Fiesta wheel arches

[SwissTony]

Going to be doing my first proper welding on a friends ford fiesta.
The rear wheel arch on the passenger side has rot through, so I intend to chop out the rot and weld a new plate in.

What do I need to do with the vehicle electrics to avoid cooking the ecu?
Some say disconnect the earth, others disconnect and join the battery leads together.
Do I need to remove the ECU as well or will it be ok as I am at the opposite end of the car?

Where would be the best place to put the earth? Should I try and clip it to the plate I will be welding in or grind back more of the paintwork on the car and attach it there?

Last thing I want to do is mess up the electrics in his car.

 

[pedrobedro]

I just disconnect the earth from the battery. Wheel arch repair panels are not much pounds for Fiestas and you can cut off what you don't need to save some work. Clean the patch and the bodywork and clamp them with the earth if you can. Some disconnect the ECU and alternator to be safe but I've never had a problem.

 

[candygt]

Didnt disconnect anything when I did my rear wheel arch with the TIG. Nothing cooked either.

Maybe its just dumb luck?

 

[SwissTony]

Going to have a crack at it tomorrow.
As the welder using a spring earth clamp at the moment, rather than a screw down one, would it be worth me tacking a bolt to the new plate, then attach the clamp to that?

 

[the snooper]

ive never disconnected anything on a vehicle when welding them and never had a problem at all.

if you can put the clamp straight onto the new pate then just do that you will get just as good a connection as long as the plate is clean

 

[astro_al]

I have a Ford Fiesta van ('Courier'), I just did the rear wheel arch for its MOT. Wasn't too bad - worst bit was all the rubbery crap they put behind the body panel.

I made a new arch section from some stainless sheet I had lying around. Replicating the compound curve takes a few mins but can be done with just a hammer and 'dolly' or other lump to bash it on.

You don't need a stud for the earth clamp, just linish the paint off around the section to be replaced (you'll have to anyway) and use the clamp directly in the wheel well (i.e. to hold the new bit in while you weld it, or just clamp to a bit of the original metal that you've cleaned off nearby.

You didn't say the year / engine type, mine is a diesel (1.8), I just disconnected the battery and all was fine.

Al.

 

[SwissTony]

I think its a 2000 1.2 or 1.3 petrol.

 

[fab_welder90]

hi astro al i was wandering do you have a pattern for making the wheel arch of that model of fiesta?
cheers daz

 

[astro_al]

Sorry, no. I just got the paint off, cut out the rotten bits, made a cardboard template, made a stainless copy and welded it back in to the hole.

Good luck, Al.

 

[richard s]

ive worked in 2 body shops and one used to disconect the battery and the other used to use surge supressors that just clamp on pos and neg terminals on the battery
i clamp the new panel with mole grips and clip the earth to that

 

[syborg]

i managed to arc weld a full set of wings on an old y reg honda accord once, cos they bolt on i just took the front one off....marked the radius on a sheet of steel, measured 3 inches up and marked again, then cut it out the tacked every 5 inches or so. then backed the power off to about 40 amps using 1.5mm rods and dotted the whole rad. ground back then used some filler to smooth the joint. not ideal but it worked for me.. but saying that i was only 22 at the time and know better now, lol