Frame Maintenance - Weld Attachments
WELD ATTACHMENTS1. Wire brush the area around the crack to remove the paint, grease, mud, etc., to expose the crack completely and to ensure good weld adhesion.
2. To stop the crack from spreading, drill a 6.35-mm (1/4-inch) hole at a point 12 mm (0.05 inch) beyond the root of the crack.
3. Grind out the full length of the crack to the hole to form a V-shaped slot with the base of the V-slot contacting the reinforcement.
4. The base of the V-slot should have at least a 1.52-mm (0.06-inch) opening to ensure weld penetration to the reinforcement when welding the crack.
5. Drill clearance holes in the reinforcements to clear rivet heads and bolt heads or nuts where necessary.
6. In the event that a repair is required on more than one frame surface (for example, a flange crack that extends into the web), two pieces of flat stock should be welded together where they join. The web reinforcement should be a minimum of 76.2-mm (3.0-inches) high and have a 63.5-mm (2.5-inch) radius at each of the two corners.
7. Completely clean the surface of the frame under and around the reinforcements.
8. Clamp the reinforcements securely to the frame prior to welding.
9. Weld the reinforcement all around after welding the crack V-slot to the reinforcement.
10. Ground the flange edge weld until smooth after all pit holes have been filled by the weld.
11. If a damaged bolted-on-frame bracket is to be replaced, make sure the new bolts, washers and nuts are of the same specifications and bolt torques as the original parts.
12. If cases where it is necessary to remove rivets, replace the rivets with Property Class 9.8 metric (Grade 8) nuts, bolts and washers of the same size.