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Anyone welded on their XJ?

jonnycat

NAXJA Forum User
Location
PNW
I'm building a load (cargo) stabilizer, the final step of which necessitates welding a piece on while it is attached to the jeep (98 XJ).

As long as I disconnect the battery and keep the grounding clamp close to the weld area, is my car going to survive? Anyone else done this and lived to tell the tale?
 
I think you'll be OK. I had to do some welding on my '93 XJ a few years ago when the
upper hinge on the driver's side passenger door suddenly came free of the of the "B"
pillar (... what the h#ll!).

I disconnected the battery; and I also disconnected the ECM, just for good measure.
I kept the ground cable clamped near to the welding sight.

No problems at all after doing this.
 
You don't need to disconnect anything. Don't weld near wiring and keep the ground clamp close to the area being welded (good practice anyways) and you are fine.

If you are using a TIG machine with HF start, it might maybe actually matter if you get very unlucky, but regular MIG/fluxcore? Not gonna do a damn thing.
 
Welded on mine with just the battery disconnected (only because I'm a novice welder) and had no issues....besides some burn through (thin sheet metal)
 
You don't need to disconnect anything. Don't weld near wiring and keep the ground clamp close to the area being welded (good practice anyways) and you are fine.

If you are using a TIG machine with HF start, it might maybe actually matter if you get very unlucky, but regular MIG/fluxcore? Not gonna do a damn thing.

Thanks Kastein, and everyone as well, I appreciate it. I don't have a TIG setup, just an AC buzzbox, so no HF.
 
Careful with that thing, you are going to have to keep it turned down pretty far to avoid burning through. XJs are made out of rejected license plate stock, I think. If you're skilled with it, it shouldn't be an issue with low enough current and thin rods.
 
They usually are, I was kidding ;)

I sometimes wish our body panels were aluminum, at least they wouldn't rust then.
 
If I'm just welded a small spot or something quick, I usually don't bother. Now when I was doing bumper to bumper stiffeners and 2x6 rockers, I pulled the battery and the PCM so I wouldn't worry about backfeeding into them.
 
keep the ground fairly close and dissconnect the battery, my XJ has transformed into almost a buggy by now and ive never even thought about the PCM, just the battery, but it is easy to dissconnect the PCM so it couldnt hurt
 
Careful with that thing, you are going to have to keep it turned down pretty far to avoid burning through. XJs are made out of rejected license plate stock, I think. If you're skilled with it, it shouldn't be an issue with low enough current and thin rods.

Oh heck, I wouldn't even dream of stick welding on an auto body, that's gas or MIG territory.

What I'm building is a thingy made from angle iron that will bolt on the bumper and stick straight up, so I can drive a 21' stick of pipe home without it flapping around too much. Ideally I'd make a receiver for the front, but I'm too lazy right now and it would be overkill for my needs.
 
Ahh, I wasn't sure where you were going with this question. Carry on!

I know people who can stick weld sheetmetal unibodies, it's really something to see, but jesus christ it takes skill. I certainly can't pull that off right now.
 
Aye, that takes more skill than I possess, I pretty much limit myself to 12 gauge or better with stick. I'd love to get a MIG someday, but fortunately most all of my projects are doable with stick.
 
I often dont disconnect when welding on MY jeep, but whenever welding on someone elses jeep, or anything newer than say 2010, I disconnect the negative battery terminal.

Not worth the risk.
 
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