Frame Repair Need Advice

[Magnum44357]

well from what I saw, it looked like to me, as if it re-cracked exactly the same size and length as before. the heat marks are from welding on the backside, the front welds actually went longer. idk y the crack was longer on the front than the back, but it was That make sense?

as far as the V cutting, yeah I V cut them real good.

 

[bucket]

Were the heat marks the same size or bigger when you did the welds on the outside?

 

[Magnum44357]

hmm don't exactly know what u mean.

The beads I did on the front were longer than the heat marks you see in that picture. make sense?

 

[crazy4offroad]

What brand welder are you using? My Hobart has a chart inside the door for a basic guideline of settings to use for a particular thickness steel. They're just guidelines though to get you close, so what really works may need a little tweaking. I think you may want to make your weld hotter, either by bumping up the heat (I know, it will be maxed out, just keep your duty cycle in mind, maybe 50%) or slowing down the wire speed which will give a hotter arc for the size wire you're using.

 

[bucket]

hmm don't exactly know what u mean.

The beads I did on the front were longer than the heat marks you see in that picture. make sense?

When you welded the outside, was it a flat weld (that flowed out) with a nice discolored area around the weld? Or was it a tall, colder weld.

 

[Magnum44357]

When you welded the outside, was it a flat weld (that flowed out) with a nice discolored area around the weld? Or was it a tall, colder weld.

well I'm no expert, so I'm not sure of the quality. However I posted some pictures a few posts back, take a look and tell me what u think of them.

(I thought it flowed out flat, but idk, maybe it needed to more.)

 

[Magnum44357]

What brand welder are you using? My Hobart has a chart inside the door for a basic guideline of settings to use for a particular thickness steel. They're just guidelines though to get you close, so what really works may need a little tweaking. I think you may want to make your weld hotter, either by bumping up the heat (I know, it will be maxed out, just keep your duty cycle in mind, maybe 50%) or slowing down the wire speed which will give a hotter arc for the size wire you're using.

The welder is a "Clarke 180" 230volt Mig welder with Argone. unfortunately there is no "guideline on the inside of the door" I bought it used on CL so I'm not sure if it came with a chart originally or not...

I had it turned up all the way, but on my practice pieces it was burning though them... maybe I'll try again though.

 

[crazy4offroad]

Try turning the wire speed down, using the heat you were using before. Like said your wire should be a "consumable" instead of filler for your weld. It should be just enough to sustain an arc but not be adding so much material to the weld. That will make for a cold weld.

 

[Magnum44357]

So I got out yesterday morning but the wind was giving me troubles... Found some more time today to work on it, and for some reason my welder is acting up or something I'm not exactly sure whats up with it, it just doesn't sound like its arcing right...

I could be fooling myself though, because I've been using the ones at school this week. (top of the line and perfect booth conditions)

I did my best by turning it up and it seemed to flatten out the welds quite a bit more. I almost thought, too much, but "Meh" haha

I'm at the point where I need to get this done before the 9 months of rain starts... I welded up the front side again and finished the backside. This time I only ground down the peaks of the welds, so therefore leaving a lot of meat still on the frame.

after which I welded the bottom 2 cracks. it was quite difficult welding upside down, so there not pretty at all... just so I dont have to worry about it, I cut out a piece of 3/8" steel heated it up and bent it to shape. It will be placed on the bottom of the frame for support. I know its pry unnecessary but I don't ever want to do another repair to the steering box frame in the future haha plus it didn't take long to do...

 

[crazy4offroad]

nice to see someone else shape some red-hot steel! Sounds like you got 'er whooped!

 

[Magnum44357]

nice to see someone else shape some red-hot steel! Sounds like you got 'er whooped!

yeah haha, getting there for sure...

Whats your opinion on boxing in like 15 inches of frame right there around the steering box? worth it? or pointless?

 

[crazy4offroad]

Would make it a real pain in the ass to access the steering box bolts, brake lines, etc. I would just go with the steering box brace kit, or fabricate one. Basically triangulates the rear 2 bolts with a brace to the crossmember, and has a small bracket to reinforce the front top bolt to the crossmember. You can see pics of what offroad design offer here...
http://www.offroaddesign.com/catalog/steeringkit.htm
...and then see what you'd need to make.

 

[Magnum44357]

Would make it a real pain in the ass to access the steering box bolts, brake lines, etc. I would just go with the steering box brace kit, or fabricate one. Basically triangulates the rear 2 bolts with a brace to the crossmember, and has a small bracket to reinforce the front top bolt to the crossmember. You can see pics of what offroad design offer here...
http://www.offroaddesign.com/catalog/steeringkit.htm
...and then see what you'd need to make.

Ok, yeah that makes sense.

I dont really want to spend the money on the kit/I dont want to wait for it to ship... So I think I'll make one myself. More fun that way anyhow...

How thick of steel do you suggest I make the patches out of? I have a 15"x36" sheet of 3/8" steel out back that I intended to use for a winch bumper in the future, but I think thats a little too thick. I doubt a slab of 1/4" would cost that much anyways... I have lots of scrap pieces like I made the bottom brace out of, but nothing long and wide enough to do the whole section in 1 piece with. and again most are 3/8" a couple 1/4" though...

Thanks- Magnum

Edit: I went back and looked at your thread when u did the repair. I see you used 1/8" steel. Think thats thick enough for my frame in this bad of shape?

 

[crazy4offroad]

Well that was the frame patch, not really what I was talking about. If you look at the offroad design link they have a brace kit too. 3/16" should be plenty thick enough, I wouldn't go thicker than 1/4" to make the braces. The reason I went with 1/8" for the patch was I couldn't justify using metal that is thicker than what I was putting it on.

 

[Magnum44357]

Well that was the frame patch, not really what I was talking about. If you look at the offroad design link they have a brace kit too. 3/16" should be plenty thick enough, I wouldn't go thicker than 1/4" to make the braces. The reason I went with 1/8" for the patch was I couldn't justify using metal that is thicker than what I was putting it on.

Yeah I gotcha. I understood what u meant with the brace kit. I figured I'd do it out of the same thickness as the big patch kit.

Anyway, On my way home from the shop today, I stopped and picked up a sheet of 3/16" steel, So hopefully this weekend I can get to working on it! weather permitting of course...