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how much more welding do i need to do for my frame stiffeners?

Vanimal

Vanimal

NAXJA Forum User
Location
escondido, ca
so i started welding on my frame stiffeners, and i have a fair amount of 1/2" holes i drilled in them for rosette welding.
got one side done, but i am curious about welding the perimeter of the stiffeners to the frame. i dont know if going all the way around is the best idea as it might be a stress riser, and im sure all that heat is not good for the heat treated frame. about how much more welding should i do? the rock rails were already on so i cut out a square in the stiffeners for them and welded them around the perimeter there. be kind, im a self taught welder, i know it isnt beautiful. :laugh:

6988268567_a75405ba7a_z.jpg


6842110878_16b384a187_z.jpg
 
I don't know what the norm is for those, but i will say that if you decide to weld along the edges you definitely do NOT want to weld the whole edge. For the most strength you would weld an inch, skip an inch, weld an inch...etc.

Realistically i think 1 inch every 4-5 inches would be just as good.
 
thanks guys, sounds like a plan. i was kinda thinking the same thing, just wanted to confirm
 
ok so i did about a 2 inch weld between each rosette weld as you can see in the pics. i could have done more, but it seemed redundant to weld so close to the rosette welds. what do you guys think?
6988337411_dba87999e5_z.jpg
 
Did you weld on the bottom side of the stiffener as well as the sides? Welding between the rosettes should do just fine then just coat the whole seam with some seam sealer and should be good.
 
dave92cherokee said:
Did you weld on the bottom side of the stiffener as well as the sides? Welding between the rosettes should do just fine then just coat the whole seam with some seam sealer and should be good.
Click to expand...
yep, similar amount of rosette welds on the bottom, as well as stich welded between the rosette welds just like you see on the side.
 
Then as long as you got good penetration on all the welds seal it and paint/bedliner it and call it good.
 
nice. who's stiifners, and whats your honest opinion on them. thinking i may buy some instead of making. that bend is not possible for me.
 
2stix said:
nice. who's stiifners, and whats your honest opinion on them. thinking i may buy some instead of making. that bend is not possible for me.
Click to expand...
dont bother making them, for the $50? you'd save, it would be a huge hassle.
These ones are TnT, and they're ok, but they didnt have the holes for the rosette welds, and i didnt like that. there are ones out there that do, but dont ask me which ones lol
Other than that, the fit was pretty good, they went on pretty easy. i didnt have to trim anything other than for my rock rails. Drilling that many holes is a rather big hassle though, i have a machine shop so i did it on the mill, i dont think i'd want to do it on a drill press or with a hand drill.
 
HD offroad comes with the holes predrilled, however given the thinness of the unibody, I think 3/8" would be about perfect. Whay have a 1/2" rosette to bond to 20 ga. sheet?
 
souske said:
HD offroad comes with the holes predrilled, however given the thinness of the unibody, I think 3/8" would be about perfect. Whay have a 1/2" rosette to bond to 20 ga. sheet?
Click to expand...
because that's the smallest hole i can burn with my laser beam eyeballs.
 
wow ok, yea drilling all those holes would be a pain. but i do like the 3/16" compared to the 10 guage. and yes i know many have expressed their thoughts about 10 guage being more than enough for a 20 guage frame rail. but i also plan to tie in a cage and other stuff. and the more you tie into it, the greater strength it should be.
 
2stix said:
wow ok, yea drilling all those holes would be a pain. but i do like the 3/16" compared to the 10 guage. and yes i know many have expressed their thoughts about 10 guage being more than enough for a 20 guage frame rail. but i also plan to tie in a cage and other stuff. and the more you tie into it, the greater strength it should be.
Click to expand...
that was my thinking since im welding both front and rear control arm brackets to it.
 
I'd rather do 1/2 rosettes, vs a 3/8ths rosette, the small rosettes are harder to get proper penetration on the bottom layer, dont forget once you get to the 2nd half of the rosette, you are only adding material on top.
 
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