Safe welding on a Taco

Hello TW and happy weekend!

What’s the best practice to protect the electronics when arc welding or flux/wire welding?

Just go for it?

Disconnect the battery?

Short the battery leads together?

I know to keep the ground clamp close to the welding.

I’ll be cleaning and reinforcing the frame. The usual locations are in poor condition.

I’ve never welded on a vehicle that has a computer and all the electronics like we have in our Tacos. I’ve heard all sorts of conflicting stories of what needs to be done. If the computer goes belly up, I’m afraid it would be a total loss.

Thanks in advance for any tips!

 

I disconnected the battery when re-welding on the tail pipe. Although I doubt the shop who did the install disconnected the battery.

 

I use an “anti zap” device clamped on the battery when spot or mig welding.
https://www.jbtools.com/goodall-32-...MI-aW-g_HgiQMVLUT_AR0vwid8EAQYAiABEgKQF_D_BwE

 

It's not so much keeping the ground close to where you are welding as it is keeping the ground on the part you are welding so the current flows directly between your leads and doesn't take any "detours" through something else.

So if your welding on the frame you want your ground on the frame if on the exhaust you want your ground on the exhaust, etc...
I think this is where people get into trouble when welding on stuff, you can unhook the battery and/or unplug modules if you wish but follow the rule of grounding to the object you are welding on and be careful that you don't touch the tip of your welder to anything else and you should have no issues.

 

When I boxed the frame at the rear bumper mounts, I just ensured the ground was securely on the frame, making metal contact near where I was welding.

 

Thank you all for the tips. Good ground to frame near the weld sounds like the safest precaution.

I think I’ll be adding some plates large enough to ground to the plate itself.

Unfortunately, I’ve been diverted to basement cleaning for now. Hope to start this afternoon or get a good day in tomorrow. I’m hoping I don’t have to do too much work, but won’t know until I start getting the rust off. This will be a really nice truck if I can heal the frame.

Edit: Oh yah, DC stick. Should go DC positive if that is good for the stick I select?

 

Set your welder according to the rod you are using, I haven't stick welded in years so I don't really remember settings all that well but my go to rod used to be E6013 on 60-90 amps AC for general purpose stuff.

My dad uses E7018 on an old Lincoln SA200 DC, not sure what current he uses though as the numbers are gone but it's pretty hot. He mostly welds on farm equipment and other heavy iron though.

 

I try to compensate for my welding skills with excessive current

I’ll have a look at what rods I have on hand. I was thinking DC is best for welding vertical surfaces.

I hate my flux welder. Old cheap junk. Probably go stick. If for some reason that’s not working out, I might try some better quality wire and give it a shot. I think 1/8” steel I have would be pushing it to the limit.

Neighbor has a nice gas MIG. I might see if his son wants to make some money. He did a very nice job on my Wheel Horse muffler I blew a 1” hole in Note to self, don’t forget about the high/low setting on the big welder

 

Disconnect the ground side and go to town.

 

I haven't stick-welded in years, but the rod and settings were where I started. The last time I stick-welded was piecing together a semi-tractor frame's front and rear sections. We asked the local welding supplier who dropped in when he was near what rod to use and how to proceed. We followed his guidelines, and it turned out really pretty, just like a professional. The semi-tractor remained in service for many years after.

 

Reminds me of happier times past… I welded up a lot of cracks on my 58 Willy’s CJ-3B. Used the only thing I could afford, a cheap Schumacher buzz box. Didn’t know any better, so no one got hurt I used some universal does anything rod and got the areas around the welds red with a cheap mapp gas torch. Ah, to be young and ignorant again…

 

E6011, E6013, E7018, and E309L. I think that last one is for stainless, never used those.

I might have enough rod to make a new frame

 

Electricity wants to follow the path of LEAST resistance. So like dm93 suggests, ground close to where you’re welding. If you have a helper, have them look at the ground clamp when you begin welding. If there’s sparks jumping under the clamp, it’s not connected good.

Welding rods like to absorb moisture, then they kinda suck. A trick instructors do is give you old rods, watch you struggle. Then pull out a good rod to show you how easy it is. So if your old rods weren’t stored in a rod oven, they might not make pretty welds.

 

Use your 7018

 

Yea we still have an old Lincoln crackerbox but I don't have anywhere to hook it up at the moment.

I use a Hobart Handler 140 wire feed with fluxcore wire for the few things I need to weld, it does a decent job as long as the metal is relatively clean.

My dad welds the big stuff lol.

 

I used to have a lot of luck with the 7018's when I was working (industrial) I kept them warm and dry on top of the shop building single phase transformer.

 

Hopefully the rods are good. They’re stored in those plastic rod containers with the o-ring for the screw on top. If they act funny I’ll get them in a small electric oven for a while.

@Dm93 we’ve had outside contractors renovating our workspace for months. I think it was the pipe fitters, but someone had an old arc welder in a Bakelite case

 

It’s been years since I’ve thought of this stuff. So forgive me if I’m wrong but I think once they absorb moisture they’re done. I have the aws handbook somewhere. If I can find it I’ll send some pictures. But since you’re not doing something that must be xrayed after, you’re probably ok.

 

Disconnect battery

Scuff up the area to bare metal where you'll place your clamp and the area you'll be welding

Be mindful of the areas close to where you'll be welding; utilize a welding blanket to protect certain areas

Send it

 

Yesterday spent grinding and wire brushing the holes, then cutting out the plates to weld in on the passenger side. Praise the Lord for power tools!

Patches all cut on my bandsaw (start the cut and get ready for the next cut).

Frame work done with my new Makita X-lock grinder. What a game changer! Swap wheels in seconds instead of minutes. That and new Ridgid modular tool boxes… had all the right tools in two boxes, rolled out in one trip. Between the two, it probably cut my time by about 2 hours.