Was my front axle welded?

[rdstudio]

Hello

So I have a small oil leak near steering stabilizer mount (looks like fresh oil, not from engine which is more black) and I start investigating from where it comes.

When looking for it/cleaning surfaces, I noticed that my axle looks like i was welded together? On original wrangler jl photos I saw that those 2 parts slide in each other and are not connected together.

photo of that part found on internet

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[GATORB8]

I haven't had that on in a long time, but the FAD skid and stabilizer mount should not be welded on. Those bolts look Fubar'd, too.

 

[rdstudio]

FAD skid and stabilizer mount is not welded. Only axle housing tube for what I can see.

 

[jadmt]

does not look normal......

 

[Lofty]

Stabilizer bracket is strictly a bolt on part for all OE axles. Suspect a crack appeared at one time and was "fixed" by the welding that you see. Probably leaking still due to the welding of the cast FAD housing to the surrounding non cast material. Only a matter of time till this gets dangerous to have on the road

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