picked up this 14 bolt yesterday. Pretty clean overall but with the stupid u-bolt clamp design they hold water and caused this rust. It’s the same on the other side. Is this anything to worry about? How would you even fix it anyway. I was planning on just hitting it with a wire wheel and paint so it doesn’t get worse.

 

[ThePanzerFuhrer]

For those of us that live in the rust belt that is completely acceptable. I never had a axle fail due to rust. Diff covers, and oil pans that’s a whole different ballgame.

Get yourself a needle scaler you’ll thank me later.

 

[total newb]

Regular 14b tubes are not very thick. So yeah its aomething to poke at and see if it still solid.

Find a piece of pipe and plate it.

 

[lagunaMS]

For those of us that live in the rust belt that is completely acceptable. I never had a axle fail due to rust. Diff covers, and oil pans that’s a whole different ballgame.

Get yourself a needle scaler you’ll thank me later.

Never heard of one of those til now. That looks way better than using a wire wheel

Regular 14b tubes are not very thick. So yeah its aomething to poke at and see if it still solid.

Find a piece of pipe and plate it.

"Regular" as opposed to what? Are there beefier versions? I plan on wire wheeling it down and putting a straight edge on it so I can measure the depth of the pitting. Since we're in the newb section I'll feel free to ask - how exactly would you suggest plating it with pipe?

 

[total newb]

Srw and later drw versions are only 1/4" thick at best. The bible talks about tubes being 1/2". Ive cut into a couple and the ends where the spindle and right at the housing might be but every srw ive cut into in the middle have been surprizingly thin.

Ive seen one bust c&c housing that was 1/2" thick but thats it. Idk where exactly billa cut his to show the thickness but i havent found any that were that i e used.

Cut a 1/3-1/2 of pipe hotdog bun style and weld it on.

 

[lagunaMS]

Srw and later drw versions are only 1/4" thick at best. The bible talks about tubes being 1/2". Ive cut into a couple and the ends where the spindle and right at the housing might be but every srw ive cut into in the middle have been surprizingly thin.

Ive seen one bust c&c housing that was 1/2" thick but thats it. Idk where exactly billa cut his to show the thickness but i havent found any that were that i e used.

Cut a 1/3-1/2 of pipe hotdog bun style and weld it on.

Thanks for the explanation and the visual of how to put the plate.

I hit it with the wire wheel today and got the areas cleaned up. I took some measurements with a straight edge and digital calipers and this is what I got. I just did it in a few places that looked the deepest.

Passenger side:
.0745
.0705
.0910
.098
.0715

Driver side (only took 2 because it wasn’t that bad)
.025
.013

So the deepest part is somewhere between 1/16” and 1/8”, right? I’m not planning on this axle going into the truck til summer so I have plenty of time to get it fixed.

 

[Byro]

Welder. Flap wheel.

Crank the heat and run a few caterpillars across it to build it up. Blend with flap wheel. Weld diff. Party.

 

[Gravy]

Smack it with a hammer and see if it dents easy

 

[TRINDU]

Drum brake 14B? Throw it back in the river.

 

[lagunaMS]

Welder. Flap wheel.

Crank the heat and run a few caterpillars across it to build it up. Blend with flap wheel. Weld diff. Party.

Thanks for the suggestion, I appreciate it. That seems easy enough.

Smack it with a hammer and see if it dents easy

I'm guessing it won't since the worst part isn't even 1/8" deep.

Drum brake 14B? Throw it back in the river.

Call me crazy but I like drums, especially having a really strong e-brake. I'll eventually convert it to discs but I'm trying not to let the cost of a SAS snowball into a shit load of money. A disc setup with parking brake calipers is expensive, so that can wait a while.

 

[TRINDU]

Call me crazy but I like drums, especially having a really strong e-brake. I'll eventually convert it to discs but I'm trying not to let the cost of a SAS snowball into a shit load of money. A disc setup with parking brake calipers is expensive, so that can wait a while.

factory disc 14B are pretty common in yards right now. Mostly in early 2000s gasser 2500s. $150-200 and come with an ebrake that is plenty strong.

 

[Twankie]

Spray some paint on it and forget about it. You will likely do more damage and spend more time/money making it worse by doing anything different (attempting a weld repair).

its probably plenty strong as it is for what you want to use it for.

 

[lagunaMS]

factory disc 14B are pretty common in yards right now. Mostly in early 2000s gasser 2500s. $150-200 and come with an ebrake that is plenty strong.

Thanks for the info, I'll keep an eye peeled in future treasure yard trips. I was only looking at the 88-98 14b so it would just be a bolt-on affair to minimize downtime during the axle swap. But if the disc brake versions are indeed that cheap, having one ready and waiting in the barn for later use is a good idea. That way I can still use my truck while the spring hangers and leaf perches get moved on the other one.

Spray some paint on it and forget about it. You will likely do more damage and spend more time/money making it worse by doing anything different (attempting a weld repair).

its probably plenty strong as it is for what you want to use it for.

That's what I have done for now just so it doesn't get any worse.