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Ok, I'm going to preface this by putting my flame suit on.
I was driving to school today when my front passenger coilover failed at the welds. This is the second time it's failed on this side. Both times it's been ground back down and cleaned before re-welding. I hit some pretty nasty bumps on the interstate daily so I'm sure this is a factor in them failing but this is the second time in 6 months.
First time they were welded was MIG, second was stick welded. (This is where the flame suit comes in handy). I've discussed this issue on here before with how the person who welded it (a family member) talked me out of welding gusset plates the first time. Dumb, I know however I had seen his welds in action before and they took a lot of abuse without fail and decided to trust him on this.
Second time they were welded (same person) told me after he got here he didn't have time to weld gussets but could at least get it welded back so I could be on the road. I had no choice but to do it. So here I am with it broken AGAIN. This person will not be welding on it again. I'm willing to attempt it myself before that happens.
My main dilemma lies with fixing the problem. I am no welder, while I can handle small stuff I don't trust my skill to weld suspension parts. I only have a stick welder operational, I have a Lincoln MIG welder but no gas. Nearest place to refill the tanks is a 30+ mile trip and no car. None of the local welders will touch it, I've called and always get the same answer, "If it goes on a car take it somewhere else."
I'm kind of up a big creek here. I have to have it fixed by Monday night to get to school. Any suggestions? Please no trolls on this. I know this is my fault with how previous things were done. I'm trying to fix that.私♥フェアレディ・ゼット
・1984 300zx N/A -
I hate to say this but it is the person doing the welding not the equipment. Just bite the bullet and pay the price to have a professional that wields every day for a living and you will not have any more problems -
In some cases it is necessary to pre-heat before welding. I suspect there were insufficient penetration and you are right, gussets would have helped. It may be that the equipment is not being used correctly as in the settings. Have a professional weld it, your life could be at stake.
1988 300ZX Turbo, Shiro Special #760
1988 300ZX Turbo Automatic (wife's car)
1991 Hard-body 2WD
http://zccw.org/zccw/?page_id=1215 -
Thanks for the fast responses guys. I would love to have a professional do it but no local welder will touch it. I've called multiple welding shops and it's always the same thing. They don't want to touch anything automotive much less suspension related. This is the issue I went through the first time it broke. I'm going to do a lot of searching for a shop that will take it on and pray they can get it done with a quick turnaround.
Also, what are the spindles made of? I have Powertrix coilers and I believe there tubes are stainless, or regular steel at the very least.私♥フェアレディ・ゼット
・1984 300zx N/A -
If you were in central Florida I could recommend a guy but he will not do shipping it is a cash only type deal -
I paid to have mine welded by powertrix when I bought the coilovers
1988 300ZX Turbo, Shiro Special #760
1988 300ZX Turbo Automatic (wife's car)
1991 Hard-body 2WD
http://zccw.org/zccw/?page_id=1215 -
Hindsight being what it is. If I could do this over I would do the same thing from the beginning reddzx. This has become such a nightmare I've considered getting stock suspension out of a junkyard and running that.
I may have found a place but I need to be positive on what the materials are. The spindles are cast iron correct?私♥フェアレディ・ゼット
・1984 300zx N/A -
In all cases you should pre-heat the casting before welding it.Originally posted by reddzx View Post
Fillet the shit out of the bottom of threaded tube and make a double pass. Wrap it up in an insulation blanket or bury in sand to slow cool the casting. Whom ever is doing your welding doesnt know what they are doing.
Hindsight the extra it would have cost to have the service done the right time doesn't seem so bad now.
If you need your car for monday install the stock suspension back in it.86na - BlueZ
Shiro #366 - Kouki Monster
85t - Mr Tickles -
That's a silly thing to tell him adam, it's almost certain he chopped up his stock suspension to do it…
Other than that, all the advice about heating/chamfering etc are correct, the spindles have a cast steel base, with a steel tube welded in -- when you weld the adapter, you weld to both idealy
I highly recommend adding a gusset, I did nice curving ones following the upper angle of the brake ears -
Reading competition, G-E… getting stock parts from a junk yard.
Originally posted by Raven View PostDamn dirty angels....these cars!
Current Daily Driver - 86 Turbo.
Under the cover - THE BANANA… that needs to be re-energized.
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Well, time for a bit of an update. Drove out to two of the most recommended welders in the area that told me over the phone that they deal with automotive. Only to be turned away when I got there. They took one look at the parts and said they wouldn't do it. I know the parts have some slag that would need to be cleaned up and some surface rust that will come off with a wire brush but still. Got the same old answer. "Our insurance won't let us touch that." One place even told me "I don't think I want to weld that." Not that they couldn't but that they just didn't want to take the job.
Junkyard is out of the question too. No z31's in junkyards around here. And yes I did chop the factory suspension for coilovers. I'm down to the last option that I wanted to avoid at all cost. I'm going down to the welding supply store to get some gas for the MIG welder and I'm just going to have to attempt it myself.私♥フェアレディ・ゼット
・1984 300zx N/A -
Picked up gas for the welder just to find that the regulator is busted. That explains why the tank was empty. Picking up a new regulator tomorrow. What thickness metal should be used for the gusset plates? G-E, what did you use?
Also, should I drill a hole into the spindle to allow any water that would accumulate to drain? On closer inspection today it seems that could have also attributed to the welds failing because I can see rust on the inside of the tube and even some moisture inside one of them.私♥フェアレディ・ゼット
・1984 300zx N/A -
Put the spindle in the oven for a half hour on high and heat it up before welding
1988 300ZX Turbo, Shiro Special #760
1988 300ZX Turbo Automatic (wife's car)
1991 Hard-body 2WD
http://zccw.org/zccw/?page_id=1215 -
Drainage holes are a good idea, also you may be able to use some acid to remove the rust, rinse with distilled water and blowdry if you do before welding… also nothing wrong with painting on the inside tooOriginally posted by Raven
The gusset should be 1/8th or so
weld.jpg -
Raven: could you give us some more info on your welder? Pictures of your spindle before and after prep? I would suspect that is is a 120V lincoln of some sort, which can weld these coils; with proper prep and preheat. The problem your having is from lack of penetration, it seems your friend that welded these in the first place did not get good penetration.
The problem with welding our spindles to your coils is a difference in base metals, one being cast and the other being steel or stainless steel. Typically this configuration is welded with 309 stainless wire.
Our spindles however can be welded with regular er70s which is the wire I am sure you have, remember a weld is only as strong as the prep. Take your time and bevel the coils well also clean as much rust as possible. As adam suggested make mutiple passes.
Also as you mentioned; your no welder which scares me that your forced to weld something so critical....87T, My build thread http://z31performance.com/forum/z31-…lee-s-87t-rb26
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