gota hole in me wishbone

[lotus 30]

My élan m100 has a hole in the rear wishbone. they are mild steel fabricated.
I have it in my blast cab can i tig it up straight after blasting or do i need to grind it shiny first
Or would it be better to mig it. again should i put a grinder over it first it will be about the size of a 3/4" washer when i grind it to get to good metal it has rusted from the outside in.
i have the kit but lack experience with both methods.
andy b

 

[cumbriasteve]

It's always best to get back to shiny steel, personally I would be happy to MIG weld such a repair but that's partly because I don't have a TIG set up, would probably still MIG it if I did.

Make sure you get back to the area that is not rusted and it's original thickness, a full weld and should be all ok.

 

[Jim Davey]

You're not supposed to weld a steering or suspension component by the way, MOT rules, just so you know.
How ridiculously expensive is a replacement part?

 

[AndyStobbs]

The hell with that lol, they weld them from new - or did before everything became aluminium.

 

[Fazerruss]

It does seem daft you are apparently not allowed to weld suspension components. Everything on kit cars are welded and have no issues with IVA and MOT.

 

[lotus 30]

It is fabricated from new and the part is no longer available if you find a second hand one they range from £150 up. The mk two is galvanised mine is just powder coated with auto peel off LOL. tig it is
This is a bit arrogant but rules are for fools to obay and wise men to interpret

 

[dobbslc]

Like the quote.

 

[500e]

http://lotuselancentral.com/index.htm

http://lotuselancentral.com/upgrade/sswishbone.htm

 

[Gareth J]

Cut out the section you are repairing and let in a piece. Grind back the welds so it looks stock. There's no point giving a tester something obvious to fail it on.

 

[lotus 30]

http://lotuselancentral.com/index.htm

http://lotuselancentral.com/upgrade/sswishbone.htm

Thanks for the information very good. That chap i am led to believe took a couple of grand deposits and no one has seen him since
Johnser i have done what you suggest i have cut a piece out and welded a patch in. all good now it was in great nick inside so jobs a good un.
i can't remember where i read that quote i am not smart enough to dream that up sorry if it sounded arrogant but some times it proves to be correct. note mug full of grinding dust my daily Iron input. thanks people.
thanks for all the input people good forum with a sense of hummer

 

[the snooper]

You're not supposed to weld a steering or suspension component by the way, MOT rules, just so you know.
How ridiculously expensive is a replacement part?

if its well repaired what cant be seen cant be failed, if I was doing this I would repair it grind and polish the welded area then give the full wishbone a go over and paint so it all looks the same and paint the other side to match

MOD - edited as per request by poster.

 

[Jim Davey]

No offence taken, your quote was very apt as it was Colin Chapman of Lotus F1 fame who came up with that little gem.
And as for suspension parts and welding, yes I know they are welded in the factory of course they are, but they are welded by professionals and backed up to the hilt with a cast iron public liability insurance policy, not something I expect you have?
As others have said, crack on and do it anyway, just make damn sure the repair looks invisible afterwards.
I just worry about the integrity of a repair carried out on a safety critical component by someone who had to ask on a DIY welding forum if he was doing it the right way, no offence.

 

[lotus 30]

No offence taken, your quote was very apt as it was Colin Chapman of Lotus F1 fame who came up with that little gem.
And as for suspension parts and welding, yes I know they are welded in the factory of course they are, but they are welded by professionals and backed up to the hilt with a cast iron public liability insurance policy, not something I expect you have?
As others have said, crack on and do it anyway, just make damn sure the repair looks invisible afterwards.
I just worry about the integrity of a repair carried out on a safety critical component by someone who had to ask on a DIY welding forum if he was doing it the right way, no offence.

I raced a lotus eighteen for ten years i was testing at llandow and i spun the car, and on the infield was a bank i hit the bank backwards summersaulted over the top the car flew a few yards i thought to my self hanging in the 6point belts this is gona hurt the car landed upside down then rolled back the right way up i can't say back on it's wheels as they were all pointing in different directions i welded the harness brackets in the car and i made the roll over bar and fixings in that car. i repaired it and raced at good wood revival the same season. so no offence taken.
andy b

 

[Jim Davey]

Sounds like you already know all you need to, it's a shame to have to put your safety gear to the test like that but good to know your workmanship stood the test.

 

[doubleboost]

Welded repairs to highly stressed components such as steering/suspension arms, rods, levers etc are not normally acceptable, other than where the component is made up of sections that are welded together. In these cases the repair should appear to be as strong as the original design.

 

[brightspark]

i used to make and electric weld all my upper and lower wishbones and everything else on the stock car self taught and nothing ever let go if theres plenty of meat left in the metal, that patch would be fine. half the time they would rot out from the inside and u wouldnt notice till it rotted through

 

[lotus 30]

Got more rust in me top wishbone made a new section could not believe how much of my kit i had to use to make such a simple thing.
Box and pan folder, fly press to get metalastic bush out and in, lathe to turn a bush, miller to slot holes for adjusting camber, drill, mig welder, and blast cab.

 

[lotus 30]

Sods law this one bought a damaged élan m100 off ebay all the wishbones are good striped it today

 

[waldershelf]

half the time they would rot out from the inside and u wouldnt notice till it rotted through

I had this happen on a Hillman Imp, big fabricated front wishbones that meet in the middle of the car, near side one snapped at the front centre mounting resulting in the wheel and suspension going off in a different direction to the rest of the car at about 50mph.