Welding on a vehicle

[ODw/envy]

Don't get me started. Have you ever been wearing "proper" gear and had a large piece of slag drop down in the one spot where your collar was open?

I had one do that while sandwiched under a Tahoe putting on a Flowmaster. 1/4" bugger rolled down and settled in the middle of my back. There I am stuck under the truck, too much gear to strip off quickly and smelling my flesh and T-shirt burning.

On a positive note, I hit my head hard enough on the spring hanger that I only remember the pain and smell as I ran through the yard stripping off clothes, after I emerged from the shop.

There was not enough oxygen, apparently, to ignite, so the shirt just melted around the new hole in my skin. **** sight better than running through the yard on fire, wondering where you went wrong though.

OD

 

[paulfarber]

For MIG welding as long as you have a good ground you should be OK. Cars build up a wicked static charge from driving so its not like there isn't electrical current already zipping around all that metal.

 

[namedpipes]

I'm writing to you from the ER of my local hospital... (just kidding!)

By and large the operation was a success. At least it's a good enough repair to pass inspection and bide my time till fall and possibly do a more extensive floor replacement.

Thanks again to everyone for the advice. The bucket of water was only needed for impromptu hand washing.

 

[ryker725]

Rules of thumb... Put the ground clamp close to the point of the weld. Don't weld across bearings. It may arc and screw the bearing. Don't weld if a fuel source is between the weld and ground.. Any arc can start a fire... Trust me!! Bottom line.. Put the ground clamp Close the the point of the weld so that you are not creating arcs across bearings and fuel sources.. JMHO...

 

[deuceaid]

Don't get me started. Have you ever been wearing "proper" gear and had a large piece of slag drop down in the one spot where your collar was open?

OD

I can say I have been lucky ( well I have had a UV burn on the insides of my arms) my friends have had that stray blob work around the safety gear and burn/set fire. My friends brother got slag in his ear canal.....OUCH!

another friend looks like ZZ Top, I worry about his head going up in a flash some day.

 

[dstang97]

I lost all of my gauges because I was too lazy to disconnect the battery. If you have a gas truck I would take it off, but that is just me I have very bad luck with everything.

 

[ixpacman]

Sounds like you have all ready performed your welding task without incident but one other precaution I have learned the hard way is to always disconnect the ECU connector if your vehicle has a computer when arc welding. I fried a computer on a late eighties chevy van once when doing some exhaust welding.Customer was displeased and the new computer cost me a hundred bucks. Doesn't always happen but I don't take the chance anymore. Thats what is so great about old MV's. No computers. My brain is the only thing messing things up.
Harry

 

[kastein]

As long as you keep your ground clamp reasonably close to where you are welding (within a foot or two, and not straddling any wiring harnesses - i.e. no wiring harness should pass between the clamp and your weld location) there should be no damage to electronics. high-freq TIG welding may be different but stick and wirefeed should be fine. If you are going to unplug the ECU also remember to unplug the trans computer (if any), body control module, airbag control module, stereo, instrument cluster, etc... there are dozens of electronics modules in modern vehicles.

 

[bullfrog1234]

As long as i am not welding around the electrical wiring i do not remove the batteries. Fuel is different, if i am near a fuel line I take extra precautions and weld slow.

 

[2dogsafightin]

True story..... Years ago, grinding on a piece of steel with my angle grinder...in my basement, its winter....I looked down to see a six gal can of boat gas under my work.... Being all but finished anyway I decided what the heck and continued on.....BOOM,, BANG.BANG POW On and on.....I thought I was DEAD....When the smoke cleared....I was standing about 10 feet away. Grinder still in my hand , but unpluged from the wall...Boat gas was fine..... I had ignited and unseen quart cottage cheese carton of full loose fire crackers......Scared the $**t out of me... Like Ron White says you cant fix stoopid....My wife was already looking for the life insurance policy... I no longer grind or weld in the basement.....

 

[Vintage iron]

I am a metal Fabricator. I have built custom truck accessories and have done lots of welding repairs on customers vehicles. The older trucks you can get away with not disconnecting the battery as long as you grind a spot on the work piece as close as possible to the area you are working in. BUT,I recommend disconnecting the battery! The gas tank is not a issue if you use this method too. Just make sure your tank isn't leaking and there is ventilation. You don't need to drop the tank. A fireproof blanket is a good investment or use heavy canvas ( just wet it) Good luck and post up pictures.