6mm to 3 mm welding.

[Weldinator]

Look see at these 6mm to 3 mm welding.

Hi,

What are people's opinions of these welds ?

Please note i put about 3 coats of weld through etch primer, which does make the welds much less neat then bare steel. The penetration of the 3mm seems ok a few bubbles almost all the way round.

Cheers

 

[Richiew]

A lot of views but no replies? I will be brave and stick my head above the parapet.

On the third pic down the weld underneath the shiney bolt and washer on the curve looks very cold against the thick material.

Also in the same pic I think you may have welded the vertical weld on the strut brace from the top down to the bottom but it should have really been welded vertically up from the bottom to ensure decent penetration. Apologies if I am mistaken.

If I was doing this I would have made the strut top from thinner material so it could be welded with proper fusion without worrying about blowing through the inner wing. Hindsight is a wonderful thing though.

On a positive note the welding on the straights in some of the pics looks good. I am sure the welds will hold up. Good on you for showing us your work. I hope you don't mind my comments.

 

[Weldinator]

No worries.

I need to know if its good enough.

I am worried the half of the top plates (made via a company for my car anyways) have not has any welds and thought it best to try and weld from very top all down to the car ?

I think some parts of the weld is **** tbh and let me know if any one thinks this also.

I think i will put some welds inside the 2 corners brace brackets just to get more strength, of which needed or not.

The first pic at the front strut welds goes a bit **** so i think ill do those few inches again.

Cheers for any experienced opinions.

 

[Hitch]

I wouldnt be overly concerned, look at the flimsy mounting bracket for the actual brace

 

[Weldinator]

Yeah i'm going to fit a bit of plate between the top of the brackets angled bit down to the inside of it onto the strut top, im sure this will stop its movement.

 

[keith19]

It looks pretty decent overall, Weldinator.
But on third pic down, looking a bit high and cold near the nut and washer, as Richiew points out. Also it looks like the run there stops an inch or so short of the strut brace mounting, or is that the way the light catches it?
With a safety critical item like this, I'd be tempted to grind down the run from just before the nut and washer, round past it so far as it goes towards the strut brace, and then rerun with a bit more heat into it.

I am worried the half of the top plates (made via a company for my car anyways) have not has any welds and thought it best to try and weld from very top all down to the car ?
If you mean do you need to weld the whole thickness of the top plate down, the answer is no, half plate thickness is 3 mm and you're welding to 3 mm plate underneath, so as long as penetration is good that should be sufficient.

 

[Weldinator]

Yes it the light that catches it, its got low welds in that area.

Thanks ill give that a try.

Well my thought was these plates are 6mm for rally cars mostly but i want them just in case i hit a kerb of have front end damage so the chassis wont bend. This is the main reason im having all this stuff added. So im thinking that having the weld from the very top to bottom would mean i can make the most of the strength i can get from all these extras. Only having 3mm welded means i only have 3mm worth of strength do i not ?

There are some areas under the steel welds at the penetration areas, there is not much if any bubbles of welding and most of it does have.

The first pic in the middle of the welds is quite bad so ill try your way to make that area better looking and stronger.

Should i grind down the top edge of the 6mm plates so its more of a curved edge then grind down some of the bad welds and go over it again like you said but top to bottom ?

Just an idea ?

Cheers

 

[Weldinator]

I forggot to add, i also want it as neat looking as i can get it due to it being in the engine bay.

 

[PhillipM]

It's not so much a strength issue as stiffness anyway, tend to find the strut tops dome under heavy abuse, which is what they are to prevent, rather than actually shearing apart.

 

[mantakev]

I'm no expert but i have been welding for 20 years, some of it looks a bit high but i don't know how much penetration you have.
This is a great vid for technique
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3Qb9I03FCk&feature=player_detailpage#t=82s

Video embedding doesn't seem to work here?

 

[Weldinator]

Thanks guys, ill have a look at that vid later.

I'd hazard a guess the penetration is 70% of the whole lot. I will get pics of this at the weekend. Its dark with the suspension still with the bones.

I think ill just redo a few bits, make it neater and round off the edges.

Cheers.