Butt Welding to Existing Rear Bumper Plate for Tie-Ins
 

RE: Adding Tie-ins for an additional mounting point for my bumper (also will be the bolt in locations for my H.D. Engineering Shackles and Gas Tank Skid)

I am not a Fabrication person, and I can barely weld with my Lincoln 180 w/gas

MY QUESTIONS IS, Can I just butt weld right to the current mount the 1/4" plate?

Should I bevel the 2" x 4" 3/16" piece before welding it up if I do butt joint it?

I thought I read somewhere that a Butt weld was weak, maybe I am wrong.

Can't imagine cutting all the current stuff off and taking the new 2" x 4" tubing all the way to the bumper itself.

Any Advice or Suggestions....

Thanks,


https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.che...031a22660c.jpg

sure. straight through to the bumper tube would be best, but this should work just fine too.
yeah, i would bevel it.

Ditto, and make sure the existing old metal is cleaned up real good as well. Post pics!

Yes, bevel it.

"Post Pictures", its not like I am proud of my welds.... YIKES

Appreciate the advice everyone, I will clean both pieces well and bevel the 2"x4" piece where it butts in.

I basically just did what you are doing......what I noticed is that the hole into the uni rail of offset of the cl of the mounting bracket, so I just used about 7dollars in angle iron & it worked out great.... Any bumper that just bolt onto the stock mounts will eventually fail....


http://i652.photobucket.com/albums/u...psvkgzqezg.jpg


thread
https://www.cherokeeforum.com/f67/re...racked-206762/

This is why you should take and post pics...we can see what you're doing right and what you're doing wrong, and give you advice on how to get welds you'll be proud to post!

Butt Welding to Existing Rear Bumper Plate for Tie-Ins
 

That's not a butt weld. It's a normal fillet weld. Just weld er up all around the extension with a good anount of heat Into each piece and you'll be good.

Butt weld is where the pieces are the same size and butt flush end to end.


https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.che...b0716dc29f.jpg

You'll do fine, just listen for the "bacon sizzle" and rock on. Half moons, back n forth, get that nice stack of dimes.

Because you're welding thinner steel to that heavy plate, start your weld on the plate & bring it to the tie-in. On that Lincoln, "D" will penetrate the plate beautifully, but with your limited experience, you'll likely blow through the tie-in. Set your heat to "C", wire speed at 4 and a half. Try this, go to D/5.5 if its not burning into the thicker plate. Stay on the plate till you get a puddle and slide to the tie-in. Repeat, repeat, repeat, repeat...

Best of luck!

Good advice.
Something that might help you out, if you want to be sure your settings are right, grab a couple pieces of scrap that are the same thickness of what you're welding, and lay down some practice beads. Better to screw up on scrap, than your finished product...

Thanks guys, I am reading all your advice, and I will take pictures.

The rear bumper is not too bad, I am welding 3/16" tubing to 1/4" plate.

But soon I will be welding my Hooligan Mid Frame Stiffeners, and my IRO Front Frame Stiffeners into the thinner sheet metal soon.

Bryan

Another Question - WHICH WIRE ?

I am an amateur welder at best, which wire should I use, I ran out of wire and I was using L-56 .030 - should I just get more of this like a 12.5 lb spool ?

Or on my clean 3/16" to 1/4" steel for my bumper should I use Lincoln L-56 .035 2lb spool?

Then when I do my 3/16" and 10 gauge frame stiffeners to my unibody should I use L-56 .025 2lb spool?

Or do you suggest something completely different?

I am welding Bumper Tie Ins, Installing Frame Stiffeners, Building Rock Sliders, and building a bracket for YORK On Board Air, then ya know the typical garage stuff, mufflers, broke brackets, etc.

I am using Lincoln 180HD with 75% Argon 25% Carbon Dioxide Gas

Thanks,

I would do the .035 on the bumper tie in and do .030 on stiffeners

Well locally on a Sunday all I can get is a 12.5lb spool or L-56 .035, I don't see using it enough to get that large of a spool and rather get 2lb, The .030 12.5lb spool I can see. Frustrating, maybe I just need to bite the bullet and get a 12.5lb spoor of both..... now to go out to the garage and see what tips I have in stock )-:

OK - I found I have 2 spools or .35 Flux Core NR-211MP, if I load this can I just run it with the Argon Gas, or do I have to shut the gas off and reverse the polarity and all that stuff?

I read flux core will give better penetration on thicker steel