Dodge Dealer Cutting & Welding on my Frame
01-20-2009, 11:57 PM
#47
Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Washington
Posts: 288
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
OK!! To answer the original question. As long as the repair is PROPERLY MADE by a QUALIFIED PERSON I WOULD HAVE NO PROBLEM driving the truck. This conclusion comes from my experiences a certified perfessional welder and my experience with frame repairs and modification. If you are AT ALL CONCERNED with the soundness of the repair that has been made have it insepeced by a local welding shop preferably one that does alot of work on heavy trucks and equipment as they will know how to do proper frame repairs.
01-23-2009, 02:16 PM
#48
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Arizona - The Photo Radar Rip-off State
Posts: 256
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Sorry guys. I didn't mean to start a war. I've read all the posts, and I appreciate the advice. This was a Dodge dealer's body shop in Tucson. I don't know if they are any good or not. The popping sound stopped though, and the truck seems to steer a little tighter now.
01-23-2009, 02:22 PM
#49
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Arizona - The Photo Radar Rip-off State
Posts: 256
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I bought it new. I'll have to look into that 7/70 deal. I'm not sure off the top of my head.
02-07-2009, 03:23 PM
#50
Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: West Warwick, RI
Posts: 793
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I believe what most have hit on is the "Quality" of the work. That's the biggest factor in anything. I know for one my 05 quad cab long bed, has 3 frames, all welded together (one under the body/bed, and another short section behind the axle) so they can be welded and safetly, or they wouldn't have sold them in the first place (no company would sell something if it was prone to failure)
On the flip side we had a auto body shop here in RI do OUTSTANDING work. had a guy pull a 40 foot car hauler over the front of a mustang, and in 2 days they had the thing looking better than day one, NEVER have I seen such a job like that (mind you it was a ford, but that's another topic entirely) but I def. give a hats off to them. I will def. be taking my truck there if it ever needs any work due to the high quality. Now as far as most autobody shops doing welding, I might prefer to take it to a frame welder, or what not due to the fact that they are a bit more knowledgable on that subject.
To each his own. If I can't do it, I'll have somebody else do it, who can. (at least if they can do it better than me)
Besides where's the pictures?
On the flip side we had a auto body shop here in RI do OUTSTANDING work. had a guy pull a 40 foot car hauler over the front of a mustang, and in 2 days they had the thing looking better than day one, NEVER have I seen such a job like that (mind you it was a ford, but that's another topic entirely) but I def. give a hats off to them. I will def. be taking my truck there if it ever needs any work due to the high quality. Now as far as most autobody shops doing welding, I might prefer to take it to a frame welder, or what not due to the fact that they are a bit more knowledgable on that subject.
To each his own. If I can't do it, I'll have somebody else do it, who can. (at least if they can do it better than me)
Besides where's the pictures?
02-08-2009, 11:06 AM
#51
Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2008
Posts: 257
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I don't have a dog in this hunt but I would just like to say that bashing ALL repair shops is wrong. I had some work done in 2001 to my 2000 BMW after getting hit. It's now 2009, the car has 127,000 miles on it and I can't tell that any work was ever done.
The shop gave a lifetime warranty on every bit of work they did.
I'd grade it 'good or better' than new.
Not all shops are created equal.
The shop gave a lifetime warranty on every bit of work they did.
I'd grade it 'good or better' than new.
Not all shops are created equal.
02-11-2009, 08:30 PM
#53
Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 28
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
If everyone is so concerned about welding on frames, please explain or maybe even post pictures of how you did your front mounts on your traction bars. If you are opposed to welding, whats your other options, drilling holes and bolting your brackets? I would much rather weld on my frame then drill holes in it! Just my 2 cents worth!
Die thread, die! You made me do it, out comes the thread die!
03-01-2009, 04:26 PM
#55
Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 14
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
If your worried about the weld quality, take your truck to a Non-destructive testing (NDT) company. They can inspect the weld for defects without damaging it using conventional NDT methods. They can also perform a replication of the weld. This will enable the metallurist to examine the grain structure of the weld metal and base metal under a microsope. They will determine if the weld is of sound quality and compatable with the frame base metal. A reputable NDT company is 'Acuren'. They can be found in Canada and in the US. www.acuren.com. NDT is more of what should be done on the failing bridges in North America before they fail.
Cheers
Cheers
03-01-2009, 06:55 PM
#56
Administrator / Severe Concussion Aficionado
I wouldnt let anyone other than myself weld on my truck and I myself am leery as to where I weld on it. The only place i have welded on my trucks are putting a home built gooseneck hitch in. But as a welder and an AWS CWI with some mechanical engineering schooling under my belt I understand metalurgy a slight bit better than your average joe repair shop.
03-01-2009, 07:51 PM
#58
Administrator / Severe Concussion Aficionado
Guess the short story is if you dont know what your doing, dont do it.
03-01-2009, 08:05 PM
#59
With age comes the cage
True... xray and ultra sound both will show a physical imperfection in the weld, a crack, slag, lack of fusion etc. But neither can show the property changes of the metal due to the heat affected zone and the way that the metal cools, lenght of time over which it cools, manner in which it was cooled, the heat input of the weld itself... Lot of different variables take different effects on the weld metal as well as the parent metal. The issue at hand here is not the quality of the weld, its the effect of the weld on treated frame material.
Guess the short story is if you dont know what your doing, dont do it.
Guess the short story is if you dont know what your doing, dont do it.
03-02-2009, 07:42 AM
#60
I believe a steering brace is a wise addition to these trucks. Probably indispensable for bigger than stock tires or off-roading. I like the Defiant design: single-piece laser-cut.