My first attempt at MIG welding. Not pretty but should hold.
08-07-2005, 07:43 PM
#21
Burning Brakes
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Originally Posted by Twin_Turbo
Len, not to sound like an azz but that looks terrible, all the welds look porous and it won't hold worth anything, looks like you didn't clean the metal before welding either. Look at it like this, what you did was put on some porous blobs of filler wire and there was very little fusing done there. I would replace that trailing arm and practise a little more, use more heat and a higher wire speed. The traiiling arm is completely wareped and the metal is already seperated from the rust, any time soon the spring bolt will pull straight through and you will get into trouble..like tires scraping the fenders or worse.
08-07-2005, 09:23 PM
#22
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Originally Posted by 88'Cubka
mostly argon, but i believe a mix of C02 for differnt type of welding.
Here we call it mig mix gold or actually about 15% carbon dioxide and 85% argon.
To me for shop use gas mig is the only way to go. Unless you like the way flux core digs in and acts like stick.
Try gas on clean metal, that means no rust, no grease and certainly no paint.
08-07-2005, 09:40 PM
#23
Melting Slicks
grind it down and try again.
nothing to loose. Make sure your bump stop is good. I have broken spring bolts on several occasions and the suspension just settles on the bump stop and i just keep on boogying down the road. One time i couldn't even tell the suspension was bottomed as the car sat so low anyway and such a stiff 5 leaf spring.
I use a stick welder because i'm too cheap to get a good one but i've found you want to weld as high amperage as you can without burning thru to get good penetration. Keep the wire as close to the material as possible.
i looked at your pictures. Your rear tires don't look wide enough to crack the fender if the spring bolt pulls thru.
nothing to loose. Make sure your bump stop is good. I have broken spring bolts on several occasions and the suspension just settles on the bump stop and i just keep on boogying down the road. One time i couldn't even tell the suspension was bottomed as the car sat so low anyway and such a stiff 5 leaf spring.
I use a stick welder because i'm too cheap to get a good one but i've found you want to weld as high amperage as you can without burning thru to get good penetration. Keep the wire as close to the material as possible.
i looked at your pictures. Your rear tires don't look wide enough to crack the fender if the spring bolt pulls thru.
Last edited by turtlevette; 08-07-2005 at 09:54 PM.
08-07-2005, 10:58 PM
#24
Instructor
Originally Posted by Maymyvetteliveforevr
What type of gas does MIG welding use? Is it Argon, cause I know that TIG welding uses that?
Thanks
Thanks
08-07-2005, 11:37 PM
#25
Instructor
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Looks to me (from the pics) you're trying to weld wasted metal...just too dang rusty. As mentionjed before, if yo're able to grind down to find some clean stuff, start your weld there and you may be able to puddle the rust out...I've done it sparingly with a stick welder, but on much thicker material.
Thing with the flux welder, after every pass or stop, you have to knock the slag out...but before you get there, you ave to have some decent material to work with...otherwise it's like taping wet toilet paper together.
Also, GAS won't help you on that material, probably will be worse...if you're going to run a 75/25 mix, you have to have clean metal and no heavy-ish wind.
But hey, probaly better than it was before, so may keep you going till you replace'em
Thing with the flux welder, after every pass or stop, you have to knock the slag out...but before you get there, you ave to have some decent material to work with...otherwise it's like taping wet toilet paper together.
Also, GAS won't help you on that material, probably will be worse...if you're going to run a 75/25 mix, you have to have clean metal and no heavy-ish wind.
But hey, probaly better than it was before, so may keep you going till you replace'em
08-08-2005, 12:59 AM
#26
Melting Slicks
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I don't have quite the experience of Norval or TT, but I recently have started welding, and this weekend I welded in some cut outs on my exhaust system. So to agree with everyone else, clean the metal, hit it with a wire brush atleast!!! 
08-08-2005, 05:19 AM
#28
Melting Slicks
Originally Posted by The Dude
Well, you stood up at the plate and you swung at strikes. You gave it a shot. Yay you!
Time for a new trailing arm.
Time for a new trailing arm.
Good on you for trying, you just need some practise, took me along time to learn to weld. Get some scrap steel plate and practice laying down some beads at first. Getting the speed for the wire feed is crucial and also setting the power. All this will just take practice. If this is your first time welding, you can't expect perfection first time out. give it time and you will be laying good strong welds.
08-08-2005, 10:37 AM
#29
If you want to really get picky on this subject, MIG is Metal Inert Gas welding so only w/ straight argon, once you use CO2 or an argon CO2 mix you actually are MAG welding (metal active gas) where the oxygen atoms in CO2 are the active part, I prefer 75/25 to 85/15 or thereabout Ar/CO2 mix because it gives the best results, a nice wet weld w/ good penetration.
08-08-2005, 11:32 AM
#30
Le Mans Master
Well, I've shown my crappy welds here, and it ain't fun.
The best advice is to grind the rust away first.
Put a stone on a die grinder or electric drill, clean it up, and
have at it again. Practice makes perfect, and I am now
VERY good at grinding welds.
You can do it Len - practice practice practice.
The best advice is to grind the rust away first.
Put a stone on a die grinder or electric drill, clean it up, and
have at it again. Practice makes perfect, and I am now
VERY good at grinding welds.
You can do it Len - practice practice practice.
08-08-2005, 12:24 PM
#32
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I choose not to show my MIG welds I did for my exhaust. 
Far as I can tell not leaks but not show quality for sure.
Keep at it leen and play with the power and feed settings.
Far as I can tell not leaks but not show quality for sure.Keep at it leen and play with the power and feed settings.
08-08-2005, 12:24 PM
#33
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I choose not to show my MIG welds I did for my exhaust. Far as I can tell not leaks but not show quality for sure.
Keep at it Len and play with the power and feed settings.
Far as I can tell not leaks but not show quality for sure.Keep at it Len and play with the power and feed settings.
08-08-2005, 12:28 PM
#34
Race Director
The metal in the TA is too compromised for safety. You can see how it is starting to tear at the top also. If the rear part is this bad I wonder what the front part looks like?
If you don't have the time to replace the TA then park the car until you do.
If you don't have the time to replace the TA then park the car until you do.
08-08-2005, 04:36 PM
#35
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Cruise-In X Veteran
St. Jude Donor '06
Originally Posted by Twin_Turbo
Len, not to sound like an azz but that looks terrible, all the welds look porous and it won't hold worth anything, looks like you didn't clean the metal before welding either. Look at it like this, what you did was put on some porous blobs of filler wire and there was very little fusing done there. I would replace that trailing arm and practise a little more, use more heat and a higher wire speed. The traiiling arm is completely wareped and the metal is already seperated from the rust, any time soon the spring bolt will pull straight through and you will get into trouble..like tires scraping the fenders or worse.
Sorry bud but welding of that nature should be left to pros. Anything that has to do with the safety of the vehicle shouldn't be done by an amateur, Especially something like welding a trailing arm.Go to the nearest scrap yard and grab some hunks of metal and practice practice practice.
Your car still looks the shiznat though
