Welding to your frame VS bolting.

[Rowdy Fitzgerald]

Do we have any certified welders or ase mechanics or shop employees that can give input?
Had a discussion with a couple TRS guys on this and I started wondering what everybody's opinion was.
Please put your training level then your opinion/experience with the topic for us weekend warriors so we can learn the right way to improve our rigs.

 

[Rangurr]

I'm not an expert or anything but hey, opinions are like assholes - everybody has one. I personally would not weld to my frame for anything. I know people who have and have since had their frames fail due to this. Bolting on, in my opinion, is always a better option!

 

[UrbanRedneckKid]

I went to weld school, UTI for auto/ diesel tech and Hotrod U, 8yrs "professional" shop experience, NHRA certified chassis builder, and Ranger obsesser.

Weld it. If you know what your doing.

*technically my thoughts are out, I was part of the original discussion, but would like to hear the thoughts of others.

Sent from my HTCONE using Tapatalk 2

 

[Rowdy Fitzgerald]

I was taught by a certified welder and my diesel mechanic friends and other friends who built their 4wheel rigs. They all taught me to build everything so it can be bolted on. Welding to the frame weakens it. That's the rule I've used to build my rig. I haven't had any issues with breaking bolts.

 

[UrbanRedneckKid]

I only bolt stuff on that may need to come off easily, like my trans crossmember. Or... Like my leaf frame perches, because they were easily installed that way.

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[Sasquatch_Ryda]

My rig is a mix of both. Things like my track bar mount are welded to the frame, my link mounts I built in a way that they welded to a subframe that is bolted to my frame. I built it that way just for the simple fact of ease of changing things if needed. Either is strong and reliable if done properly. You can weaken a frame by bolting things to it as well.

Professional auto tech for the last 9 years.

 

[Rowdy Fitzgerald]

I figure if it was bolted/riveted on at the factory then a grade 8 bolt of the same diameter will do the job just as well. That way I can always remove it if needed without damaging the frame.

 

[RonD]

If it can break and be replaced----bolt it on

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

http://www.therangerstation.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=9158&d=1358836447

 

[Rowdy Fitzgerald]

Bump

 

[4x4junkie]

Here are my thoughts:

I don't think the issue is as much with the actual welding to the frame, but rather the torsional rigidity of whatever you are welding to it restricting it's natural tendency to twist & flex.

If you weld a large object to the frame that cannot flex along with it (rock sliders could be an example, especially ones that are tied into a exo cage), it'll create stress points on the frame possibly resulting in the frame itself cracking where the object is welded to it.
Now if your exocage structure was to go all the way out to the ends of the frame (or to the bumpers) while supporting it in several places along the way, it'll reduce the amount of frame flexing as a whole, which may be enough to help mitigate the above issue.

Rigid bolted-on items can have stress points also, however typically they are more forgiving since they can "slip" around a little where it's bolted down.

Small things welded to it like track bar brackets and body mounts shouldn't create too much of an issue in most cases.


Weekend welder/fabricator with lots of research for over 15 years now.

 

[Rowdy Fitzgerald]

4x4junkie very good explanation! Makes 100% sense.

 

[railman]

as mentioned before, everyone has opinions....and no answer is technically "wrong"...

as mentioned before, if it is an item that could concievably be needed replaced like shackle mounts, shock mounts, and such....by all means bolt them on...

but welding a small bracket and such is also fine, if the one doing the welding has had training to recognize a proper weld...all too often I see "weekend welders" undercut the base material ( usually the frame) causeing it to be thinner and hence weaker at the weld...all because it is a vertical weld...

not many folks are going to rotate their frame so that they are welding on a flat surface...always the best way to weld anything...

if you were to go into a factory where frames are produced, you would see that the individual components are placed in fixtures just like a "Rotisserie" that high end shops use so that the frame/body can be rotated so that all welds are done in as flat a position as possible...

certified welder for 18yrs, work at Metalsa Owensboro (previously Dana) producing frames for the Toyota Tundra and Sequoia, engine cradles for the Highlander and Sienna, as well as the frame for the Viper....all of which are completely welded...

l8r, John

 

[4x4junkie]

Yeah well, this "Weekend welder" does know what an undercut is. Not really rocket science there.

 

[Rangurr]

Here's a thought, when talking about 'bolting on' to the frame - are we only discussing using factory holes or drilling your own?