What Type of Welder for Frame Rails?

[Realmongo]

Since our frame rails are made of high strength steel (HSS), what kind of welding does this require? Something like MIG or TIG?

 

[dragnazz5.0]

what are you trying to do? a simple 110 mig welder will weld something to it

 

[Realmongo]

I need to have the left side anti-sway bar bracket welded back on.

 

[rd]

I did my subframe connectors with a flux core wire feeder. My overhead welding skills were awfull before, and I have not done any since. But it worked...

85 amp Eastword-Century wire feeder, 1985 vintage, 030 fluxcore wire.

I did burn through in a couple places, and was able to fill them up, more or less. It ain't come unglued yet...

 

[larrendeuce]

MIG or flux core should be fine, mine are mig welded, and my friends are flux core. His are holding up ok, just don't look as nice as MIG. Just don't acetylene weld. Too much heat for the high carbon steel.

 

[Roland69]

MIG would be your best bet.

 

[74courier]

mig is your best bet unless youve got the money and skill to use a tig welder i used a miller 110volt and it works just fine on the thinner stuff such as subframe connectors and brackets. id be pretty weary of trying to weld a rollbar with a 110volt though.

 

[Realmongo]

Thanks, I'm going to try and head down to the local welding supply house tomorrow to see if they can hook me up with a MIG/TIG welder who makes house calls. Figure it would be best to get it done while the engine is out.

 

[stprorolla49]

mig is easier to learn, but tig is the only weld that is NHRA legal, and it will make cleaner welds as well...i use a cebora tig welder which i love

 

[mustangjoe87]

Just try not to heat it up too much, the heat will ruin the properties of the HSS.

 

[Roland69]

I actually found TIG to be easy to learn and I can weld with TIG all day I love it. The welder at work sometimes gets me to weld for him lol. MIG is almost easy for anyone that has an idea on the concepts of welding

 

[Realmongo]

I've tried MIG welding myself. Lets say the results were not pretty.

 

[Roland69]

Did you turn the gas on lol

 

[Roland69]

Also if you plan on doing alot of welding a auto darkening helmet will be your best friend

 

[TrophyHead]

TIG is the way the go on anything. Plus I love the smell.

But it really dosent matter. MIG, TIG, Stick, they all willl work with the right rods and right amperage settings.

 

[74courier]

Also if you plan on doing alot of welding a auto darkening helmet will be your best friend

id recomend the hornell speedglass models if they are in your price range some of the cheaper auto dark ones are to slow so your eyes are still exsposed to some of the arc.

 

[Realmongo]

Well I think I may have lucked out. I went down to our local PRAXXAIR and the owner knew exactly who would be best for the job. I got a hold of him on the phone and he said he would be by on Wednesday morning.

Sigh of relief.