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I’m not sure David, easy enough to figure out. Grind with an angle grinder slightly. Just enough to see the spark pattern. Iron will be red and steel orange.DavidBarkey wrote: ↑Thu Aug 27, 2026 4:22 am anouther thought , what are the chances of building the worn area up with weld and then boring to reduce amount of material needed to be removed . it is cast steel , not iron . Harry , Eugene , what do think ?
In my little experience, building up the area with weld has not worked up so well because of gaps. He who has MIG can most likely do it, bu the who has not, not so easy. Watching with interest.DavidBarkey wrote: ↑Thu Aug 27, 2026 4:22 am anouther thought , what are the chances of building the worn area up with weld and then boring to reduce amount of material needed to be removed . it is cast steel , not iron . Harry , Eugene , what do think ?
I have seen in industry castings that were repaired with SS rod. Not a good idea because the chromium in the SS rod makes it hard and crack sensitive. Like dhitching mentioned preheat and post heat are essential for cast iron but also a good idea for cast steel. I checked the rear axle housing yesterday when I was installing wheel weights on the 446. It’s definitely cast steel.DavidBarkey wrote: ↑Wed Sep 09, 2026 5:06 am Based on all the reports of people welding up broken housing from diff bolts coming loose/braking from the different sites I am convinced the housings are cast steel . Harry , you being the resident expert welder . Could you do a spark test on a couple of your housings to set the record straight once and for all . I relalise you will need to touch up the paint afterwards .
Based on what I beleave to be true . This is from a welding site .
How to weld cast steel
Learning how to weld cast steel is less of a challenge compared to cast iron. That’s because cast steel is carbon or alloy steel that has been melted and molded into a specific shape. However, even though cast steel has similar properties to rolled steel, some differences make it harder to weld.
Although you can weld cast steel using the MIG or TIG processes, many welding experts recommend stick welding with E7018 rods for low-carbon alloys and stainless-steel rods for hard-to-weld castings.
One of the issues with welding cast steel is avoiding distortion. Here are some suggestions to help with that:
Preheat the casting: Castings can have irregular shapes, with thinner areas heating more quickly. Concentrate the heat on thicker regions.
Tack weld frequently.
Set to the lowest amperage that will produce a strong enough weld.
Use the fastest traveling speed possible.
Use fewer passes.
Slow down the cooldown by wrapping it in welding blankets or burying it in sand.
A few more tips on how to weld cast steel successfully:
Clean the edges to be welded down to the bare metal.
Preheat cast steel if it has more than 0.40% carbon or it is low-alloy steel. Preheating to 250°F prevents hydrogen in the weld.
If you weld in a cold environment, preheat low-carbon castings to 75°F.
If you are repairing a crack, drill both ends (1/8″) and remove the crack by grinding or gouging.
Thanks Harry . Based on what I have read that is what I was thinking , but I am no expert so it is nice to get confirmation from a seasoned pro .