Door repair - welding advice?

[Jaybr]

This is my weekly question/plea for help

The top seam above window on my drivers door is broken, and as you can see someone did a shoddy repair at some point.

I’ve cleaned it up and used a file to get edges straightened out

And used a ratchet strap to pull it together and cleaned it some more

I’m a novice welder and have some questions.

Does this look ready to weld or shoul I sand it smoother?

I’m using a Lincoln 180 mig with .23 wire, any suggestions on the settings? I’m thinking lowest voltage (A) and medium (4-5) wire speed but don’t want to burn through.

This will not necessarily be a permanent repair as the truck is eventually going to Tom at Lick Creek for all of the body work. I just don’t want to drive it around with the seam apart.

So should I just throw a couple tacks on it?

Clean up the outside and tack that too?

Thanks


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[Crush]

someone has cut those window frames off at the wing glass ans the base at the back of the door to have a frameless door with wing glasses. it looks good i did mine that way but then someone tried to weld yours back on. you may need to leave a small gap to fill. about the width of a sawsall blade to keep the frame within tolerances

 

[EPB72]

Cleaner would be better nice shiny metal preferred ...and a die grinder with a cut off wheel and scotch loc pad would be your friend,to help in pre cleaning and post welding to finish smooth ,,,and as mentioned a small gap ...if you have some scrap metal to play with settings on do that .

 

[Apogee]

I would sleeve it, as that would allow you to get more aggressive with the heat and gap it if needed since it looks like it was previously cut.

 

[Jedhead]

I am certainly not a expert welder, but clean as much of the previous weld crap up by grinding, ect ,then tack weld ,clamp the frame exactly where you want it, weld and hope it doesn't move. Good luck and stay safe!

 

[Jaybr]

I took some measurements off the other bronco and indeed the top of the frame was a little short. I cut a couple pieces of metal and fit them in to give me the right measurements and did some more grinding. Finding it hard to get in the corner with the tools I’ve got but here’s where I’m at.

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[mebco09]

I would get a wire wheel and clean that up a little more. I like things shiney and new looking before welding.

If I were to weld that, I don't think I would do it with that other metal in there. Maybe tack it up to get the dimension right, and then get that metal out of there.

 

[Tompkins007]

I’m doing my welding with a Lincoln 140 using .25 wire. For me I’ve been setting the welder on around 4 for wire speed and the “B” heat setting unless it’s an area where I got stupid with the flap wheel on my grinder and got the metal too thin. For that I’ve used the “A” setting and wire speed around 3 1/2. I know they aren’t the same welders, so it’s just my two cents worth. And clean that weld seam up a bit better. If you do need to add a strip of metal try not to go too much thicker than the existing door metal.

 

[Jfryjfry]

You’d want that filler piece in there if you can. I’d send it. If you get good penetration it’ll be fine. The cleaner you can get it the better, and in that corner there is still paint but if you left it, you’d be ok.

Keep in mind, you’ll probably want to figure out how to grind down the weld in that corner after you melt it together so you might figure out how to do that now and use that method to clean it a bit more.

 

[.94 OR]

I have had awesome luck with these cheap (inexpensive) double cut carbide burrs for my dremel. They cut well, stay sharp and do a good job of removing things they encounter. If it were mine, I would use them to clean up the paint surface, weld, then use them to clean up the weld residue. You may end up needing them inside the channel as well.

https://www.amazon.com/Carving-Expe...rds=dremel+carbide+burr&qid=1587308758&sr=8-4

 

[Jaybr]

Thanks for all of the tips/advice.

Keep in mind I just want a temporary fix to hold it together until Tom [mention]englewoodcowboy [/mention] can fix it right.


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