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A little MIG welding help? Subframes.

Old 05-16-2007, 01:18 PM
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czwalga00gt
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Default A little MIG welding help? Subframes.

Alright, well i'm installing subframes a long with a **** ton of other rear end parts soon. I've never paid a dime for work on my car other than tuning so I'm not going to start now.

My neighbor has a MIG welder he'll let me borrow. So my question is how do you do it exactly? I know its simple, but the last time I welded something was in 8th grade in metal shop, so eightyears ago.

From what I remember, just pretty much line it up... press and shoot correct?
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Old 05-16-2007, 01:26 PM
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Mark99GT
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Default RE: A little MIG welding help? Subframes.

Ive never welded before. My only advice would be to get some scrap metal to practice on first.
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Old 05-16-2007, 01:40 PM
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Default RE: A little MIG welding help? Subframes.

Haha, it's easy to be bad at, sure. Anyone can lay down a bead, but is it smooth, clean, and will it hold, that's a different story. If your neighbor has one, then I assume they know how to use it. Ask them to do your subframes, then you get it done free (hell, give em a few beers), it's not much welding so they shouldn't mind. Then, if you want, practice on some scrap. If you don't know what you're doing, and you don't, you will need a lot of practice or else your subframes are going to be potentially weak and useless at best, and at worst, that **** gets hot, if you move too slow you could catch the carpet on fire on the other side. My suggestion is that with your level of experience (next to none from what you say), don't even try doing anything on your car yet.
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Old 05-16-2007, 01:59 PM
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Reed44
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Default RE: A little MIG welding help? Subframes.

I know you probablly dont want to but It's probablly better to have a professional do it. It may be easy to weld but its even easier to mess up. The last thing you would want is to reuin your new connectors and mess up your car. If I was near you I would help you out because I can weld.
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Old 05-16-2007, 02:06 PM
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Shawn02GT
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Default RE: A little MIG welding help? Subframes.

make sure the suspension is loaded when you weld those on
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Old 05-16-2007, 02:51 PM
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czwalga00gt
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Default RE: A little MIG welding help? Subframes.

ORIGINAL: AJ97GT

Haha, it's easy to be bad at, sure. Anyone can lay down a bead, but is it smooth, clean, and will it hold, that's a different story. If your neighbor has one, then I assume they know how to use it. Ask them to do your subframes, then you get it done free (hell, give em a few beers), it's not much welding so they shouldn't mind. Then, if you want, practice on some scrap. If you don't know what you're doing, and you don't, you will need a lot of practice or else your subframes are going to be potentially weak and useless at best, and at worst, that **** gets hot, if you move too slow you could catch the carpet on fire on the other side. My suggestion is that with your level of experience (next to none from what you say), don't even try doing anything on your car yet.
MIG welding is pretty easy? I've done it before just a long time ago. Tig welding is where you can get into some trouble i thought.
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Old 05-16-2007, 03:14 PM
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Default RE: A little MIG welding help? Subframes.

MIG Welding is not super complicated, and as for getting a super strong bead, the trick is slow and even beads. There are a ton of articles on the 'net about it
http://www.thefabricator.com/ArcWeld...cle.cfm?ID=929

What you will want to do is pick up some spare metal and practice laying down a bead and getting good penetration. Once you have welded 10-15 things you will get a better understanding of how to do it and will be able to weld your sub frames.

One thing to remember is to weld slowly when welding on your car and letting it cool, do 1" sections at a time, let it air cool for 15-30 seconds, then continue.

E.
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Old 05-16-2007, 03:16 PM
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czwalga00gt
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Default RE: A little MIG welding help? Subframes.

ORIGINAL: Reed44

I know you probablly dont want to but It's probablly better to have a professional do it. It may be easy to weld but its even easier to mess up. The last thing you would want is to reuin your new connectors and mess up your car. If I was near you I would help you out because I can weld.

NEVER!!! Haha... I refuse; never learn anythign if you dont do it for yourself. I mean ****... how hard can it be, i've dropped the kmember and replaced the transmission without knowing a damn thing i'm sure I can manage a few welds without breaking something.


Sap, yeah... i'll probably just play around with it for 30-40 min before I actually do it.
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Old 05-16-2007, 04:48 PM
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PaintballFreak
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Default RE: A little MIG welding help? Subframes.

How exactly do you plan on getting under the car to do it? Do you have access to a drive on lift? Like someone said the suspension needs to be under load when you weld them in meaning the car has to be supported by the wheels, not on the frames
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Old 05-16-2007, 05:04 PM
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Default RE: A little MIG welding help? Subframes.

ORIGINAL: PaintballFreak

How exactly do you plan on getting under the car to do it? Do you have access to a drive on lift? Like someone said the suspension needs to be under load when you weld them in meaning the car has to be supported by the wheels, not on the frames
You could build ramps to set the car on. Jack up the car and then set it on the ramps. Just make sure the ramps area level or it kinda defeats the purpose.
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