First Welding Project

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I have a lawn/garden tractor the needs repair of the transaxle mount. 3 yrs ago, I ran over a steel dog tie-out stake while mowing. The mower pulled the stake out and flung it up and behind the deck. It bent the stabilizer bar and broke off the bypass lever on the transaxle. What I did not realize was that it also broke the front transaxle mounting bracket. So the two mounting points over the axle was subjected to a bunch of torque it was designed to handle. Over the winter, the mounting tabs tore. Attached ImagesJeffAkron, OH
Reply:During the winter, the mounts tore. They had probably started some time earlier, but I discovered it when the tractor started throwing the drive belt every time I hit the brake. My brother-in-law has a HF 90 amp flux-core machine. We did a quick and dirty repair and it lasted the rest of the winter (plowing snow) and the first few mowings of spring. We added the gussets (3/16") front and back and you can see some of those welds failed at the tractor frame. Also, he welded the the tears and that failed on the right side mount. I have no welding experience and he has very limited experience.So, decided to learn to weld and do this repair myself. Got the replacement front bracket on order (along with bypass lever parts). Got a HF 170 machine and set it up for MIG. Been practicing a bit.Plan: Cut off the old mounts, grind flat, fab new ones, weld them onto the frame.Here's my first 90 degree weld. This is a practice mount. It needs to be 1/2" longer and I need to figure out what to do regarding the sleeve hitch mounting point. The practice mount is 1/8" stock and the replacement mounts will be 3/16" stock. Don't think I will need gussets. Attached ImagesJeffAkron, OH