Project Crawlin68

[silverhorse]

I managed to sneak in a little Bronco time last night and got the axle tubes cut down and the mog flanges welded on. I ran a piece of 2.5 x .120 wall tubing all the way through the housing to insure that the flanges were on straight and then clamped them place. This was only the second time using a tig welder so don't laugh too hard at my welds. If they come flying apart out on the trail somewhere, I guess we'll know that my tig welding sucks.

Nice job Patrick, A buddy of mine had the junk version "cast" unimog axles. He broke the reduction housing the first time out. I suppose you know which ones are the better version?

[crawlin68]

Nice job Patrick, A buddy of mine had the junk version "cast" unimog axles. He broke the reduction housing the first time out. I suppose you know which ones are the better version?

All of the unimog portal boxes are cast. The 404, 406, 416's, all of them. The trick is to brace them so you don't get the gear deflection. That is next on my list of things to do, so pics will be on there way!

A lot of the portal boxes are cracked just from their military use, so you need to look at them real close once they are imported to the USA to make sure you are not buying a cracked set.

[silverhorse]

All of the unimog portal boxes are cast. The 404, 406, 416's, all of them. The trick is to braces them so you don't get the gear deflection. That is next on my list of things to do, so pics will be on there way!

A lot of the portal boxes are cracked just from their military use, so you need to look at them real close once they are imported to the USA to make sure you are not buying a cracked set.

I see, my buds looked brand new. He broke one on the first trail we went on. I would brace them well! Can't wait to see the pics.

[crawlin68]

I see, my buds looked brand new. He broke one on the first trail we went on. I would brace them well! Can't wait to see the pics.

Do you know which axles he had? Was it the original unimog axle or a hybrid axle? What part broke? The portal box casting? The unimog axles have another weak point too. The shifting collar that shifts the locker in and out is known to break at the most inopportune time leaving you with an open diff.

[silverhorse]

Do you know which axles he had? Was it the original unimog axle or a hybrid axle? What part broke? The portal box casting? The unimog axles have another weak point too. The shifting collar that shifts the locker in and out is known to break at the most inopportune time leaving you with an open diff.

It was the original unimog, The portal box shattered.

[GloNDark2]

Beautiful work man. After checking out a true hi nine, I've been researching flipping my 3rd member as well. Looks great!!

[crawlin68]

Beautiful work man. After checking out a true hi nine, I've been researching flipping my 3rd member as well. Looks great!!

Thanks for the compliments.

I finally got those darn hubs off of the portal boxes. Man were they a b$tch to get off. I would bet that they hadn't been removed for 40 years! First I took them to a local machine shop and they put it on their 40 ton press and that didn't even budge them. Second I took them to another local shop that had a 50 ton press, no go. They didn't budge. So I brought them back home and built my own little home brew press using a bottle jack. (Try to keep the laughter to low rumble) But when I put some heat on it with my rose bud.......presto! I got them both off! Then I cut off the outer ring because I will not be using that. I've got a new hub flange that will give the 8 on 6.5 bolt pattern that I will be welding onto the center part of the stock hub.

[Cheesenip73]

Glad to see you didn't get hurt, a multiple of things could of gone wrong. How many tons is your bottle jack rated at? I can see the deflection in the cross bar at the top!

Thanks for the compliments.

I finally got those darn hubs off of the portal boxes. Man were they a b$tch to get off. I would bet that they hadn't been removed for 40 years! First I took them to a local machine shop and they put it on their 40 ton press and that didn't even budge them. Second I took them to another local shop that had a 50 ton press, no go. They didn't budge. So I brought them back home and built my own little home brew press using a bottle jack. (Try to keep the laughter to low rumble) But when I put some heat on it with my rose bud.......presto! I got them both off! Then I cut off the outer ring because I will not be using that. I've got a new hub flange that will give the 8 on 6.5 bolt pattern that I will be welding onto the center part of the stock hub.

[earlybronco72]

Hell, if you found out anything, you found out you weld pretty good. Love the press.

[crawlin68]

LOL! Yeah I guess my welds held. Not bad for little 110v 135 Lincoln machine. It's a 12 1/2 ton bottle jack and I think that I about maxed it out. I put about 4 foot cheater bar on the jack handle and was leaning on it pretty good. The top of the press deflected A LOT more on the second hub than the picture shows. The top piece is 1/4 inch thick, then I put two more 1/4 inch thick plates between the jack and the top of the press, so it was bending the crap out 3/4 inch of steel.

[highlander]

Maybe that's why so many people crack mog boxes, thay have to almost destroy them to get the hub off.
Did you find someone to turn the hubs down yet, Or are you building a lathe out of whatever you can find in your garage right now.

[earlybronco72]

Did you find someone to turn the hubs down yet, Or are you building a lathe out of a lawn mower and whatever other parts you can find in your garage right now.

Classic. Actually, with the right reduction, and adequate power, it may just work.

[crawlin68]

You guys know me too well. I have been scheming in my little mind how the heck I can turn those down myself with what I have in the garage. You don't even want to hear the ideas that I came up with. I think I would make Maguver proud!

I think I decided that I need to find someone with a lathe.

[highlander]

You guys know me too well. I have been scheming in my little mind how the heck I can turn those down myself with what I have in the garage. You don't even want to hear the ideas that I came up with. I think I would make Maguver proud!

I think I decided that I need to find someone with a lathe.

What's the out side dimension where you cut the flange off? Now that you cut it down I may have someone who can turn it depending on the size.

[earlybronco72]

You guys know me too well. I have been scheming in my little mind how the heck I can turn those down myself with what I have in the garage. You don't even want to hear the ideas that I came up with. I think I would make Maguver proud!

I think I decided that I need to find someone with a lathe.

I only know two people with lathes. Unfortunately one is in Northern Washington, and the other is in Southern New Mexico. Probably would be much cheaper to find someone you don't even know locally.