Mot fail, so new welder

My 90 failed its mot today, needs new down pipe, new trackrod ends.
And 4 spots on the rear crossmember need welding, I am happy that my welding is ok to put on a new x member but my little migmate 105 which i have been learning on is not.

Can any one tell me how powerfull a mig i will need to weld the chassis, and/ or how thick the chassis is ( or once was) around the rear?

thanks you for any advice.

Having spent almost all of August teaching myself welding I feel I can offer a fair answer.

http://www.landyzone.co.uk/lz/f7/mot-due-so-thought-i-would-take-look-underneath-big-mistake-112398.html

Used a Clarke 150 Turbo with 0.8 wire and Argon/CO2 gas. Decided on 3mm Mildsteel for the chassis sides just for the strength aspect but used 2mm mildsteel to give me some flexibility to shape it to the underneath of the chassis. I would say the original chassis thickness before the rot set in was about 2.5mm ish but I ain't certain.

Watchout for the loom within the chassis as I reckon that would burn like a very burny thing covered in petrol then coated in napalm. I believe most people disconnect the loom from the rear attach some strong wire like welding wire to the loom and push it back through the chassis towards the front.

When all finished coated it all in 3 coats of red oxide and will be finishing off with some black hammerite.

Have got to finish off by taking my crossmember off and replacing it with one of those extension types and the mig will be getting fired up again real soon.

Hope that helps.

I had to do some welding on my crossmemeber on tues to get through the mot - completely forgot about the loom when I was cutting out the rotten part :doh::doh: - luckily I only sliced through 3 wires - but not what i wanted at 1am



all patched up with a new mot now

- pod51 is right about the thickness

Go for a Clarke 160 TM - biggest you'll run on 240v and Mine just put a new crossmember on superbly. Well worth paying the extra - you'll never need to buy another mig. Wait for Machine Mart to have another VAT free weekend.

My Clarke 105 has always done the job for me, its on the limit of its abilities, but none of me welds on the chassis has ever failed and all passed the MOT. A lot of it is about getting the welds right and doing a good job of it - you can tell when your welds aren't right as soon as you've done em.

That said, if i ad pots o money i would get a 150 Amp one...........