Welding question

[DCarter001]

I'm in the process of replacing my inner fenders and am having issues with my welder. It is a Lincoln Power Mig 255C. I've converted the drive wheels over to the .023 wheels and guide. It feeds wire fine until I actually start welding. As soon as it hits the first time the wire starts slipping in the drive wheels. I've worked the tension from about 2.5 all the way up to 4 and it does not seem to matter. Any ideas?
Thanks,
DC

 

[DCarter001]

Supplemental:
I've also adjusted the wire speed from 100 to 136 with seemingly no difference either. Should I go even slower than 100?

 

[Tito]

Your chord may be binding a little too much.

 

[Skiddy]

How's your liner all it takes is a kink once or twice to mess it up. Always try to keep it as straight as possible also make sure your tip is good and clean. Wire speed will depend on heat input.

 

[77broncoguy]

also try the tension on the spool of wire, smaller wire needs to be looser than pulling .035 or .045. My other guess would be you are running a liner for a heavier wire and it's binding up inside the gun.

 

[JHD]

Check the tip first. I had the same problem with a Miller and it was a bad tip.

 

[Gummi Bear]

I'd check the tip, and then the liner for wear. Your tip does need to match the wire.

 

[Yellow_66]

My Miller was doing that as well and the drive wheels where the tensioner were dirty causing the wire to slip. Cleaned the wheels and it worked perfect.

 

[302fix]

check the tip. Your tip does need to match the wire.

das prolly it

 

[1owner66]

There is a reason they make different liners. .023 needs a smaller liner than .035 or .045. It works about as well as pushing a rope or chain. Try a new liner and see if that helps. That is assuming (and you know what that causes) you have the correct drive wheels and tip. Are your drive wheels snooth or knurled? Knurled ones might help too.

 

[1owner66]

Also are you sure it isn't burning back? Try turning the wire up even more. You should have a chart on your welder giving you a good starting point for your settings. A lot of things can cause differences. What gas are you using? The setting chart will probably be for 75/25 argon/CO2. If you are running 86/14 or 90/10 you will want more wire than the chart says.

 

[1owner66]

Damn! Everytime I hit post quick reply I think of something else. How long in your stinger cable?

 

[DCarter001]

For the "tip" tips, thanks, I've got the correct tip. Clear as mud right. For the liner tips, I was hoping to save that money and headache. I am currently using the .035 liner with .023 wire. Knowing the liner size was off, I've been working with the cable relatively straight. The real pain is that it makes a pretty bead on flat metal and only slips when I try to spot weld in my holes. For what it's worth, I am using C25 gas and using the inside wire chart as a guide for my starting settings.

Any idea what a liner costs?

Thanks,
DC

 

[mrw]

The liner for my Millermatic 251 was only $15-

 

[grant_71]

I had the same problem with our Lincoln 215, thought it was a bad liner, turned out it was just dirty, took the tips off, unhooked the cable, pulled the wire out, and blew compressed air through it, works great now, its a fairly easy thing to try at least.

Grant

 

[DCarter001]

OK. Took some time off to get our tractor, my grandfather's 1949 John Deere Model M, ready for a couple of shows. It was a great experience, my dad and I with both my kids working on the old tractor was really awesome. Four generations have now had a hand in keeping the M running and looking good. I also used the experience to work on my painting skills.
Now about the welding.
I tinkered, that's a technical term, with the wire tension, speed, and heat. I finally got a good combination that is allowing me to weld with out too much trouble. I've laid down some good beads, and my spots are actually holding. I realized my door hinges are shot, which makes putting on the door post a real treat. I had spot welded a couple places to hold it together before realizing my hinges were shot. So, I've cut them loose and am waiting on a rebuild kit for the hinges to arrive. Should have them in a couple of days. Any good ideas on properly aligning the door prior to welding the post?

 

[00gyrhed]

Dirt is the major culprit of all MIG ills.

It destroys liners. It causes feed problems.

You basically have to check everything mentioned.

Check the alignment of the wheel. I didn't get mine perfect one time and it did this. There were a lot of copper shavings there when I opened it up and I went DOOOH when I saw it.

I put an old wooden coat hanger on the wire with a small piece of linen clamped to the wire between the spool and the feeder. It will wipe the wire before it goes into the liner.

My father was a welder and he said that this one trick cut thier liner replacement to almost never, once they trained every one not to bend it it, step on it etc. My MIG first welder was a ten year old hobart they threw out that still had the original liner in it. It was used every day for ten years!!! I hope you guys are not going out and buying liners everytime you have a little feeding probelm.

 

[302fix]

Any good ideas on properly aligning the door prior to welding the post?

I'm doing a door post now.
Mine was way off and I had the hinges rebuilt so basically I had to move the door post to get it to line up right.

I started by taking the door off and getting the post loose at the bottom (the top was pretty close to right on). I used sheet metal screws to secure the bottom of the door post. Then I put the door on and determined where I should move the hinges. Took the door back off and moved the hinges which helped a little. Put the door back on and used a large clamp to clamp the door frame to the hard top just slightly higher than where I eventually want it to be. Then I took the sheet metal screws out, and moved the post around to where I wanted it and reset my sheet metal screws. Released the clamp and got a little sag so I backed out the screws again and reset them a little farther in.
After about 6 times I got it so the door lined up, shut and opened well with the sheet metal screws in. Then I welded.
I had other issues like, replacing the inner rocker panel, driver floor channel, body mounts and inner kick panel so that complicated things. I just couldn't see lining up the door right without replacing the sagging body mounts.
Good luck.

 

[DCarter001]

After a week of waiting on parts, I got the hinge bolts replaced and hung the door. There is still a little "play" when the door opens, but I am chaulking that up to no rocker panel in place yet. I believe, once I weld that in place it will solidify the kick panels and remove the flex at the bottom.

 

[302fix]

Thought I mught add my recent problems to help you out:

I had the same issue and thought the rocker would help "firm" things up.
I had the door post attached to the kick panel. The kick panel was pretty solid as it was attached to the cowl on top and I had a metal screw attaching the inner rocker to the support channel and were both attached to the door post with metal screws. All pretty solid.
First of all the rocker fit horribly and made very little contact with the inner rocker and the door frame sat a little too low from the hard top so that forced me to move the door post up about a 1/2 inch.

For you I'd try the rocker first but maybe with metal screws but if that doesn't work you might have to reposition the door post. It really isn't that bad just alot of head scratching.

If your kick panel and striker posts are solid now is the time to get the door post perfect.

P.S. I've bolted my door on about 10 times now. I told myself if I don't get it perfect in 3 more tries I'm welding it up and slamming it shut.

P.S.S. - The door post should be attached to the floor support channel taking out any flex in the bottom.