Welding a stainless Jet boat Pump shaft question. Zap ?

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I have this jet pump shaft that has worn area where the bowl bushings ride on. It is stainless but I do not know exactly what stainless. There is a company who sells a sleeve kit where you turn down the OD of the shaft so the repair sleeve is a press fit and use locktite as well. The bowl bushing to shaft clearance spec is .002”. I was thinking of welding this area up and machining it to my bowl bushing dimensions. I am wondering if I will get warpage as well as what is the best filler rod to use. I am thinking 308L.I do have another race shaft (AQ-17-4) but I want to refurbish the old one.www.tjsperformance.comDynasty 300 DXHTP 240HTP Microcut 380Hyperthem 85JD2 Hyd Bender and HF Hyd Ring Roller all in one =(Frankenbender)Bpt. Mill/DRO4' x 8' CNC Plasma TableInstagram: tjsperformanceYT: TJS Welding and Fabrication
Reply:That's a toughie..Sleeves are OK but I only use them if absolutely necessary...I prefer the all weld method whenever possible.You can try to weld up the worn area and see how true the shaft stays but most times I will weld the whole shaft and turn as needed...Try to stay away from the threads so you can re- use them...308 will be just fine....zap!I am not completely insane..Some parts are missing Professional Driver on a closed course....Do not attempt.Just because I'm a  dumbass don't mean that you can be too.So DON'T try any of this **** l do at home.
Reply:If your other shaft is 17-4 stainless that is a precipitation hardened stainless and would not take well to welding.  If it's not a hardened shaft it would probably be 316 stainless and 316L stainless filler would be best filler.  A simple test with a file on the two shafts should tell you if one is hard or not.  Distortion of the shaft is the biggest complication when welding up such things.  It also concentrates a lot of stress on the shaft.  We usually have to stress relieve the shafts after welding on our tug boat shafts though they are quite a bit larger (10" diameter).Sleeves work well.  Most of our tug shafts are carbon steel shafts with stainless liners shunk on in all high wear areas.  The only recent trouble we had with a liner was that it had pinholes in it and allowed salt water to eat away at the shaft.  After 30 years in service we had inch deep pitting under the liner.  Generally with shaft repairs liners are removed and the wear areas are built up with weld but not because it's better, it's just cheaper than making a new liner.Last edited by 76GMC1500; 09-15-2014 at 12:52 PM.
Reply:Thanks for the responses. The 17-4 shaft is fine. It is the stock Berkeley Pump shaft that I am questioning. I kind of wanted to experiment with the stock shaft. I may just put it in inventory, you never know.T.J.www.tjsperformance.comDynasty 300 DXHTP 240HTP Microcut 380Hyperthem 85JD2 Hyd Bender and HF Hyd Ring Roller all in one =(Frankenbender)Bpt. Mill/DRO4' x 8' CNC Plasma TableInstagram: tjsperformanceYT: TJS Welding and Fabrication
Reply:I was saying if the aftermarket shaft is 17-4 the OE Berkeley shaft may be 17-4 as well.
Reply:Originally Posted by 76GMC1500I was saying if the aftermarket shaft is 17-4 the OE Berkeley shaft may be 17-4 as well.
Reply:Then it is likely 316 but take file to both, if the differences are not obvious then they both may be 17-4.  It's a common material to make pump shafts from.  It may not be easily weldable, though.  Most of my experience is fractional horsepower pumps in the industrial world and I know about 17-4 and 316 but I do not now Berkeley pumps at all.  But a file should be able to determine if it is a hard stainless or an austinitic stainless relatively easily.  A grade 5 bolt is harder than any austinitic stainless so if your file cuts the shaft easily but not a grade 5 bolt then you know you have a hardened stainless.Last edited by 76GMC1500; 09-17-2014 at 02:35 AM.