# Welding round bale wagon steer axle?



## rcampbell (Sep 6, 2015)

Hi guys, I recently had a king ping on an old wagon sieze so badly, that the tie rod just bends instead of turning the wheel. Heat wouldn't get it out, and we couldn't get grease into it. We eventually took the cutting torch and cut a gap up the pivot only as deep as the king pin, and we were then able to hammer the king pin out. I cleaned it all up, and it goes in much easier now.

My question it, what would be the best way to go about welding that gap back together? I don't want to put the kingpin back in the pivot hole while I'm welding, otherwise I'd likely end up welding it all together, but I also don't want weld to bulge through the gap, making it impossible to get the king pin back in. Any suggestions!?


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## slowzuki (Mar 8, 2011)

The proper way is just weld it up and ream it to size it but that's a bit overkill on a wagon. Do you need the wagon to pull fast on the road? Your local heavy equipment guy can use line boring gear to get it round without buying a reamer. Our friend had the same problem with a wagon, slit it with a cutting wheel, got king pin out and pounded chisel in to spread the gap then welded it up. Bit loose but pulls ok.


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## rcampbell (Sep 6, 2015)

I only need it to pull as fast as the tractor goes, which is about 20 mph, it doesn't get hauled behind a truck at all. Was hoping there'd be something I could do myself. I had thought about trying to find a scrap axle, and cutting the end off it and weld a new end on. I figured it would be easier to butt weld the square tube?


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

Never had one seize so badly couldn't get it out.

Biggest thing we found is to make sure the frame is sitting on something VERY solid, an automotive jack stand or jack isn't good enough, a large piece of I-beam works well, get it as hot as you can, then walk away from it until it's completely cooled, then heat again, do this two or three times, each time you heat it that busts some of the rust up inside. Another thing I've found is to heat the entire outer tube the first few times then let cool, but when driving it out only heat a small area a few inches wide from top to bottom.

Take an air hammer or rotary hammer drill set on hammer and peen the outside of the tube while cold, this breaks more rust loose.

Lastly make a large driver and use a large sledge hammer. We use a piece of 1 1/2" shaft with a handle welded to it for a driver and a 8 pound sledge.


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## dubltrubl (Jul 19, 2010)

Other than a reamer as slowsuki suggests about the only thing you might try is finding another rod or pipe of the same O.D. Coat that rod with graphite well and slip it in, then weld. The weld won't stick to it due to the graphite. Remove the coated rod then you should be able to re-assemble.


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## Farmineer95 (Aug 11, 2014)

Did you get it welded yet? Use a copper backer. Maybe a copper pipe and clamp it close to the gap. The weld will not stick to the copper.


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## pede58 (Oct 27, 2015)

Find some thick walled pipe or bushing stock to match the pin, cut the hole so the bushing will fit, put pin with bushing where you want it and do a good tack weld, remove and finish welding.


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