Finally worked on rear subframe

[clk320x]

Is there anyway you can make the photos display larger Mike?

 

[MancMike]

Yeah, click 'em. They're thumbnails to a site where they're hosted full size.

It's too late to edit them and display full size now anyway, not that it seemed appropriate on someone else's thread I'm kinda hijacking.

Regarding the car, with the 6 flex-disc bolts removed that couple the prop shaft to the rear (only) diff, the shaft still wouldn't separate. I've since watched videos on these being replaced and I can see that the bushes protrude further out than the surface of the flex-disc, so they go into the flanges of the shafts. See image:

So I just need to man up and hammer a flat head screwdriver into the gap to separate that ring of rust that's binding the bushes into the flange.

It's silly to "man up" when you don't know you're not about to damage something in doing so.

 

[clk320x]

Cheers

 

[MancMike]

Got it off. It's very heavy, around 100kg+ I reckon. I can only just lift it about an inch off the ground.

You can see with it rolled over how bad the corrosion is.

(Images clickable, bigger images)

 

[bobo]

That's pretty shocking.

 

[pmcgsmurf]

Certainly is

 

[unclebuck]

I picked up my lower spring mount control arms from the powder coater and they look amazing, i just have to press the new bushes in.

I need to replace the 3 other brake pipes with new pipe, not the whole thing i will just splice in new pipe with compression fittings.
I have a spare left hand rear hub knuckle I just have to find a right rear spare so i can refurb them and mount them to the new subframe.
This will make it easier to do a full all in one swap over when i change it all. Plenty of rear left hub knuckles on ebay but apart from one in germany , none in the uk!!

 

[Justintyme]

That's a job for a MIG welder,,,its the only welder you can "turn down" enough to weld metal as light as that...plus, MIG welding only heats the immediate area being welded, so it's pretty safe In an area like that.

 

[a111r]

That's a job for a MIG welder,,,its the only welder you can "turn down" enough to weld metal as light as that...plus, MIG welding only heats the immediate area being welded, so it's pretty safe In an area like that.

A few of us would have welded that on a daily, not a keeper / project car.

Good luck to Mike, though, for cracking on with it.

 

[clk320x]

Mike is an expert welder now

 

[MancMike]

Good luck to Mike, though, for cracking on with it.

Thanks, a week of practicing with the welder and countless hours of youtube tuition, I can now lay a strong bead... Not the prettiest, but it ain't tig and we're not aiming for that 5p stack fallen over look!

All welding is now done, I cut out all the rotten metal, welded in new 3mm steel panels and basically built box section into that area, then made a mount for the original bracket and measured for the correct geometry from the other side, then welded that bracket back into place. I've just got to paint it all then reassemble it to the car.

Mike is an expert welder now

Thanks, but far from it. That old saying "The more you know, the more you know you don't know." springs to mind. I'm able, at best, but very interested now. I can add metalwork along side woodwork in my little woodwork shop and the two can go hand in hand.

 

[Justintyme]

Just as a matter of interest Mike, what kind of welder did you use?

 

[MancMike]

Just as a matter of interest Mike, what kind of welder did you use?

A MightyMig100. A FCAW.

 

[Justintyme]

A MightyMig100. A FCAW.

Gas less...how did you find it to use? Did you get the hang of it easily? ( or did you get a few spatter burns first ???? LOL ) Seems like a good welder though... Sealey make some good stiff.

 

[MancMike]

Gas less...how did you find it to use? Did you get the hang of it easily? ( or did you get a few spatter burns first ???? LOL ) Seems like a good welder though... Sealey make some good stiff.

Like a duck to water, surprisingly.

Apparently Gas less is sometimes better than CO2/Argon outdoors as the shielding gas just blows away outside whereas the flux produces the gas right at the point it's needed most.

I had a bad experience with a stick welder a few years ago (I just couldn't do it, couldn't strike and maintain an arc so gave up), flux core in comparison is like child's play. With some research and practice to understand min/max volts/amperage and feed rate, etc. I was able to judge when I needed various settings and what to expect etc.

During my practice week, I had thin sheet metal (old microwave shell) and "infinitely" thick old brake disc to practice with, so got to know from the extremes the properties of thin and thick metal. So I got to practice how to not blow holes through the thin metal, and how to get good penetration in the thick metal. I was able to test strength by welding the end of a 10mm rod of steel to the disc with a butt joint, then levering it to test its strength. I welded bolts to it and tried hammering them off, they just bent over ... So I got to test welds to failure to figure out when you've got a bad weld with little to no penetration.

I got one spatter drop go through my pants and have a dot on my leg as a result, but it didn't really hurt. If I wear these pants to work again, people are going to think I'm a stoner. What did hurt was the shard of metal from grinding (I had a face shield on, but somehow something got past it, probably from below) embed itself in my eye on Saturday. I couldn't see anything obvious in my eye, but I could feel it, so I assumed it was just a scratch. Today it wasn't getting any better so I had a proper look in the mirror with my camera zoomed in and saw a dot of metal near my pupil, so went to the eye hospital after my attempts to flick it off with the corner of a credit card failed as I couldn't get near it without girling out. They numbed it and got it out. I'll invest in a better face shield in future!

I've little to compare the welder to, but I've already fixed a few things, and also bought 2 new rolls of flux core which turned out to be very low on flux. I assumed they'd be an upgrade to the stuff that came with it, but instead it was nasty and horrible to use (yes it was definitely "flux core", not regular mig wire). It left no residue, unlike the stuff that came with the welder leaves a white powder you brush off, evidence of the flux. I put the original stuff back in which is much nicer. So money well wasted as I got to experience the difference between different qualities of wire.

I'll update my original thread with pictures, etc shortly. I spent 6 hours this evening refitting the subframe, shocks, brakes, prop shaft, arch liners, sensors and exhaust, then went for a 20 mile blast test. The tracking should in theory be out because I've had the arms off and didn't record the position of the adjusting cam-washers, but it feels totally normal. I'll get it tracked, but right now, the car is totally fixed. So I've very pleased. It in total cost less than a new 2nd hand subframe and I've now got a welder and new skills out of the other end.

What's your welding experience?

 

[bobo]

Fantastic "can do" attitude. I start out that way then it's all downhill

 

[Justintyme]

Like a duck to water, surprisingly.

Apparently Gas less is sometimes better than CO2/Argon outdoors as the shielding gas just blows away outside whereas the flux produces the gas right at the point it's needed most.

I had a bad experience with a stick welder a few years ago (I just couldn't do it, couldn't strike and maintain an arc so gave up), flux core in comparison is like child's play. With some research and practice to understand min/max volts/amperage and feed rate, etc. I was able to judge when I needed various settings and what to expect etc.

During my practice week, I had thin sheet metal (old microwave shell) and "infinitely" thick old brake disc to practice with, so got to know from the extremes the properties of thin and thick metal. So I got to practice how to not blow holes through the thin metal, and how to get good penetration in the thick metal. I was able to test strength by welding the end of a 10mm rod of steel to the disc with a butt joint, then levering it to test its strength. I welded bolts to it and tried hammering them off, they just bent over ... So I got to test welds to failure to figure out when you've got a bad weld with little to no penetration.

I got one spatter drop go through my pants and have a dot on my leg as a result, but it didn't really hurt. If I wear these pants to work again, people are going to think I'm a stoner. What did hurt was the shard of metal from grinding (I had a face shield on, but somehow something got past it, probably from below) embed itself in my eye on Saturday. I couldn't see anything obvious in my eye, but I could feel it, so I assumed it was just a scratch. Today it wasn't getting any better so I had a proper look in the mirror with my camera zoomed in and saw a dot of metal near my pupil, so went to the eye hospital after my attempts to flick it off with the corner of a credit card failed as I couldn't get near it without girling out. They numbed it and got it out. I'll invest in a better face shield in future!

I've little to compare the welder to, but I've already fixed a few things, and also bought 2 new rolls of flux core which turned out to be very low on flux. I assumed they'd be an upgrade to the stuff that came with it, but instead it was nasty and horrible to use (yes it was definitely "flux core", not regular mig wire). It left no residue, unlike the stuff that came with the welder leaves a white powder you brush off, evidence of the flux. I put the original stuff back in which is much nicer. So money well wasted as I got to experience the difference between different qualities of wire.

I'll update my original thread with pictures, etc shortly. I spent 6 hours this evening refitting the subframe, shocks, brakes, prop shaft, arch liners, sensors and exhaust, then went for a 20 mile blast test. The tracking should in theory be out because I've had the arms off and didn't record the position of the adjusting cam-washers, but it feels totally normal. I'll get it tracked, but right now, the car is totally fixed. So I've very pleased. It in total cost less than a new 2nd hand subframe and I've now got a welder and new skills out of the other end.

What's your welding experience?

Once upon a time Mike, in my Garage days, I could weld Oxygen / Acetylene, MIG, Arc, Braze, Solder, Cutting etc. Was all part of the job, when I was "on the floor" so to speak. The MIG is about the simplest and best of the lot INMHO. So you found the original gas cored wire the best. Thats interesting..you were in a well ventilated place, I presume? I only ever used the welders with the Argon shielding gas. But the "drops" are very dangerous, I have even used a leather apron, and it will help a good bit in preventing burns, but its very difficult to get any material which will withstand white hot pieces of molten metal. As you found out, the sparks emitted when you are grinding are extremely dangerous. You were very lucky with your Eye.....better than me. Like you, I got a piece of metal in my eye...didn't think much of it at the time. but ulcers developed on it, and I was lucky not to lose the eye. I'm glad that you mentioned this in your post, because everyone was being helpful with technical advice etc. ( this is a really good forum, ) but no one ( myself included )thought to mention the health and safety aspect of it. So by now, I take it that the end is in sight?

 

[bobo]

Any updates?

 

[a111r]

So by now, I take it that the end is in sight?

As opposed to the end of Mike's sight
Good point about H&S.

Here's a cool story, bros..
The summer of 1995 I spent doing a 'ground up' job on my very rusty Triumph Vitesse, weeks of welding and grinding.
As it was so hot in the garage, I got blasé and donned shorts. A very bad move.

Having lunch, a blob of the molten core from a Findus crispy cheese pancake fell on my leg, causing a nasty burn.

 

[Justintyme]

As opposed to the end of Mike's sight
Good point about H&S.

Here's a cool story, bros..
The summer of 1995 I spent doing a 'ground up' job on my very rusty Triumph Vitesse, weeks of welding and grinding.
As it was so hot in the garage, I got blasé and donned shorts. A very bad move.

Having lunch, a blob of the molten core from a Findus crispy cheese pancake fell on my leg, causing a nasty burn.

The dangers of eating a Findus crispy cheese pancake cannot be over stressed enough !!! LOL LOL...