Thread: building a new frame

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Im done screwing around with the extended "Model A" frame I have under my 24 dodge roadster. I extended it by butting it with 2x4 box beam and welding plates on top of the welded seams all the way around it. My problem is it keeps on cracking out every weld. I dont know if its the old steel, my cruddy welding or if the 318 was just to torquey thats doing it.

Im building a new frame tomorrow since I dont have to go into work. Should I use more 2x4 box beam or that 2x4 u shaped channel?

I use the 2" X 4" 11 gauge rectangular tubing, makes a good solid frame for most anything.

2 x 4 box. Much better than channel. That's why they make boxing plates . . .

2by4by.120. You can taper the rails like a stock frame by wedge cutting each side, then squeezing them together to reweld. Make sure to bevel the edges on any welds, and if your welder isn't very heavy, either get one that is, or turn it up all the way and make multiple passes. One pass down the middle of the joint, one on either side of that weld, and then finish up by putting a "wash" over it...weave a bead back and forth accross the three welds, extending about 1/4" on either side of the welds. This is the way to make your joint its strongest. Incidentially, if you put a bead across the width of non boxed material, and the material is subjected to stresses, it will almost always break on the weld because it is more brittle there than any other place.

2x4 box is the way to go and like has been said .125(1/8) is what you want. Far as beveling the edge that is not needed on 1/8 and actually kinda impossible to do on such thin stock.

Are you using a tig or a mig? if tig then 85-90 amps is plenty
for mig 120-135 is more than enough and on 1/8 material there should be no need to make multiple or triple bead passes on that. If you are having to make a triple bead then you have a problem that you need to find,such as very rusted pitted material,problem with the shielding gas,etc...

all i can say is see what amp's your welding at clean the steel really good take a few passes on some scrap to get the wire speed/output correct. And make sure your gas is on

Originally posted by BlownGoat
Far as beveling the edge that is not needed on 1/8 and actually kinda impossible to do on such thin stock.

Are you using a tig or a mig? if tig then 85-90 amps is plenty
for mig 120-135 is more than enough and on 1/8 material there should be no need to make multiple or triple bead passes on that.

I completely forgot that we were talking about .125, even though I had just written it! I disagree though about beveling the material. Even though the bevel will be very slight, it will still improve penetration, and can actually make it easier to lay a nice looking bead. Personally, I would rather leave a pretty bead unground...but I am strange like that. One of these days, I would like to put a rod together with all old school techniques...stick welding, hammer welding, air chisels, and hacksaws...now where to get the baked enamel job, that is the question.