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arc welding on newer cars ???

Started by mike_van, January 20, 2009, 07:21:14 AM

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mike_van

Any precautions anyone knows of?  I've done lots of it on tractors, even my F350 without any problems. Our '04 Trailblazer with all it's [expensive] electronic gee-gaws is another story. It lost an arguement with some guardrails  :(  And not having the 6+ grand the bodyshop quoted, I gotta do it myself.  A lower radiator bracket [part of the frame] was so mangled, I chose to cut it off to straighten it, now need to weld it back on.
I was the smartest 16 year old I ever knew.

Maineloggerkid

I have done a lot of welding on vehicles, and the only thing I ever look for is getting wires out of the way and making sure there is nothing real flammable within about a foot. If their are any rubber bushings close, you might keep some water or a damp rag close by.
JD 540D cable skidder, and 2 huskies- just right.   

Loggers- Saving the world from the wrath of trees!

Dan_Shade

unhook the battery, and it certainly wouldn't hurt to find the computer and unhook it from the harness.
Woodmizer LT40HDG25 / Stihl 066 alaskan
lots of dull bands and chains

There's a fine line between turning firewood into beautiful things and beautiful things into firewood.

underdog

Also: Keep the ground as close to where you are welding as possible.

Banjo picker

I didn't know these newer cars had enough metal in them to wield on. :D ;D  Tim
Never explain, your friends don't need it, and your enemies won't believe you any way.

Banjo picker

Would it be possible to drill and bolt it in place? Tim
Never explain, your friends don't need it, and your enemies won't believe you any way.

mike_van

Thanks guys - Dan, I'll look for the computer - Tim, no chance of bolting it back - And, yeah, a LOT of plastic.  What do you want for 25+ thou?  A real car made of metal? Or something by Mattel thats held together with pop beads? 
I was the smartest 16 year old I ever knew.

Warbird

Quote from: Banjo picker on January 20, 2009, 09:01:38 AM
I didn't know these newer cars had enough metal in them to wield on. :D ;D  Tim

LOL

Like underdog said, get your ground as close to the beads you'll be welding as possible.  Definitely unhook the battery 15 - 30 minutes before you start welding.  This will allow capacitors and systems to drain.  As for unplugging the computer, I've not heard that before. ???  Someone with more knowledge will have to pipe up on that one.

Dan_Shade

My thinking is that if the ECM isn't hooked up, you can't burn it up with the welder
Woodmizer LT40HDG25 / Stihl 066 alaskan
lots of dull bands and chains

There's a fine line between turning firewood into beautiful things and beautiful things into firewood.

Captain

The problem is that there are about 20 ECMs (or more) per car these days on average.

Captain

Maineloggerkid

I think as long as you unhook the battery, your ECM's will be fine. I know that sometimes you can reset your computer trouble codes by unhooking the positive terminal for about 5 minutes.
JD 540D cable skidder, and 2 huskies- just right.   

Loggers- Saving the world from the wrath of trees!

ARKANSAWYER



  When I worked for Chrysler we would un plug all ECU's and air bag controller.  Most of them are hard wired to ground so just unhookig the battery does not cut them loose.  Most of them run on 5 volts so it would be a good ideal to get them unplugged.
ARKANSAWYER

Maineloggerkid

^^^ Thats good to know. The day you stop learning is the day you die.
JD 540D cable skidder, and 2 huskies- just right.   

Loggers- Saving the world from the wrath of trees!

mike_van

Got 'er done this morning, no problems - except my aching fingers from the cold. 8F up at the shop when I got going. Stove inside, but not out in the open part. I took both cables off the battery, that was all. Had the ground clamp about 2" away on the part I was welding. Maybe a pic. later -  8)
I was the smartest 16 year old I ever knew.

Warbird

Cool!  But does the car still run?  ;)

mike_van

Like a Swiss Watch - :D :D  It's a few parts short of 'street legal' yet, like most of the nose is still off waiting for parts. 

    Here's a pic of the bracket. It was pretty bent to the rear about 4", had a good fold in one side. Under there is not the place I wanted to be using a torch, too much PLASTIC.   Even off the car, it wasn't an easy piece to straighted, as the flange around the edge resists everthing [except guardrails]         Jeff - The new pic uploader / resizer is great!  8)
I was the smartest 16 year old I ever knew.

rebocardo

Disconnect NEG - let sit for 5 minutes, run a test light between cable and battery. Then remove POS cable, run test lamp between POS and NEG cable. Remove battery, remove main CPU, remove ABS CPU, remove air bags.

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