2000 Chevy Silverado rear axle cracked

I had a crank shaft out of my jet boat's 454 welded up.

Six months later I was working on a ford rearend that had a badly worn bearing surface to the axle. I called up the crank welders and asked about them building up the axle. Guy said "NEVER Weld one up!" He told me, that if a welded crank breaks it messes up an engine, if an axle breaks while going down the road some one could die.
Axles are forged from 4130 alloy steel. With 25 years in a machine shop, I have welded just about everything from Magnesium to Stainless I wouldnt try it.

On the other hand, if its the cast iron axle housing cracked. I would weld it up with a electrode with a high nickle content or a 308 stainless rod.