welding rear lower wishbones

[spalders]

Hi folks I've just welded up one rear lower wishbone. BUT even though I tacked it and made sure that it was ok in the jig - once I fully welded the narrow end was pulled in 5mm as the weld cooled...:mad: Perfectly flat with no twisting in the other axis. I fully welded the bone out of the jig. Has anyone else had a problem with this?

Spalders

[mark]

Mine moved about 3mm when i did mine, so i put one side of the wishbone in the vice (nice and tight) and then put a bar through the opposite bush tube and persuaded into shape ;)

Be carefull though i think someone on here done the same thing and the pry bar slipped out and whacked em on the head :eek: :D :D

Hope this helps

[AshG]

bottle jack is what you need. or a threaded bar and some big nuts and washers.

[Bonzo]

Another vote for either a bottle jack or threadded bar & washers :)

I find the problem with using a bar in the bush tubes is that if any amount of force is used, the bush tube may become out of shape !!

It is quite normal for the welds to pull the material on this type of structure ;)
If It was held rigid in a jig, it'll still spring when it is released.

[mark]

I agree a jack or the threaded bar and washers is a better idea :o

Saying that it only took me about two minutes to sort mine with a bar before they went to powdercoaters and it didnt damage the bush tubes whatsoever, but i should have added above that the bar was a very good fit in the tubes.

[Bonzo]

Wasn't dissing your sugestion Mark :)

I must admit, the good ole bar is normally the first tool I reach for :D

Unlike my 4ft tyre lever, your bar is probably a better fit in the bush tube & unlikey to deform it ;)

[spud69]

I agree a jack or the threaded bar and washers is a better idea :o

Saying that it only took me about two minutes to sort mine with a bar before they went to powdercoaters and it didnt damage the bush tubes whatsoever, but i should have added above that the bar was a very good fit in the tubes.

Can i ask which powdercoaters you are using Mark, i got friendly with one in Brenda Road, Seaton. Got some good prices but the finish isn't 100%.

"If in doubt get the bar out". Same happened with mine a few mm, pulled it out again and they where fine..

[mark]

Can i ask which powdercoaters you are using Mark, i got friendly with one in Brenda Road, Seaton. Got some good prices but the finish isn't 100%.

"If in doubt get the bar out". Same happened with mine a few mm, pulled it out again and they where fine..


Ive been using a company called motorcool he reconditions radiators and does powdercoating, its at mandale triangle thornaby on the industrial estate.

Im not not sure if his prices are good or not because i didnt shop around, he did some alloys for me a while ago and they were superb so used him again.

He did all 8 wishbones, rear uprights, rack extensions and a rocker cover for about £80 or £90 cant remember exact price. He did say the more things you take the cheaper it is.

They were done in satin black and the finish is faultless :)

[mark]

Wasn't dissing your sugestion Mark :)

I must admit, the good ole bar is normally the first tool I reach for :D

Unlike my 4ft tyre lever, your bar is probably a better fit in the bush tube & unlikey to deform it ;)


No offence taken Bonzo everyone does things different even though we are all trying to achieve the same thing :D

thanks

[spud69]

Thanks Mark,

i'll give them a try for my next build..

Andy H

[spalders]

Thanks guys - so it seems that everyone (?) who has welded these up has had to apply a little correction of some sort. That is reassuring - how much on average have all of your bones been out? Do we need to change the size of the jig to end up with the right final size? Or is the persuasion the way forward? - I was just concerned about building in errors by bending the tubes. It would be interesting to hear what 3GE do when setting up their wishbones.

Off to make the next bone!

Spalders

[onedayTM]

hi spalders,
I put spraggs of rods in place when tacked in jig and they still moved, all varied from 1mm to 3mm. I think if you try and alter position in jig to take into account distortion when it is pushed back out the bush tubes may not be inline. My bottle jack wasn't small enough to do small ends of wishbones so I just used my trolley jack.
tony

[Bonzo]

Snap, I used a small trolley jack on mine.

Normally you can set up a job to allow for the weld to pull but not suitable for the wishbones, as said if you try to compensate at the jig stage, the bush tube will be out of line.

I'd be very worried if my wishbones didn't pull a few mm. This would indicate lack of heat in the weld ;)

3-5mm perfectly normal i'd say :)

hi spalders,
I put spraggs of rods in place when tacked in jig and they still moved, all varied from 1mm to 3mm. I think if you try and alter position in jig to take into account distortion when it is pushed back out the bush tubes may not be inline. My bottle jack wasn't small enough to do small ends of wishbones so I just used my trolley jack.
tony

[spalders]

Thanks for the advise. I found a length of rectangular section that fitted over the bush tubes and gently pulled the bone back to size. It actually took very little movement. They are now spot on.

Now for the front lower bones.

Spalders

[NEroadster]

I had exactly the same problem so I adjusted the upright design to account for the reduction in available space. Just so happens I have just finished the rear uprights and the fit a treat