826 Front End/Steering

1) Left side, arm removed. The c-clip on the left is pretty buggered up and is gone on the right. What does it do? The splines look pretty good on the spindle.
2) The splines in the arms are really worn This is the left. The right is much worse.
3) Just for grins, here is how they tried to tighten up the arms on the right. The washer was tack welded to the arm. The parts book I have shows no washer at all. I'll probably replace this nut.

Use stainless rod.

That is why I was careful to say ONLY after you decide you need new spindles and arms should you weld on them. I should have added if you don't have the money for new parts.

Stainless like 309 is really good for welders who are not so good and will join most alloys which are weldable, including high strength and high alloy. And it works well with cracker box welders. When I don't know the metallurgy I grab the 309.

Preheat the arms - line it all up - weld it - only the top though. I like to use 5/16 rods on this.

I'm not too keen on the 701x, or 601x rods for cast as welds form this composition of rod tend to crack. Preheating the cast reduces this but the rods for cast iron plus heating will give you the best result.

The resulting weld will last longer than the original spline.

By the way I did hear of a guy who cuts the arm and welds flanges so you can tighten it like a clamp. Never got his name or contact info.

Good luck

Cast iron rod is soft enough it might give under the loads on this joint.