How Can I Fix This? Passanger Cross Member Broke
11-20-2007, 03:53 PM
#32
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11-20-2007, 04:23 PM
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It may very well last forever, but the first test of a weld is visual, and those welds failed the first test. 1. lots of undercut = times 3 stress raiser. 2. insufficient bead termination reinforcement = crater cracks that will propagate into main body of weld. 3. lack of fusion = surface and subsurface cracking. 4. over lap, sometimes called "cold lap" = insufficient fusion which will also result in cracking.
11-20-2007, 04:31 PM
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He said one of the biggest problems is that he had to fill the gap which is hard to do with a stick welder. We couldnt compress it enough so there was a small gap, when we went to compress it more it would just lift the whole truck. Hopefully it will last
11-20-2007, 04:38 PM
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I've seen welds that looked as if they wouldn't last ten seconds that lasted ten years. I've also seen really nice welds that failed really fast and shouldn't have. It all depends on the type of load that is applied to the area in question.
.............
11-20-2007, 07:58 PM
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11-20-2007, 08:28 PM
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Well that is very unfortunate to hear. I drove it today for about 30 miles and all is well. He was able to also weld the inside of the cross member so maybe that will help some.
I need to learn how to weld myself. I never liked depending on others to do work for me.
I need to learn how to weld myself. I never liked depending on others to do work for me.
11-20-2007, 09:07 PM
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EverydayDiesel,
Do yourself favor and take your truck to a good welding shop and get it fixed right. Its not worth putting yourself and and one you meet on the road in danger because of a screwed up weld. Your friend is not a welder he's just a rod burner there's a big difference. Tell your friend not to weld on anything that does no belong to him, anything drives over the road including traliers and wagons, anything that carries or supports weight. This is what gives us professional welders a bad name. Are you will to risk your life on this work ? I am not so stay off the road until you get a proper fix.
Do yourself favor and take your truck to a good welding shop and get it fixed right. Its not worth putting yourself and and one you meet on the road in danger because of a screwed up weld. Your friend is not a welder he's just a rod burner there's a big difference. Tell your friend not to weld on anything that does no belong to him, anything drives over the road including traliers and wagons, anything that carries or supports weight. This is what gives us professional welders a bad name. Are you will to risk your life on this work ? I am not so stay off the road until you get a proper fix.
11-20-2007, 10:38 PM
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I'm a little curious here as to why people didn't 1. suggest reputable shops to have Everyday Diesel take his truck to in the first place. 2. Handle the results in a somewhat tactful, helpful manner, rather than just telling him "it failed." How's that going to help him out now? I'm not a welder, never planned to be, but at least someone could suggest a course of action? If more damage is done, we're talking about a guy having to scrap a good truck?!
I will ask - how well do you know the truck's history? Looking over the initial photos, I really can't see the damage occuring from an accident or running over a rock or stump. But it does look like a metalurgical problem with cracks developing due to either undue stress on the frame, or a problem with the original frame itself in this area. it's perhaps not a bad idea to see if a TSB has ever been issued for a few bad frames from around the time this truck was produced.
Good luck with this - a nasty suprise indeed!
I will ask - how well do you know the truck's history? Looking over the initial photos, I really can't see the damage occuring from an accident or running over a rock or stump. But it does look like a metalurgical problem with cracks developing due to either undue stress on the frame, or a problem with the original frame itself in this area. it's perhaps not a bad idea to see if a TSB has ever been issued for a few bad frames from around the time this truck was produced.
Good luck with this - a nasty suprise indeed!
11-20-2007, 10:54 PM
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I'm a little curious here as to why people didn't 1. suggest reputable shops to have Everyday Diesel take his truck to in the first place. 2. Handle the results in a somewhat tactful, helpful manner, rather than just telling him "it failed." How's that going to help him out now? I'm not a welder, never planned to be, but at least someone could suggest a course of action? If more damage is done, we're talking about a guy having to scrap a good truck?!
I will ask - how well do you know the truck's history? Looking over the initial photos, I really can't see the damage occuring from an accident or running over a rock or stump. But it does look like a metalurgical problem with cracks developing due to either undue stress on the frame, or a problem with the original frame itself in this area. it's perhaps not a bad idea to see if a TSB has ever been issued for a few bad frames from around the time this truck was produced.
Good luck with this - a nasty suprise indeed!
I will ask - how well do you know the truck's history? Looking over the initial photos, I really can't see the damage occuring from an accident or running over a rock or stump. But it does look like a metalurgical problem with cracks developing due to either undue stress on the frame, or a problem with the original frame itself in this area. it's perhaps not a bad idea to see if a TSB has ever been issued for a few bad frames from around the time this truck was produced.
Good luck with this - a nasty suprise indeed!
Thanks, Im sitting over here just boggled because I dont know welding from anything. This is a tough crowd in here for sure, but I appreciate the input from everyone.
I dont know the trucks history at all besides the car fax which was COMPLETELY clean. I bought the truck from the dealer AS-IS of course because it has 170k miles. I didnt notice the cross member / frame welds but then again I dont go around looking at the welds when I buy a truck. I was alot more concerned with the IP and fuel pressure and the transmission. Lesson is learned and the next vehicle I buy will be looked over from each bolt all the way down to the frame.
I did have another friend look at the inside and the outside of the cross member and he said it is a hack job but it will probably hold. He also said that if its going to break it will happen very soon and that I should keep a close eye out for cracks developing.
