Welding on Strut housings

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Ricko1966

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I'm sorry I didn't know where to put this,though,well he!! a lot of you guys with cars with struts might be interested.And someone here may know the answer. At one point in time if I wanted to lower a car. I'd pull the strut housings,pull out the inserts,cut the spring perches loose move them down an inch,two inches,whatever and weld the perches back on.Theyd be 1 inch 2 inch, whatever lower. Kicker is now nothing has inserts they are all sealed assemblies. My concern is welding on a sealed tube full of oil doesn't seem like a good idea. Wondered if any one knew. Safe? Not safe, can I just drill a hole for pressure release and plug it when done? For some reason I think a couple of guys in this group know the answer.
 
Scott91370

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Definitely wouldn't do it on a sealed unit. But if you drill a hole the pressure that was put in at the factory will bleed out, no?
 
squaredeal91

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I've once welded a broken strut. Car was from Minnesota probably lol. I was a bit shy to do it but I had a garden hose and welded a little bit then quickly cooled it down each time
 
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Scott91370 said:
Definitely wouldn't do it on a sealed unit. But if you drill a hole the pressure that was put in at the factory will bleed out, no?
Click to expand...
There shouldn't be any pressure unless it's a gas strut. My concern is the oil lighting off in a sealed chamber and blowing the strut up similiar to a pipe bomb because the pressure can't release.
 
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Ricko1966 said:
There shouldn't be any pressure unless it's a gas strut. My concern is the oil lighting off in a sealed chamber and blowing the strut up similiar to a pipe bomb because the pressure can't release.
Click to expand...
Please record the event and report back. Waiting in anticipation...:popcorn:
 
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SquareRoot said:
Please record the event and report back. Waiting in anticipation...:popcorn:
Click to expand...
I'll post back if I can.!!!! You want to hold the housing steady for me? I figured somebody on here would know about welding on a hydraulic cylinder. We will see.
 
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Grit dog said:
I thought this thread was a joke, like @bucket thread about fluid changes! Lol
Click to expand...
No seriously it's a slick way to lower the car without affecting spring rate,and getting exact drop you want. Move the spring perch 1inch,you get 1 inch and stock spring rate.
 
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It's actually been done many times. AWD Pontiac 6000's come to mind. The rear struts are not available and you have to make due with something else, which means removing the spring perches from the original struts and welding them onto the new ones.

The key is keeping the heat down. Imho, it's best not to lay a bead. Just repeatedly burn in a good tack weld, watch the orange color go away and then start the next tack weld.
 
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bucket said:
It's actually been done many times. AWD Pontiac 6000's come to mind. The rear struts are not available and you have to make due with something else, which means removing the spring perches from the original struts and welding them onto the new ones.

The key is keeping the heat down. Imho, it's best not to lay a bead. Just repeatedly burn in a good tack weld, watch the orange color go away and then start the next tack weld.
Click to expand...
Thank you. I knew somebody would know. Should have known it was @bucket I figured @legopnuematic would be chipping in.
 
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Ricko1966 said:
No seriously it's a slick way to lower the car without affecting spring rate,and getting exact drop you want. Move the spring perch 1inch,you get 1 inch and stock spring rate.
Click to expand...
I believe that part. Remember kids doing it to their ricers but like you said, they were disassembled.
Plus now aren’t most all sealed struts gas charged? Decent ones at least? Figured a hydraulic strut you’d cook the oil and maybe warp it too.
It’s be cool though. Do it!
 
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Not to worry, I was thinking of a reply yesterday but my after work plans were thwarted by a kaput battery in the 76.

Never have done anything like that, but I’d suspect with positioning the strut as such to keep the oil and piston seals away from the work area. Wrap everything but the to be welded area with wet rags to be a heat sink (and protect the cylinder rod from spatter). As bucket says, hot tacks and control heat input.

I did not really watch this video, just thumbed through. But he didn’t seem to have blowed up or anything.
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Even a gas strut/shock, I’d think they would use some inert gas, like nitrogen. Seems like it would be a big potential liability to fill them with, say hydrogen and have little Hindenburgs on your vehicle.
 
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