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Welding advice for rear shock mount
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Red5
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PostPosted: Mon Mar 05, 2018 7:05 pm    Post subject: Welding advice for rear shock mount Reply with quote

I recently purchased a pair of IRS trailing arms. The previous owner had them boxed in and also tack welded the triple (!?) shock mounts:

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So its up to me and my meager welding skills to finish up these arms. I'm know the joints will need a good cleaning/grinding up before any welding starts. I'm wondering if there are any experienced welders that might want to give me any tips as to what I should or should not do to properly weld these mounts.

My main concern is welding around the hole where the bushing and pivot bolt are located (bottom view). I'm concerned too much heat might distort the hole. Also, how can I prevent splatter from getting into the hole? Are these real concerns, or am I just being overly cautious?

Equipment is a Hobart Handler 190 (MIG, 220V). I'm using argon/CO2 mix and have some .030 wire on hand. Thanks again.
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Dale M.
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PostPosted: Mon Mar 05, 2018 9:56 pm    Post subject: Re: Welding advice for rear shock mount Reply with quote

Check out what Jody has to say about welding...

http://weldingtipsandtricks.com

He also has Youtube channel...

You have good equipment, all you probably need is practice...

Want to protect holes for splatter put a metal (can) lid over hole...

I do up to 1/4 inch stuff with GMAW and Hobart Handler 140.. My only regret is I did not go with Hobart 210MPV machine...

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Dale
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mr_bill
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PostPosted: Tue Mar 06, 2018 5:39 pm    Post subject: Re: Welding advice for rear shock mount Reply with quote

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Last edited by mr_bill on Fri Mar 09, 2018 4:18 pm; edited 4 times in total
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dustymojave
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PostPosted: Tue Mar 06, 2018 9:50 pm    Post subject: Re: Welding advice for rear shock mount Reply with quote

1st you should be sure those shock mounts are what you want. You don't HAVE to use all 3 mounts. You could use any 2 of them. Or you could make mounts like Bill's.

THEN...IF you decide you want to use those mounts, welding them with a MIG is no big deal. Use a metal can or lid like Dale said. I used those mounts on mine. The holes were made to fit large OD bosses. Pieces of heavy wall tube that USED TO BE sold with the mount kits. But I've not seen those bosses offered for a while. I drilled holes in between those existing holes and inserted my own tubes for the shock bolts. I used 1/2" ID tube with .120 wall for 3/4" OD. IIRC, the existing holes are for 1/4" wall bosses. That's 1" OD.

Some shocks use 12mm bolts. You're on your own for that. I used 1/2" bolts for mine.
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jimmyhoffa
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PostPosted: Wed Mar 07, 2018 6:14 am    Post subject: Re: Welding advice for rear shock mount Reply with quote

The Hobart handler 190 will do that no problem. I did exactly that mount on IRS arms with the exact same welder, wire and gas. Worked great, easy penetration.

You can also cleverly cut those mounts to be single shock mounts and still reinforce the bearing area too like mine here!
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Make sure to put bearings in there now and mock the axle up with the spacers to make sure the back side of the CV flange on the stub doesn't hit that shock mount plate or the welds.

I also TOTALLY RUINED a set of otherwise great IRS arms with the hole distortion you talked about. At least for me, it was very real. I machined up a slug of somewhat hardened steel the same diameter as that bearing to press in there to stop the hole from egging out when I weld them.

I checked the two I welded with my slug, using my dial bore gauge after I welded them and they were both about .0005" out of round as best I could tell. The ones I ruined were several thousandths out and I figure they would eat bearings in a hurry if I even got them in there to begin with.
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Red5
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PostPosted: Wed Mar 07, 2018 8:44 pm    Post subject: Re: Welding advice for rear shock mount Reply with quote

Dale, thanks for the link to the tips and tricks site. I had not run into that particular site as yet. Using a metal lid to protect the mounting hole from splatter is brilliant. Simple and effective. I see there's also gels and sprays that can also provide splatter protection too.

Mr Hoffa: your warped trailing arm experience serves an expensive and frightening lesson. Unfortunately, I don't have the equipment or know-how on how to build a safety slug for the mounting hole. I'll try welding small sections at a time to try and keep things cool.

For what its worth, I think the triple shock mount is a bit absurd; even double seems overkill for a stock IRS rear end. I think I'll just leave the mount as is and install a single shock on each side. Maybe I'll tell people the empty holes are there to save on weight Razz
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dustymojave
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PostPosted: Wed Mar 07, 2018 10:46 pm    Post subject: Re: Welding advice for rear shock mount Reply with quote

What shocks are appropriate for your car depends entirely on what you intend to do with the car. If it's for parking on the lawn at the park for a car show, you just need what you think is going to flip the WOW switch of those who you expect to look at it. If you plan to offroad the car, then where and how hard, etc. You feel you need to reinforce the stock arms, but you don't think you need much shock? Or are you thinking a single King 3" bypass shock on that single mount with stock hubs and arm length?
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Retired from building Bajas, Fiberglass Buggies and Rails in the Mojave Desert. Also Sprints & Midgets, Dry Lakes, Road Race cars. All types New and Vintage
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