arc welding question

I have to patch the skin on the bed of my one ton dump.
There are a few small holes in it and i figured i could weld
some steel in to patch the holes.
What precautions, if any, need to be taken before welding on a
truck bed? Should I disconnect battery cables? Just dont
want to mess something up...
thanks,
 
As long as you attach your ground lead to the bed itself, there should be no harmful voltage/current spikes reaching any critical systems or components. The majority of the electronics are in the cab. the closer to your welding area that you keep the ground, the less possibility there is for stray electric spikes hurting the electronics.
 
drop the ground off the battery, and also, check the backside of the bed for insulating or sound deadening material. it will look either like great stuff foam or, a tar like matte about 3/16 inch thick. both are flammable. you need to scrape it off before you weld. rocker panels and cab corners are also coated like that too.
 
I weld on dump trucks all the time, and I agree with both of the guys that posted before me. The closer the ground is to your work, the less likely you are to have any problems. You will probably never hurt any of the electronics or the battery if you are welding on the bed and the ground is attached to the bed, but it only takes a minute to unhook the battery and be sure.
 
Thanks for the responses and info, was going to disconnect battery anyway, as said...takes 30 seconds better safe than sorry..,good info though...thanks again
 
I welded on hundreds of tractors in a Case dealers shop , We never disconnected the batteries. It is always good practice to keep the ground connection close to the work area, and make sure the current path isn't thru a bearing !!
 
The only time I ever used an AC stick welder on a vehicle, the following morning the battery was dead because alternator diodes were fried.

Cause-and-effect? Or just an alternator that was on its deathbed anyway?

Not sure. But as mentioned, it only takes a couple of minutes--if you-re slow--to remove a battery cable.
 
Never hurts to disconnect the battery but I'd be more concerned where the fuel tank and fuel lines are and make sure nothing is leaking.
 

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