I appreciate the concern haha. I did bevel the ends and also left a gap. Im pretty new to welding but i read up on it and watched a lot of videos before attempting. How can u tell machine is too cold?
It is if i replaced the spindles. I didnt because i didnt want to replace tie rod. I’m using the stock 36 spindles. I had to grind the top of the spindle a bit for the brakes to be able to attach, but it wasn’t too bad
The weld shouldn’t be blobby on top of the joint. It should have melted in more. Turning the heat up will help cure that. And, it shouldn’t be full of little bubbles. Those show contamination that was trying to cook out, but didn’t. Cleaning the metal before welding will cure that.
Ah i assumed they were the stock ones. They’re whatever the truck had when i bought it. Maybe someone replaced them when they put the disc brakes on. I think the drums look much better tho. I got some aluminum buick drums i want to machine for fitting later on
When your weld is all boogered up like in your picture. If your heat, speed and motion are right, you should be able to weld halfway around that joint without all the starts and stops, and you'll have a uniform weld that you don't need to grind. Unless you plan on chroming, that is. Welding takes practice, practice, practice.
Look above a few posts and heed Alan’s advice on the 3 P’s. I’ll add another P, and that is position. Put the object to weld where you can support yourself and make a pass comfortably.
Cut the old crossmember off and installed the new crossmember. I don’t know about the penetration here. I hit it a bunch to see if is stable and lifted the whole truck from crossmember to check and seems good but maybe i will need to redo it
I’d go back to @alanp561 ’s suggestion of practicing. I won’t critique your welds, but you really need to start on some scrap pieces and get good at them. You can start with just a flat piece, run a bead, look at the backside (google it) and you’ll know what you should be seeing. Good luck!
Do not be afraid to take some local adult education classes on welding. Most public schools offer them or get to know a professional welder and get them to teach you.
That won’t hold together in use. Looks like a flux core weld. Or a gas shielded with the gas turned off. You really need to practice more. Parts like crossmembers are something your life will depend on.
Great project I love the 35-36 Pickups as they have a lot more head room than the years prior to them
Your weld looks like a bunch of separate little Turds, not any flow together between them. What looks like bubbles is what's called porosity and is caused by a couple things. As mentioned poor or little Gas flow and or rust and paint. I doubt you understand the impact the road actually has on such a joint and lack of quality in the weld joint. I'll just tell you as a concerned Friend here on the H.A.M.B. and a pretty qualified welder that your joint stands a more than 80% chance of total failure happening while being driven. That's based on just this photograph. Grind it all you want and make it look a little better but it's still a very week weld! If you care about what you're building as well as drivers around you get some help be it some welding instructions or have a better welder lend a hand. You can beat on things with a Hammer all you want but that is Nothing like road impact and vibration. There's more to hand building a good Chassis than just getting pieces to stick in place. Do all of us a favor and get yourself some help. P.S. These welds just reinforce my comments in that you need some help.
^^^We call him the Wizzard and not just cause he looks like Merlin! The man can weld. You on the other hand are not yet a wizzard, more of a first year (if you watch Harry Potter). But we all started somewhere. Point is, do not trust those welds. Cut them open (I think you may be surprised how easy that will be), clean everything up and have someone assist. I had a HS coach always say "practice make perfect as long as it is perfect practice", don't practice on suspension/steering/frame etc. I only MIG weld, I use a 220v Millermatic, I weld with a lot of heat and less wire. Like the Wizz said, clean everything, hospital clean. Cut the ball off the wire with side cutters before every weld, wire brush between trigger pulls. If I was welding those ends on your bones I would do them in 2 passes, 3 at the most. Those little holes are signs that your gas is running low, not enough heat, not clean enough, to much space between the torch head and metal, not enough power (like running a 110 welder on an extension cord...no bueno). I was welding on a frame a few years back and @Pist-n-Broke came over to supervise. He watched for a second and asked me "do you where readers?". I said yes, and he told me to go put them on. Best advice I have ever had. Eyesight deteriorates slowly over time and I didn't realize I was welding like I needed a white cane! I now have magnifiers in my helmet and extra lighting so I can see the "puddle" . Those welds pictured above never had a puddle. Please don't trust them. You will figure this out, you will become a good welder if you work at the trade and develop the skill. No one was born a welder. The Wizzard? Maybe. The rest of us "muggles" have to learn.
Ed95 I did Not say or point out those issues to make you feel bad or to make myself look better than anyone. The thing is, if you don't know, you don't know. I was lucky and had some fantastic teachers. If you were close I'd be glad to help bring you up to speed. No Doctor ever does surgery without being taught how to do it. That takes watching, listening, and practice. Then they get to work on a live one. You are doing surgery wearing a blind fold. Not telling you this makes me just as responsible for your suspension failure as you will be. I don't want you coming at me on the Hwy when all hell brakes loose. I understand your desire to have and have built a Kool truck. I live that life myself but to be safe and successful you can use some teaching. Pleas do all of us a favor and at least think about what I pointed out to you. It is not meant to degrade what you are trying to do. Crap weld and bad fit on rotten Sheetmetal won't kill anyone most of the time. When it comes to things that keep the Wheels going where they are supposed to be and the Brakes doing there job it's a totally different thing.
I will add as I suggested before to take some adult education classes at your local high school or tech center. If you don't care about your own safety do not jeopardize mine or my kids or my grandkids lives.
I understand completely! I appreciate the advice. I am trying here lol, but obviously thats not enough. I decided i will mount everything and take it somewhere to get it weld properly. I also do not trust my welds lol i will have to practice much more
Mounted everything just to get a look at how the new setup will work. I will be taking the truck to a professional to redo the crossmember and wishbone welds…
Don’t paint them until the welds are ground out and rewelded. The steel needs to be absolutely clean. And don’t be hurt if the pro cuts your parts all the way off to grind off the porous welds.
Ed95, So glad you understand and are getting some help. Seeing and knowing what can be the end results of weld failures I just couldn't not point out what I was seeing. There's enough risk factors out there in traffic on a good day without any built in risks. I wish you the best in your adventures in your Truck but mostly having a Safe return trip.
Trying is one thing but taking the advice that you have is better than hurting yourself or someone else. This hobby is under scrutiny and poor unsafe work could get you in a lot of trouble or even drug into court costing you everything that you have. Thank you for listening but continue to learn. Whoever you do get to weld it ask them if you can watch and teach you or give you some pointers.
I bet if you ask around you can find some local Gear Heads in a club of some sort that will be glad to lend a hand.
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