Welding the shock towers
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 11,872
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From: Waterloo ontario Canada
Welding the shock towers
While gusseting the lower A arm mounting points I got a good look at how the shock towers are welded to the frame and it was scarry.
I wanted to reweld the complete seam between the tower and the frame so first you must clean the entire area, I use a wire wheel and a grinder to get as much as possible out of the area, no paint allowed. I then make the first pass to heat the area and then hit it with shop air to blast the paint and grease out of the seam. I really find hitting it with shop air really helps, even puts out the small fires.
I weld parallel to the seam, weld all holes closed and you will find a big hole in the corners, up to ¾ inch hole. Anyway I weld parallel to the seal then stick across it vertically for about an inch overlapping the welds.
I would then again run beads parallel to the seam and fill everything in.
Later when it cools I grind the whole area for looks, prime, rockguard and then paint. I have them primed now and ready for rock guarding. The rock guarding gives a nice coverage, is a hard thicker finish that gives a nice appearance once painted.
I also run a big spreader bar from the cross shafts to prevent flexing
I wanted to reweld the complete seam between the tower and the frame so first you must clean the entire area, I use a wire wheel and a grinder to get as much as possible out of the area, no paint allowed. I then make the first pass to heat the area and then hit it with shop air to blast the paint and grease out of the seam. I really find hitting it with shop air really helps, even puts out the small fires.
I weld parallel to the seam, weld all holes closed and you will find a big hole in the corners, up to ¾ inch hole. Anyway I weld parallel to the seal then stick across it vertically for about an inch overlapping the welds.
I would then again run beads parallel to the seam and fill everything in.
Later when it cools I grind the whole area for looks, prime, rockguard and then paint. I have them primed now and ready for rock guarding. The rock guarding gives a nice coverage, is a hard thicker finish that gives a nice appearance once painted.
I also run a big spreader bar from the cross shafts to prevent flexing
Race Director
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 16,528
Likes: 53
From: Dayton, Ohio
In another thread were talking about Vetts appearing to be leaning.My thoughts were bent shock towers(upper coil spring mount)due to being hit in the front end.Now after seeing how poor the welding is it looks as if things could be bending or changing due to weld fatigue also.
Instructor
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 179
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From: Burlington Ontario
I weld parallel to the seam, weld all holes closed and you will find a big hole in the corners, up to ¾ inch hole. Anyway I weld parallel to the seal then stick across it vertically for about an inch overlapping the welds.
I would then again run beads parallel to the seam and fill everything in.
Later when it cools I grind the whole area for looks, prime, rockguard and then paint. I have them primed now and ready for rock guarding. The rock guarding gives a nice coverage, is a hard thicker finish that gives a nice appearance once painted.
I also run a big spreader bar from the cross shafts to prevent flexing[/QUOTE]
Looking good Norval, but now you are going to have to drill some more holes to make up for all the weld material you added !!
Jeff
I would then again run beads parallel to the seam and fill everything in.
Later when it cools I grind the whole area for looks, prime, rockguard and then paint. I have them primed now and ready for rock guarding. The rock guarding gives a nice coverage, is a hard thicker finish that gives a nice appearance once painted.
I also run a big spreader bar from the cross shafts to prevent flexing[/QUOTE]
Looking good Norval, but now you are going to have to drill some more holes to make up for all the weld material you added !!
Jeff
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Nov 2000
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From: Waterloo ontario Canada
Originally Posted by DWncchs
In another thread were talking about Vetts appearing to be leaning.My thoughts were bent shock towers(upper coil spring mount)due to being hit in the front end.Now after seeing how poor the welding is it looks as if things could be bending or changing due to weld fatigue also.
Here I go talking like a horseman. LOL
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 11,872
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From: Waterloo ontario Canada
Looking good Norval, but now you are going to have to drill some more holes to make up for all the weld material you added !!
Jeff
Jeff
If 540 blown cubic inches can't move a little extra weight I will just give up.
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2004
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From: Arlington Va Current ride 04 vert, previous vettes: 69 vert, 77 resto mod
looks good, i never thought about reversing the the weld pattern....do you surface grind the first weld for a smoother contour? or just wire brush it and go right over it?.... i could probably implement that technique on my hot rod project....thks bob
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Nov 2000
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From: Waterloo ontario Canada
Originally Posted by bobs77vet
looks good, i never thought about reversing the the weld pattern....do you surface grind the first weld for a smoother contour? or just wire brush it and go right over it?.... i could probably implement that technique on my hot rod project....thks bob
Everything is ground and primered. It looks smooth now and I am ready to rockguard this section of the frame.
The rockguard goes on really nice, gives a good surface and I paint gloss black over that once it has dried.
I believe in welding hot and fast.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 65,492
Likes: 230
From: Orange Park Florida
Originally Posted by norvalwilhelm
My holes in the block went from 4.250 to 4.5 but the stroke did increase .250 as did the rod length.
If 540 blown cubic inches can't move a little extra weight I will just give up.
If 540 blown cubic inches can't move a little extra weight I will just give up.
start drilling damnit.....
must be another .00000001 et there......
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Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Nov 2000
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From: Waterloo ontario Canada
Originally Posted by mrvette
You have demo'd a fair knowledge of physics here,.....
start drilling damnit.....
must be another .00000001 et there......
start drilling damnit.....
must be another .00000001 et there......
It is a long winter and I have lots of time so I might as well do anything that I can think off.
Honestly Gene I would give up the car before I would give up my horse. I have more money invested in the horse then in my car even with it's $20,000 motor.
The horse is always glad to see me, even calls to me as soon as I show up at the barn. I have yet to see the car make any response to my appearance LOL
No give me a good horse any day over a chunk of cold steel.
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Nov 2000
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From: Waterloo ontario Canada
Originally Posted by Twin_Turbo
are the welds gonna stay like that?
I won't leave anything that rough on the car. It must blend, look original. I don't to bubba work.
Race Director
Joined: Dec 1999
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Why didn't you just lay down a nice clean bead and leave it at that? Much less work, no grinding...and how are you going to smooth it out, at the edges you will have to grind into the original frame to blend in the welds, now you have a very large weld bead. I don't see how this helps at all.
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Nov 2000
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From: Waterloo ontario Canada
Originally Posted by Twin_Turbo
Why didn't you just lay down a nice clean bead and leave it at that? Much less work, no grinding...and how are you going to smooth it out, at the edges you will have to grind into the original frame to blend in the welds, now you have a very large weld bead. I don't see how this helps at all.
A simple single pass is too easy LOL]
I will have to rock guard it and then take another picture.
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Nov 2000
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From: Waterloo ontario Canada
Originally Posted by Twin_Turbo
I hate grinding welds..that's why 
it'll look good smoothed...I have to admit though, I blended the very same area
it'll look good smoothed...I have to admit though, I blended the very same area I would love to go dry sump but with a 4 inch blower belt it pretty much takes up all the room.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2000
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Originally Posted by norvalwilhelm
I wanted to reweld the complete seam between the tower and the frame so first you must clean the entire area, I use a wire wheel and a grinder to get as much as possible out of the area, no paint allowed. I then make the first pass to heat the area and then hit it with shop air to blast the paint and grease out of the seam. I really find hitting it with shop air really helps, even puts out the small fires.
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 1,486
Likes: 10
From: Big Pine Key FL
I just layed down a clean fillet weld in the first pass and then overlayed that with a weld to smooth it out. Im not clear why so much bead and heat?. If the stress encountered so far hasnt cracked or deformed the base metal what's the point beyond a fillet?
