Bye bye air bags hello hendrickson walking beams

[Theweldor]

I have to agree with TS... Nice Work

 

[workshoprat92]

Thanks guys!

 

[Truck Shop]

Did you give that owl a name yet-how about Work Shop Owl 93

 

[colson04]

Damn man, nice work. Very inspiring for anyone considering doing major replacement type work.


Definitely setting the bar for quality there

 

[workshoprat92]

Did you give that owl a name yet-how about Work Shop Owl 93

I have been thinking about that all day and couldnt think if a thing but I think you nailed it lol!!
He was perched all day up high in the rafters snuggly sleeping away. Little guy didnt move at all once he got settled in. I left the shop door open and went out about 9 and he was gone. Hope hes out catching mice!

 

[workshoprat92]

Damn man, nice work. Very inspiring for anyone considering doing major replacement type work.


Definitely setting the bar for quality there

Thanks so much. When I started this i searched everywhere for any kind of information and very little is out there. I really wanted to do this thread in the hopes that others will benifit from what I have learned in the whole process!

 

[Welder Dave]

Your welds look OK but generally when doing multi-pass welds you don't weave a wide bead over the first fillet, especially with MIG. You cover it with 2 passes. That way you can direct the arc to get maximum penetration into the bottom and top plates. Done right should be smooth in the middle without a groove.

 

[workshoprat92]

Your welds look OK but generally when doing multi-pass welds you don't weave a wide bead over the first fillet, especially with MIG. You cover it with 2 passes. That way you can direct the arc to get maximum penetration into the bottom and top plates. Done right should be smooth in the middle without a groove.

Yea thats the way the hendrickson manual shows how to do it like you describe. I practiced that on some half inch wide test plates. When i got to the actual welding on the brackets they werent as wide as the 1/2" test pieces and the .045 wire was burning in so nice I just didnt feel i needed two passes as i didnt have to weave all that much. Plus being able to pisition the axles so that my weld was perfectly horizontal and it was like welding into a v. That positioning really helped! The Hendrickson manual says to use .045 wire. Still what I have done looks hunded times better than most jobs ive seen others do! I have no doubt the truck will be worn out and gone long before those welds break!

 

[workshoprat92]

Btw my mig welder is an old miller cp200 three phase welder converted to single phase by the Hass Kemp conversion method. For anyone intrested those old cp machines can be had for cheap and the conversion is pretty darn easy and cheap. As you can see the conversion does not diminish the machines capabilities as it can burn .045 with authority!

 

[John C.]

Nice work and I've seen welds from factories that didn't look as good as what you have done.

 

[Welder Dave]

I've seen welds that I wonder how they ever passed quality control at the factory. The welds are good but just for reference multi-pass horizontal fillets have the most strength.

 

[John C.]

So how many multi-pass fillets are done at any factory now days?

Heres a hint, 99.9% are done by robots using a firehose welder. Are you trying to make yourself look good by making workshoprat92 look bad?

 

[workshoprat92]

So how many multi-pass fillets are done at any factory now days?

Heres a hint, 99.9% are done by robots using a firehose welder. Are you trying to make yourself look good by making workshoprat92 look bad?

I didnt take it that way. In fact I even stated that the hendrickson manual for welding says the exact same thing. I probably would have done it that way if i had a wider area to fill. Tecnically welder dave is correct and nothing wrong with that.

 

[workshoprat92]

Nice work and I've seen welds from factories that didn't look as good as what you have done.

You really wanna get scared go to Oshkosh and look at some of the welding guys do on homebuilt aircraft! Scary crap lol!

 

[Welder Dave]

I didnt take it that way. In fact I even stated that the hendrickson manual for welding says the exact same thing. I probably would have done it that way if i had a wider area to fill. Tecnically welder dave is correct and nothing wrong with that.

Thank you! I certainly wasn't trying to make you look bad. In fact I think your 7018 pass is probably more than strong enough. The school I went to had a CP200 with a 10E wire feeder with tiny drive wheels. The newer feeders with bigger drive wheels are much better. Very smooth arc though.

I've done many multi-pass fillets on large I beams, flanges, flare stack supports and guy wire brackets. I've seen multi-pass welds on equipment too but using a larger wire and 400 or more amps results in a much bigger bead.

 

[DMiller]

Did you get fixed or adjustable upper torque rods, and did you get the weld on brackets for them too? Careful of which rod goes to which axle. IIRC the front diff matches Trans angle base position and the Rear is actually tilted UP so joints are at opposite angles. Had a Premix truck drove us nuts on Vibration, they set the angles WRONG worse of rear axle when replaced torque rods.

 

[workshoprat92]

Thank you! I certainly wasn't trying to make you look bad. In fact I think your 7018 pass is probably more than strong enough. The school I went to had a CP200 with a 10E wire feeder with tiny drive wheels. The newer feeders with bigger drive wheels are much better. Very smooth arc though.

I've done many multi-pass fillets on large I beams, flanges, flare stack supports and guy wire brackets. I've seen multi-pass welds on equipment too but using a larger wire and 400 or more amps results in a much bigger bead.

One thing I have learned in my life is you never know everything and you can learn something from anyone! Thats why were here to share that knowledge and all input in my mind is most welcome!

Here is my converted cp200. I think its an s52 wire feeder. If I ever find one im gone get the one with dual drive rollers. This one can slip and cause a popping effect. Its worse when your down to the end of the wire spool for some weird reason.

 

[AllDodge]

Thanks for the tip on the cp200 conversion, have found them at good prices. I'm currently using Hobart 210 mig and have only used with flux wire

 

[Truck Shop]

I think over most any type of weld performed-on thick material preheating probably makes the biggest difference, JMO. I have stretched over 70 frames I use two passes all with wire and
depending on material thickness V to 1/2" or 9/16". I cut the rail at a straight 90* from edge as per KW. Most all rail in standard use trucks is grade 80-severe duty trucks grade 100 and
some use grade 120. But preheating makes all the difference on first trigger. I do the same for any cast steel to formed steel. But I'm not a welder nor a fabricator but for some reason
I do a allot of welding and fabricating.

 

[workshoprat92]

Yea just look up Haas Kemp conversion and im sure it will come up. I even have a you tube video on doing it.