jimllshiftit
Active Member
- Posts
- 227
- Location
- Warwickshire
Good evening everyone.
My 92 200tdi Defender 90 hardtop has just failed its MOT for a rusty rear cross member. It's not all that bad and its encouraging that the rest of the chassis is actually pretty solid but I figured I'd make life easy on myself and just fit a new rear cross member. So I've ordered a new galvanized 2mm item with the sleeves to slide over the existing chassis legs. So I'll be replacing everything from a few inches behind the rear spring turrets.
This will be a challenge for my welding skills though. I've fabricated and welded seat frames up which seem to have stood the test of time, and ive done a few repairs on body panels to other vehicles i have but this is a major structural component that I will be hanging a Ifor trailer off fairly regularly.
Of course I'll be having a few trial runs using the good metal in the old crossmember before I begin to weld the new cross member into place, but what tips have you got or what threads can you direct me to which will help me to get my welds done right? I'll be using a Clarke EN151 Turbo with Flux core wire, but what diameter wire would you recommend? Should I weld in a "zigzag" pattern along the seam or just keep the weld pool coming along in a straight line? How long a weld could I make in one go before i risk getting the chassis legs too hot?.....
These are the kinds of questions I have on my mind.
Any advice appreciated. I may not have a huge amount of welding experience, but I am confident I can do this job well with a bit of thought.
My 92 200tdi Defender 90 hardtop has just failed its MOT for a rusty rear cross member. It's not all that bad and its encouraging that the rest of the chassis is actually pretty solid but I figured I'd make life easy on myself and just fit a new rear cross member. So I've ordered a new galvanized 2mm item with the sleeves to slide over the existing chassis legs. So I'll be replacing everything from a few inches behind the rear spring turrets.
This will be a challenge for my welding skills though. I've fabricated and welded seat frames up which seem to have stood the test of time, and ive done a few repairs on body panels to other vehicles i have but this is a major structural component that I will be hanging a Ifor trailer off fairly regularly.
Of course I'll be having a few trial runs using the good metal in the old crossmember before I begin to weld the new cross member into place, but what tips have you got or what threads can you direct me to which will help me to get my welds done right? I'll be using a Clarke EN151 Turbo with Flux core wire, but what diameter wire would you recommend? Should I weld in a "zigzag" pattern along the seam or just keep the weld pool coming along in a straight line? How long a weld could I make in one go before i risk getting the chassis legs too hot?.....
These are the kinds of questions I have on my mind.
Any advice appreciated. I may not have a huge amount of welding experience, but I am confident I can do this job well with a bit of thought.