Thread: Welding to new cars

Just a warning to keep the name calling in the schoolyard. Don't presume to know about other peoples skills and knowledge.

Originally Posted by mickrangie

Listen noob! I Have welded on heaps of cars just never anything with so many computers in it! Where is the harm in asking a question when you have never welded to a new car. And for the others who replied in a polite fashion thanks for the heads up. I have since spoken to a mechanic mate and I am getting a lend of his spike protector so I don’t have to reset all my OD and clock, radio etc....

oh and Walker..... bleep bleep bleep Edited: Outlaw - a touch over the top

I have asked a good friend, a professional welder, and a man of great skill and talent, this question. He always removes the alternator from the car, and suggests that if you can access any computers/ECU's then unplug them, at least. He says these things are bloody expensive and he does not want the responsibility of replacing them if some stray current makes it way along a devious path and fires the things. This may seem like overkill but this guy is a most fastidious tradesman.

Originally Posted by Phoenix

Just a warning to keep the name calling in the schoolyard. Don't presume to know about other peoples skills and knowledge.

Ok what i said to walker was a little over the top but it really pee's me off when others just asume you know nothing cause u are asking a question!! How is one going to learn if he/she does ask questions???

I quite agree. Even I ask questions here about thinks that I do know about, even if it is just for my own piece of mind that what I have in my head is in fact right.

Ok for those who care..... And this goes for any late model car with computers in them...

Disconnect the battery/s and then hook spike protectors to the main terminals...

I also called Nissan head office and they said to do what I said before and disconnect the main ecu? Now that’s all good if the car has 1 ecu but I am sure it has 6 plus computers in it!!!! So go figure...

Hi Mick,

I did some arc welding on my Disco recently and simply disconnected the battery. I made sure that the batter leads were both grounded (isolated from battery). When welding I had the earth lead as close to the weld as possible. No problems, in fact I had more problems with the weld splatter than anything else.

On another note the use of high tensile bolts is not neccessarily a good thing esecially on recovery hooks. Part of the problem relates to which grade of bolt you use and the hardening process of same. The bolt shown looks like a case hardened mass production bolt with rolled thread. Very common on most cars. Go and get bolts around the grade 8 level from a reputable bolt supplier, you do not need any higher than this for what you are doing, but make sure they are at least M12 or greater in diameter.

Oh and one more thing when welding on a plate for the recovery hook, make sure that e the shear area of the weld is significantly larger than the shear area of the bolt used. What I mean is lots of long welds to make sure that you do not just rip off the reinforcing.

Originally Posted by Buggerluggs

Hi Mick,

I did some arc welding on my Disco recently and simply disconnected the battery. I made sure that the batter leads were both grounded (isolated from battery). When welding I had the earth lead as close to the weld as possible. No problems, in fact I had more problems with the weld splatter than anything else.

On another note the use of high tensile bolts is not neccessarily a good thing esecially on recovery hooks. Part of the problem relates to which grade of bolt you use and the hardening process of same. The bolt shown looks like a case hardened mass production bolt with rolled thread. Very common on most cars. Go and get bolts around the grade 8 level from a reputable bolt supplier, you do not need any higher than this for what you are doing, but make sure they are at least M12 or greater in diameter.

Oh and one more thing when welding on a plate for the recovery hook, make sure that e the shear area of the weld is significantly larger than the shear area of the bolt used. What I mean is lots of long welds to make sure that you do not just rip off the reinforcing.

Thanks Ian


I have purchased a rated hook from ARB so it comes with its own bolts.... I have a few of these hooks on my rangie and they have never let me down so 6mm lamination of the chassis rails and the rated recovery hook should do the job..... I hope


Mick

Originally Posted by mickrangie

Ok what i said to walker was a little over the top but it really pee's me off when others just asume you know nothing cause u are asking a question!! How is one going to learn if he/she does ask questions???

What did you say to me you tin loving woosy Navara driver!