Re: Welding a Truck Frame

Posted by trucker 40 on May 08, 2010 at 18:06:17 from (69.152.172.94):

In Reply to: Re: Welding a Truck Frame posted by Lanse on May 06, 2010 at 19:01:04:

Lanse to set 7018 rod right you need some metal to practice on.That would be 7018 AC with your buzz box.Then you weld a bead.Once you get it set right the slag will curl off of the weld as it cools.1/8 rod would be from about 90 to 120 amps.Every welder is different.

Now I see how these guys told you a lot of info that is actually good,but I have welded stuff with 7018 and it worked.MIG would be the best to use,but 7018 is good.Even 6011 would work at from about 90 to 120 amps.7018 is going to be hard for you to weld with if you dont know how.It shouldnt take a lot of practice before you can make a good weld with it if you do this-as you weld watch the puddle right behind the arc a little, like a quarter inch,adjust your speed faster and slower until the line behind the arc is straight across the weld.Curved forward is too slow,curved back is too fast,straight across is just right.What that line is,is the slag as it is laying down on the hot weld bead.You can weld anything flat like that and it will look like a machine did the welding as long as you keep that line straight and have the amps set close to curling the slag.

The best way to weld something with 7018 or anything as far as I know is uphill if possible.For now until you master making good welds with 7018 flat,just do it like I told you and after you get the slag peeling its as good as it gets with 7018.Actually I seem to remember that peeling slag is just a touch hot,but it will be close enough for what you are doing.

While there are some differences with the final weld,MIG being stronger for what you are doing,7018 and MIG are a lot alike with about the same strength.On stuff like this where the metal is brittle MIG holds up better.MIG welding is what should be used if you were going to run it on the highway.Just around the farm you are only risking yourself right?The problem with using 7018 on this is that it gets so hot.MIG is a cooler weld.So in order for it to work better for you,after you find the point where the slag curls off of the weld,turn it down 5 or 10 amps.Thats going to be as strong as you can get it with that kind of rod.What it does is that it will crack right next to where its welded.Watch it close for a while and if it doesnt crack you will be alright maybe.If it does,and you grind it and weld it again,those usually dont break as bad the second time.

If you cut it at an angle with a sawzall it would be easy to put it back together.Cut at an angle in a place where you can clamp a piece of angle iron to it to get it flat one way,then clamp an angle iron to it the other way to get it straight,and weld the heck out of it.If you put a plate where you weld it and stay an inch away from the radius of the channel of the frame,it will probably hold.

I have welded frames in pickups and stuff before the place I worked at had a MIG and it held,but I was a good welder at the time,not a beginner.I have welded a lot of truck frames with 7018 and they held up to 600 or 700 or more bushel coming out of the field with lots of stress on them and didnt break with 7018 and MIG.New car stuff is more brittle maybe,but I dont think its as big an issue as some try and make of it.
The real issue was welding unibody cars with stick versus MIG welding.I can see where MIG is a lot better for thin metal.Frames are somewhat different.Remember cooler is better with 7018 welded right.MIG actually is better for a car frame but I have welded them with 7018.Main thing is to V out the area to be welded.Grind any bad places in the weld and do it over and over until its got a good weld with no bubbles in it.If you have trouble just post again,I will look for it.

Also I always grinded my weld down where it was flush or a little above the surface of where I welded it,except the grain trucks and I did some smooth and some I left with the weld showing,mainly so I could show my weld to people and talk about it.An old man told me,or I read someplace that grinding a weld makes it stronger because it relieves stress on the surface of the metal.Some are going to say this isnt so,but I think it is.
There is a lot to welding and nobody knows everything about it.I just know what I do from doing the work mostly.Working for places that had a buzz box to weld with and doing what had to be done with that because thats all there was to use.

Replies:

Add a Reply Name: E-Mail: Subject: Comments: Optional Link URL: Link Title: Optional Image URL: Optional Video Title: Optional Video URL: Advanced Posting Options Email Notification: If you check this box, email will be sent to you whenever someone replies to this message. Your email address must be entered above to receive notification. This notification will be cancelled automatically after 2 weeks.   Advanced Posting Tools   Upload Photo  Select Gallery Photo  Attach Serial # List  Return to Post

TRACTOR PARTS	TRACTOR MANUALS

We sell tractor parts!  We have the parts you need to repair your tractor - the right parts. Our low prices and years of research make us your best choice when you need parts. Shop Online Today. [ About Us ]