Welded rear diff + screw up = screwed?

[Sweet700]

So.... I welded the rear diff, then decided i wanted to make sure it could still come apart, in my haste I drove the center pin in by the pinion but forgot the c clips on the axles.
It gets worse, the once open side of the diff for me to access the clips is plated over and welded shut, the one open window is on the back. Can the pin come all the way out inside or am i now forced to cut off the axles or center pin?
I know, i screwed up big time, please take it easy on me it's my first post.

 

[TRCM]

So.... I welded the rear diff, then decided i wanted to make sure it could still come apart, in my haste I drove the center pin in by the pinion but forgot the c clips on the axles.
It gets worse, the once open side of the diff for me to access the clips is plated over and welded shut, the one open window is on the back. Can the pin come all the way out inside or am i now forced to cut off the axles or center pin?
I know, i screwed up big time, please take it easy on me it's my first post.

What did you weld ??

Most only weld the spider gears to the side gear, & the spider gear to the case......but still use the c-clips to hold the axle in.

No, the center pin won't come out except thru the back of the housing (towards the cover), but it can come out enough to bind up at the front of the housing.

You may be able to fish a bent metal piece around enough to force the pin back into the carrier so it can rotate around so you can remove it.

As long as you didn't weld the axles themselves to the side gear or carrier, you should be able to pull the axles, and then remove just the carrier so you can get to the center pin. This will require setting/checking up the gear pattern when you reinstall the carrier.

If there is no way to install the c-clips, you may have to replace the carrier & gears totally.


If you did weld the axles to the side gears or spider gears, you may as well replace the whole axle......as by the time you cut the axles, replace them, the gears, and the carrier, you could have gotten a used axle in good shape and already have it installed for a lot less money.

 

[CastorTroy]

you should show us some pics of what you did so we can get a better idea of how to fix it...

 

[Sweet700]

I got it out by cutting a hole in the bottom of the pumpkin then continued to drive out the pin.
I believe the issue is the pin has slag on it so had to be pounded out.
So now i have it all out but need to make the tool for setting lash and learn how to reassemble properly.
I'll clean up the pin in the lathe so it's easier to remove next time.

 

[TRCM]

How ya gonna fix the hole in the bottom of the pumpkin ??

Just file off the slag instead of trying to chuck it up in a lathe....the pin should be a perfect fit...don't want it too loose.

 

[denverd1]

woah...

better start looking for another rear end.

 

[warrpath4x4]

i think we need a pic of your "fix"