safety welding struts to cast hubs

[james butler]

hi everyone
i have to ask this question as it seems common place, is it safe to weld a suspension strut tube to a cast iron hub?
see attached link
https://zclub.net/community/index.php?threads/jays-rb25-240z.22879/page-8
it strikes me a bloomin dangerous!
but do you think its acceptable given the punishment its going to have to endure?

 

[chris pruteanu]

I have done a few conversion on bmw e30 which got coilover conversion , it works well and some cars have up to 1000 bhp ! They are not cast iron but cast steel in some cases, at least that’s what I welded on !

 

[slim_boy_fat]

Surely it's welded just to stop the strut turning in the hub - the max force will always be downwards and there's no chance of the strut jumping out of that, is there?

Oh....wait....

 

[pedrobedro]

The hubs will be cast steel not iron as Chris says, only thing made of iron these days is garden ornaments.

 

[gt6s]

Drop forged actually.

 

[Rig Pig]

I'd be a bit concerned about altering the property of the cast hub by chucking all that heat into it, why do you need to weld it? Are you modifying it?

 

[slim_boy_fat]

I like the label which reads "Gas filled, do not open, do not heat"

 

[Ruffian]

I like the label which reads "Gas filled, do not open, do not heat"

Yes but they split like the old escort bilstiens so can weld the outer casing and then put in the insert.

It doesn't look too bad but I would prefer to see them sleeved internal of the hub and bonded as then always be on compression into the hub (unless jumping)

 

[Wozzaaah]

I like the label which reads "Gas filled, do not open, do not heat"

The bit that’s welded is nowhere near the actual gas-filled part so no danger whatsoever.

 

[Brad93]

I’d use a good tough consumable. Something with nickel in it. Looks like he has stripped the shock right down.

Those hubs certainly look better quality than the likes on fiestas and that.
They just flake off. They’re definitely cast and not forged.

 

[brightspark]

we used to cut shorten and weld the cast steering arms on the stockcars. I never saw one fail yet. there cast steel

 

[james butler]

fair enough, cast steel makes sense i suppose.
ive never seen anything like it before so thought ide ask especially as its a performance mod is it really reliably safe?
but i suppose they wouldnt sell it if it wasnt safe
i think all the people who have had it done get it professionally welded so i suppose its ok?
dont think i would do it