Working on my rusted frame. Pics and updates.. (ITS VERY BAD)

[rocklaurence]

Welds look like melted crayons LOL, I know how hard it is to weld in the field and with Flux core wire. But the welds look to be deep [penetration] enough. Later, I'd go back and plate over that area to sure -up the repair.

[candymancan]

Is melted crayons good ? They arent bird poop welds..or cold welds i can tell you that. When i was doing the welding i saw both metals melting as i was going left right left right with the gun nozzle.

The inside welds arent THAT great but im happy with the outside peice.

This is the 2mm or so gap im talking about. See how i gapped the metal.. this way it melts both peices and you just fill it in if that makes sense.. Thats how i see them weld patchs on these car shows so thats how i tried to do it.

[rocklaurence]

You do have the Stacking Going-on [looks good]. When time and circumstances allow, I'd grind the welds flat and then plate it because there's a lot of stress in that area.

[Chubbinius]

Man, nice quick work to get your Jeep back on the road again. Looks good for what you had to work with in the parking lot and the portable welder seemed to do what you needed it to.

I enjoy reading about different approaches to welding...have to get one day too.

[candymancan]

Its not THAT hard to weld.. I mean i have the older 90A chicago electric flux welder from harbor freight. I paid like 90$ for it. They now have a 125A. Although its duty cycle still says 90a at 20% so i think its just rebranded to 125 and its the same exact welder as my 90. Also i mean those welds you see in my pic 2 posts up.. for a 90a flux core those are dsmn good welds i think anyway.. alot of people bash the flux cores specially this 90a but it does a good job for what it is.

But now they have a titanium 125A for like 180$ weighs half as much as mine i want that one.. as it also has 1-10 heat settings vs high and low on mine.

But ive done sections in my floor boards. A friends control arm bracket on his dana 30 axle for his cherokee xj. And ive welded other sections of my frame in the rear. And when i replaced my leaf springs i had to cut the bracket off the frame due to the I bolt being welded to the rubber bushing on the leaf spring shackle. Then i welded the bracket back on.. Been 4 years almost and it hasnt broke off.

I do wanna redo the peices i did on the frame in the rear though as im much better at welding now than i was back then. But ya. This 90$ welder has saved me THOUSANDS in repairs.

The next section i do have to fix would be the frame by the gas tank.. unfortunatly my Jeeps interior and most of the body was in great shape (minus my dog leg on the rear quarter panel) but the frame had alot of bad sections.

But ya last rotted section is the gas tank part of the frame. But i think for that ima buy the prebuilt sections you can buy on bjs or something so all i gatta do is cut and weld..


I know some of you have suggested grinding the welds and plating over it to double shore it up.. but ill be honest.. the gap i allowed and what saw while welding and the clearly good fusion in my pics.. i dont think i need to do that. Plus metal stacked on metal causes rust inside overtime. And grinding down welds can weaken them. I alao cant plate where the two engine mount bolts are. Unless i take the bolts off and drill holes in to the plate. But still. I dont wanna do this atm. Im still sore 2 days after this. Cant even walk up stairs without limping. My muscles are so sore from doing this on the pavement lol.

I just am surpised i did it in one day

[candymancan]

Man, nice quick work to get your Jeep back on the road again. Looks good for what you had to work with in the parking lot and the portable welder seemed to do what you needed it to.

I enjoy reading about different approaches to welding...have to get one day too.

Thanks man. Makes me feel good when someone says nice things like that


One thing i need to do is drill a hole in the botton of the shock mount for a drain. I realized there isnt even a drain for water on these.. its stupid. And i think ima drill a hole in my bottom plate i welded for a drain as well or probly make the other one next to it larger as well. The holes are too small for the drains on these boxed sections.

Id honestly recomend everyone drill a hole into the shock mount bottom. I did an experiment yesturday and took a cup of water and poured it into the shock mount and it didnt drain it just sat there. A round hole wont do anything to the strength of the metal

How dumb is that, that water sits in the shock mount lol ?