My tail gate repair. Don't laugh!

[Bronco717274]

He must be young or he has A D D I read this post and he's all over the place on what he's talking about. At first I thought it was about the tailgate then I got lost or he did one. Sounds like he wants to learn several have offered to help then got turned into someones ex. Get back to your tail gate I'd really like to see you learn how to weld but as said it will not happen over night. Listen to the ones trying to help you and ignore all the rest, a few years from now you'll be able to help someone else thats in your shoes now. Ex's will come in there own time, finish the truck first or the truck will turn them into ex's.

 

[360 4V]

Thanks. It's not to have to fight everyone. I am going to straighten the tailgate. Then I am goint to grind and weld until I have a nice surface to paint.

 

[HoldMyPocket]

I sold the hardtop to a guy to use for his son's build back in 2002 or so. Saw a young guy with it driving around on a rusty red truck about 5 years later.

The tail gate came off a truck I sold to sicaz66 (who I also happened to buy it off of about 2 years ago). Used to be my daily driver.

It's funny how these parts get around. ;D

 

[sicaz66]

That is my old black bronco 360 is working on.....poor bronco:-X should have just put it out of its misery when I had the chance.

 

[360 4V]

 

[360 4V]

My frame came with brackets for West Coast Broncos radius arms. I did not want to use West Coast Broncos radius arms so I cut the off with my oxy-acetaline torch. This was last summer and was my first practical experience with a torch.

The stock radius arm brackets were too thick for my mig welder. My little Lincoln Mig is rated for 90 amps 20% of the time. I have a Linconl stick Buzz-box AC rated for 225 amps 20% of the time but the power chord is 220v and only four feet long. Luckily my Mig welder was powerful enough to weld 1/8" thick steel. I did weld in my radius arm brackets in with the stick welder .

Torches are a bit messy. Maybe you can get a cleaner cut with one but I prefer a grinder. I get a cleaner cut. I fried my fourth Milwaukee 4-1/2" angle grinder today. They had 9 amps or 11 amp motors. I bought a Chicago Electirc 9" angle grinder with a 15 amp motor. I will never go back.

Considering how much recipicricating saw blaedes and cutting wheels cost add up I am definately wanting a plasma cutter. I think they cut better than gougers.

 

[asinor]

Tip: Clean the metal better before welding, it should be shiny, use a flapper disk or grinder.

 

[360 4V]

Thanks for the input. I have grinder-disc, wire-wheels and sanding-disc. I will probably wire-wheel the surrounding material before completing my weld.

I know the difference between wire-feed vs. stick but I want some comparisons of flux-shielding vs. gas-shielding.

 

[sicaz66]

Dude??? seriously put the welder down and step away from the vehicle.you are going to kill someone when those bird droppings let loose out on the highway.%) get someone else to do it. With a better welder. You should stick to ruining sheet metal.:-X

 

[Broco]

Hey "dube" got any suggestions for beefing up the hinge side of my door post? The passenger side seems to drop down a little, misaligning the door, making it hard to close. I chipped of the paint and found that some one filled the area in with fiber glass. There are 1/8" washer spacers behind the hinge plates

 

[dube]

Hey "dube" got any suggestions for beefing up the hinge side of my door post? The passenger side seems to drop down a little, misaligning the door, making it hard to close. I chipped of the paint and found that some one filled the area in with fiber glass. There are 1/8" washer spacers behind the hinge plates

Start a new thread on this, broco. And we will go from there!!! This thread is so confusing and it gives me a dam head ache.

 

[asinor]

To address your gas shielding vs flux shielding question.

• If you switch from gas to flux core wire, you have to reverse the polarity of welder. Some smaller machines can't do this.
• Flux core leaves a messier weld.
• Flux core probably isn't the best for sheet metal, but it can be done.

 

[maverickconner]

360- I agree that the area needs to be much cleaner if trying to use a weldpac or small mig, also what size wire are you using? Lots of time if using the 0.45 wire you can drop a size and allow more direct energy to the metal it self. This will allow you to run a little hotter, but you will have to move in smaller figure eight or semi circle. The best option is to get a cracker box for $100 and use the rods on it. Arc welding is much stronger, not as pretty, but less prep is needed. You can use a 40amp breaker designated for your dryer if available--- some people have this in or close to their garage.

But at this time, I would not trust those welds- but that does not mean give up, keep going, remember this is what it is about.... do buy anything besides raw material and build everything... because store bought sucks...

 

[maverickconner]

Another trick if you have access to a torch with your little mig is to preheat the metal, not red hot, but enough to get a good burn out of your welder so it is not trying to heat up a significant amount of steel.

This is the same process we use to try and weld thick cast with nickel rods, there we let it cool slowly also though.

Please everyone understand that this is not the ideal way to do things, but will work if needed.

 

[Skiddy]

Dude??? seriously put the welder down and step away from the vehicle.you are going to kill someone when those bird droppings let loose out on the highway.%) get someone else to do it. With a better welder. You should stick to ruining sheet metal.:-X

ok i wasn't going to say it, but yes them welds need some work

 

[HoldMyPocket]

this is scary shit, you need someone with a real welder to do it right. You don't want to have a bunch of booger welds on structural parts that are going to mean life or death on the road!

 

[Kyle.malone]

ok i wasn't going to say it, but yes them welds need some work

I was wondering when it was coming. I by no means am an experienced welder. Anything that has to do with structural support or frame mods, I leave to the professionals. Add on stuff like the rear shock hoop and other non life threatening mods I can do myself. Just keep moving forward and practice on scrap metal to get better.

 

[bmc69]

ok i wasn't going to say it, but yes them welds need some work

A little grinder work and they be pretty...that kind of work?

 

[360 4V]

What kind of welder is needed? I did those welds with my AC 225 amp stick welder. The welds sort of resembled that little flux welder I started out with.

On a serious note, assuming I have everything tacked-up where I want it could I have someone else finnish the welds for me?

 

[360 4V]