Gearbox Assembly - 8x8 Amphibious Vehicle Argo REBUILD Ep.4

TIG welding a wrecked bearing socket in an aluminum gearbox casing, assembly of the gearbox & planetary differential brake steering unit. Continuously variable transmission / gearbox & engine cracked steel mount repair. Installing brake calipers and one of the CVT pulleys.
8x8 ARGO rebuild series full playlist:
• 8x8 ARGO Avenger REBUILD
This 8x8 ARGO sparked the homemade tracked amphibious vehicle build series a couple of years ago that you can watch here:
• Tracked Amphibious Veh...
My other videos: kzbin.infovideos
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#donndiy #8x8 #trackedvehicle
Welding equipment borrowed from Spetselektroodi AS, Estonia:
Fronius TransSteel 2700 welder
Optrel Crystal 2.0 Welding Helmet
Hypertherm Powermax 45 XP plasma cutter

[@DonnDIY]

More fabrication videos on kzbin.infovideos

[@KevCampbell]

OK, fair to say this thing was built too lightly in the first place - add more steel! 😁

[@levidbateman5174]

Definitely needs a few braces and stiffening in places all over

[@BIGSMOKE-bl2lq]

Add more steel so it sinks in the water

[@tedbastwock3810]

@@BIGSMOKE-bl2lq In one of Donns videos he mentions the displacement factor. I dont remember and dont care to look it up, but I was surprised at the weight that can be buoyed to hull volume ratio. To be fair, I highly doubt that a handsome bit of beefing this vehicle will sink it down more than is even perceivable.

[@Crewsy]

@@levidbateman5174 It definitely appears that some reinforcement could be added in the area of those cracks that Donn welded up which appear to be inherent weak spots.

[@randytravis3998]

@@BIGSMOKE-bl2lq this thing will haul lots of people a bit more steel is not going too make it sink ,,

[@robsdeviceunknown]

Man I tell ya. Transmissions are far beyond my paygrade. I am just not good enough. So great job man.

[@Mr.Stacey-L-SCC]

Damn! when do you sleep! Thanks for sharing.

[@42Goopy42]

As best you could?! I think you built it better than it was factory! Cool unit, the way they made that frame definitely leaves a lot to be desired.

[@thepagan5432]

Nicely done. I had to repair a gearbox that was used at Heathrow Airport which was used to jack up the nose wheel on 747s so the tyres could be changed. That box had lost all it's oil and was not checked until it seized. The TIG welding on the bearing diameter was a good move. 👍

[@RooMan93]

The ol' allen wrench cheater bar is guaranteed to give at least an extra Abom™

[@michaeltonyseel]

Donn you do good work , your a gifted technician

[@sartainja]

Am amazing that this Argo stayed together as long as it did considering all the structural damage that you have repaired in this rebuild. It must have been beat like a red-headed step child from day one.

[@tigxxl]

TIG WELDING!!! 😁😁😁MORE!!!!!!!😄😄😄

[@AW-Services]

Another great addition to the series Donn and brilliant repair and rebuilding up the bearing Cup as welding on alloy cast is inherently difficult with oil contamination. Keep up the great work

[@ovehauknes5477]

I could watch you repair and build stuff all day💪

[@orangepickel2]

Great entertainment as always

[@MikeHarveyPhoto]

Gearbox rebuild looks good to me should last a long time keep it up

[@09FLTRMM77]

MM77 Approved 👍🏼👍🏼

[@Wil_Liam1]

Great work me son !! My 6x and my buddies 8x pretty much had almost every weld cracked,along with cracking in solid flat areas also,every single stub shafts bearing was toast,every sprocket,every link of every chain,zero brakes remaining,tubs had multiple cracks,both engines smoked,tires were mix n match and mostly half would be flat the following day after airing them up even though they had very little tread left,were dry cracked all over,1 of mine was even splitting along the 2 casings joint.. Marks 8x was in much better shape than my 6x but his cost him 25% more for us to rebuild than mine did and neither of them were cheap to do a full off rebuild like you've done here and yes every single gearbox I've ever seen or worked on was thrashed like yours was... People literally believe these things are military grade tanks when, in fact, they're fairly light duty machines that actually do require a fair amount of maintenance and effort by their owners/operators.. I bought my 6x for $800 USD cash many moons ago and had not quite a new Argos cost in it when I finished,but it wasn't a while lot less,and Marks was the same way... Luckily a lot of these parts are now internet sourcible and readily available and cheaper than they were back then when one had to order out of a catalog,send in full payment,wait several long weeks for parts to be shipped,and then up to a couple of weeks for them to arrive... You're doing wonderfully Donn,keep up the excellent effort, and I'll sit back with a frosty adult beverage n relax while you do all the sweating and hard work 😅

[@sidschwan8031]

Awesome job on the trans Donn great skills welding and mechanical 😮

[@woodhonky3890]

Epic re-man, man!

[@rjung_ch]

That is looking really way better than what you started out with. The oil changes and the magnet in the drain plug will be a good addition for sure. 👍💪✌

[@leonidsimenzov6946]

Интересный способ востовления посадочного место под подшипник. Я думал что с нало варить потом просачивается будет. А тут раз баз и готово. 👍

[@yeagerxp]

Excellent work 👍👍👍. Thank you for sharing. Be safe 🇨🇦

[@wernerbrokmann5761]

Super wie immer

[@aarondwyer3746]

Top job number one

[@geo2cv6tron14]

It's really very interesting to see how this funny vehicle is designed 🤩👍

[@curm1778]

You shined that up as best one could. Pity it's so lightly built.

[@stuartbaker666]

brilliant, great to watch.

[@olddawgdreaming5715]

Rolling along gracefully Donn, looking good so far. Thanks for sharing with us. Stay safe and continue having fun around there. Fred.

[@onebadsavage26]

I'm surprised that a man of your skills didn't just build a new gearbox mount with heavier material to avoid the obvious weakness in it's original design. Keep up the amazing work.

[@DonnDIY]

I'm in a time crunch with this one - can't spend time re-engineering things I'm not too familiar with (have to consider space constraints in the tub and so on).

[@cybersylo5786]

Great job. Do you feel like the cracked areas could have used some reinforcement?

[@jurgens9867]

Reinforcement of the frame will be a good idea. I am worried about the distance between the frame and the pulley. There will be a torque and crack the frame again.

[@johnsherborne3245]

I think I might have reinforced the cracks, but my welding is a deal less practiced. Besides, if it does give grief, guess who fixes it!

[@kenwood8665]

Keep up the amazing work

[@TopCat2021]

It's looking good, glad to see that you're back!

[@jerremyvinson6310]

Such a good series

[@lennym1636]

You the man...

[@thomaswykes3647]

That gearbox will outlast the whole vehicle

[@tomcleghorn4005]

What a greAt video. You make it look so easy

[@dennisflemming826]

You did a great , welding around an old bearing to build up the casing , excellent ! The steel mounting is to light , needs a beef up . Cheers

[@Splits-man]

As a couple of other people have already commented, that gearbox mounting frame needs to be beefed up to ovoid the same problem happening again in the future. Great work just the same.

[@pabloperlo4479]

Your work Is the best, a lot of strength and congratulations.

[@thomaswestwood5227]

it will be good great work as always and English is spot on

[@LariFariYoutube]

Bad engeneering on the sheet metal "frame", which holds the gearbox.. Thats obviously a stress point, where the crack started.. Can you weld a second layer over? A piece of flat stock or sheet metal...as a "bridge"...

[@GingerPiston]

Came here to ask similar - it's either bad design or abuse, but likely bad design. So some form of support around those brackets might be in order? Armchair engineer here! 😁

[@wojteko3801]

Hello u could make another plate for support (reinforce) gearbox and weld it on where was cracked, u have still space for it.

[@stillraven9415]

You're very talented!

[@FatHulkRideEbike]

Nice job man. Some of these things it looks like you have done them 1000x before : - )

[@aksela6912]

The frame connecting gearbox and engine looked really flimsy. I wonder where it would make sense to add reinforcements?

[@Crewsy]

Certainly looks like those cracked areas could be reinforced on the inside of that subframe but don’t forget Donn did say this thing was severely abused. Of course that’s just one way to find weak points.

[@aksela6912]

@@Crewsy Yes, and as others have pointed out, weight is more of a factor than in most of his other builds.

[@martylawson1638]

Based on the cracks, I'd put the reinforcement between the gearbox and the wheel axles. I.e. the chain pulls a lot harder than the CVT.

[@lucsurmon2623]

As always 👍👍👍👍

[@jeanbernier]

This gearbox is very interesting, very compact! It is gearbox+differential+break!!!

[@DonnDIY]

Yes, exactly.

[@snocrushr]

Made in Canada 🇨🇦 👍👍

[@yodasbff3395]

Nice work and great video. 👍

[@vinceianni4026]

Good job Donn

[@raph7711]

Hello, when you apply the sealant, as there is no groove, you could have spread it by tapping with your fingers all over the surface for a better seal. Thx you and take care ❤

[@carloskawasaki656]

Awesome,i learn everythink ,thank you so much 👍👍👍👍

[@johnvro967]

Hi Donn, Your work is awesome, your attention to detail impeccable. Take care.

[@s.m.aggies7220]

great work, and yea I enjoy watching your welding, very nice..... :)

[@MASI_forging]

Nice work as always 👏👏

[@user-gn2gl1dr9x]

Красавчик!

[@jlucasound]

I am surprised you didn't reinforce the motor/trans mount where it cracked. 😟 Love your videos, Donn!! ❤

[@iainhetherington4608]

I agree with add more steel especially around the gearbox frame where you can fit it without interference Cheers from Aus

[@markparker2873]

Well done and thank you for sharing! 😀

[@tedbastwock3810]

When did you first realize you are a genius? Was it hard to not look down on your fellow classmates? Thanks for sharing this rebuild, very interesting.

[@DonnDIY]

🤣

[@eduardoresiopescaenargenti2222]

great job!!!

[@dav1dsm1th]

Looks like those cracks in the gearbox support frame are a design flaw that may reoccur. Maybe adding strengthening plates at those corners could help (or just move any news cracks to another location 😞). Great video, as always. Stay safe out there.

[@rl3898]

Totally agree, there seemed to be plenty of space in the crack areas where a stiffening plate could have been a useful addition.

[@dav1dsm1th]

@@rl3898 Check out the next video in the series.

[@jonathonwood4088]

What gearbox is it?

[@WaltherHK]

Well done.

[@user-wt3rx1do8c]

أحسنت عمل ممتاز وذو مهنية عالية تحياتي

[@cjtaylor0103]

Good work TIGing on that crap aluminum casting. I feel thats one of the hardest welding jobs to do. Casted aluminum is nasty/dirty stuff. Looks like at the very start you weren't hot enough and you got the typical response...filler rod balls up and almost repels the work piece. Next time, unless you're worried about that old bearing, heat it up with a torch before you strike an arc. You'll be amazed at how much easier it is to get the puddle formed and go to work.

[@jubiletabustamanteserrano2446]

BUEN TRABAJO DE REPARAR RAJAS EN CHASIS Y CAJA

[@Manuelblancobandera]

Nice

[@president2]

Love it keep it up as always 💘

[@jameslyons1978]

I like it alot!

[@HP_rep_mek]

Good work, thats a cool gearbox, not so easy to find a (cheap) replacement one I guess! Your repair will probably work just fine if you keep oil inside the gearbox and not have it go outside😊

[@johnanderson8166]

Now that you have the transmission mounted to it's frame, figure out were you can add reinforcement to the frame work to strengthen the mount for the transmission, your going to need to add reinforcement to other places as well, like the main frame.

[@DonnDIY]

Yes, absolutely. But I'll have to mount everything and check the clearances first. Otherwise I'll just have to hack everything off again if there are issues to be found.

[@tonnyuntarslots]

I keep waiting for each video to watch I really like your service you should just post faster

[@joebaucom4537]

Great !

[@robertoszym2]

If there is a space, it will be good to reinforce the frame where it was cracked.

[@Jagermonsta]

"I rebuilt it as best as I could" would a 'professional' have done it any different? genuinely don't know, to me it looks like a fully professionally rebuilt item that couldn't have been done any better. even the welding

[@dumbasscountryboy]

Awesome job Donn and this thing will be better than new.

[@levidbateman5174]

Amazing repair work I was hoping to see some stiffening and braces added to the interior frame but you are the with eyes all over it, hope it all works out well

[@sergeis4590]

Super!

[@TheMrAwax]

I’m surprised you didn’t CNC plasma cut a brand new mount.

[@valterventura6256]

Seus trabalhos são ótimos parabéns

[@bob1947essex]

That cracked bracket desperately needs some reinforcing plates, or it'll eventually crack again.

[@DonnDIY]

You're right.👍

[@zbudda]

The bean counters had a lot to say in the making of this final product…save money on using thinner metals and less welds…

[@troycongdon]

Cool project. It is hard to tell what chemical you used to clean the frame before welding but be careful if you are using brake cleaner, read up on phosgene gas, very little brake cleaner plus welding can mean death.

[@damiandozal983]

i don't think anyone notice but when he showed the bearing, spearing, and the little nut that keep the gearbox in place he but tremendous amount of locktight .

[@damiandozal983]

i meant gearbox in gear oops my bad

[@Paulman50]

Rich Rebuilds is building an electric one of those, I messaged him to throw away that gearbox and use two electric motors with a joy stick controller. But na. I hated the early gearboxes, they were rough and noisy. The later ones have a gradual turning system, far better.

[@nedimbuyukafsar6434]

👍👍👍

[@MultiBigDenis]

half of this work needs to be done immediately after purchase, than the designer thought to leave sharp corners next to the hole on such a loaded part ...

[@jondavidmcnabb]

That TransSteel 2200 obviously didn't do the aluminum welding so did you get a new/additional TIG?

[@iffonackerman5241]

👍👍👍!!!

[@nichtelse]

I wouldn"t have used Coppergrease, bad experience with water if prefer ceramic grease it won"t get sticky over time

[@vladzaha4169]

👍

[@AntonioM.696.]

🤘🤠

[@user-ij5lj1rk7d]

❤❤❤

[@2artactical55]

Either it's built cheaply and breaks easily or that machine was really abused to end up in that condition. Good job fixing it!

[@DonnDIY]

I can guarantee that it was super abused - it was a service machine in a company and many people used it.

[@2artactical55]

@@DonnDIY That would explain it. I've rebuilt a few of those Argos but not in such depth as you. You are a true tradesman!

[@Flowing23]

👍👍

[@jamesa7506]

👍💪

[@user-lg4vw6cq7i]

Раму надо было усилить рёбрами, а то опять треснет.

[@job38four10]

Looking good. What size wire and gas mixtures you use on mig welding?

[@DonnDIY]

1mm wire + Argon mix gas

[@valdevieira8258]

👏👏👏👍

[@leslienixon9274]

I do not believe a Scandinavian person designed that gearbox!

[@khiemtongduy6318]

Hay