Repairing rusted electric Golf Carts

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Anyone do much of this?  I was being a good neighbor and volunteered to help fix a guy's battery trays in his electric golf cart. Originally I was going to use my first class Millermatic 252 to repair this, but after trying to clean some of the frame I was going to weld to, I realized that wasn't going to happen. Except for building the trays using the Mig, I had to weld them into the frame using my Miller Maxstar 150S stick welder. Using 6011 rods, I was able to burn through the crap I wasn't able to clean off, and make a solid repair. Since the thickness of the material varied, due to varying degrees of rust, I would very occasionally burn through, and I would think, geeee..... what a POS this cart is.........    and I know there are those on this forum who hate 6013 rods, but I was able to go back and fill those burn-thru's very nicely with those rods. Sorry I don't have any pictures, but just wanted to share this experience. I personally would have trashed this cart, but my friend asked to do the best I could.Miller Bobcat 250Syncrowave  200Millermatic 252Spoolmatic 30ASpectrum 625 X-TremeMaxstar 150SVictor O/A torchesDewalt angle grindersWelded on/off for over 40 years.
Reply:Originally Posted by GobyskyAnyone do much of this?   ...but after trying to clean some of the frame I was going to weld to, I realized that wasn't going to happen. Except for building the trays using the Mig, I had to weld them into the frame using my Miller Maxstar 150S stick welder. ... able to burn through the crap I wasn't able to clean off... ..... what a POS this cart is.........    ...I personally would have trashed this cart
Reply:We  recently refused to fix a golf cart with battery box problems after we discovered that the problem wasn't only the battery box. The acid had leaked down onto the frame and rotted away some significant portions of it and the frames of these carts are made of very light weight materials. You can't weld rust and when you try to clean the rust  off there is sometimes no solid metal left to weld to. I think fixing this one would have cost more than buying a new frame for it, so told the owner that it wouldn't be cost effective to try to repair it by welding and suggested that he try to find a donor cart to get pieces or a frame from.CharleyMiller MM252Miller Bobcat 225NTMiller DialArc HF / DIY Cooler2 Victor O/A TorchsetsMilwaukee 8" Metal SawMilwaukee Dry Cut "Chop" Saw 5 Ton Wallace Gantry Various Grinders, Benders, etc.
Reply:Originally Posted by smokin_dodgeI commend you on attempting the repair, I am a firm believer of learning how to fix things, but at the same time doing thins properly to prevent potential liability/injury in the futureI am curious, why can you not use a mig procedure to weld this? I am assuming that this was because there was too much dirt/debris? If this was the case I want to ask you a question (assuming you have children) would you allow them to ride off alone on the repairs that you performed yourself, and if so would you be able to live with yourself if those repairs broke and you were responsible for their potential injury and possibly (worst case scenario) them becoming paralized by being thrown from the cart if it flips?I say this because from your description (IMHO) you half-assed the repair and did not repair everything that needed repair. If there was visible rust or debris, it should have all been cleaned off or replaced, copying to the original design - by copying original design I mean that instead of replacing a 2" section in the middle of a frame rail, replacing the entire frame rail.Not trying to be a dick here, but everywhere I go I see people driving golf carts in the streets and the last thing I want is for one to break and I accidentally drive over somebody. Kinda goes along with guys modifying trailers with cracker boxes. You should listen to your own thoughts, if you would have trashed it then you should have no repaired it. By repairing it you have in essence made yourself liable for anything that can potentially happen to anybody or anything involved with the cart.I'm sure there will be some other guys ripping on my comment, but also some that will support me.Just my $.02
Reply:I'd kick around the auto body repair web sites. Look at the prefab floor pans for the old Jeeps, Broncos, etc........ Basically leave everything that's rusted in place. Simply install a pan over it. Leave the total restoration to the next guy....... Your call as to whether you want it "restored"..... or.... "functional".Thanks,HoboLincoln SA200's... at least 15 - 20. They come and go. Growing partial to the "Short Hoods" in my old age. Last count on Short Hoods was 13 in possession.
Reply:self drill, self tap , Tech screws."Si Vis Pacem Para Bellum"Lincoln Idealarc 250 AC/DCMillermatic 251   Syncrowave 300   30A spoolgunLincoln MP210Hypertherm 45(2) LN 25(2) Lincoln Weldanpower 225 CV(4) SA200   1 short hood    SA250    SAM 400
Reply:Originally Posted by smokin_dodgeI commend you on attempting the repair, I am a firm believer of learning how to fix things, but at the same time doing thins properly to prevent potential liability/injury in the futureI am curious, why can you not use a mig procedure to weld this? I am assuming that this was because there was too much dirt/debris? If this was the case I want to ask you a question (assuming you have children) would you allow them to ride off alone on the repairs that you performed yourself, and if so would you be able to live with yourself if those repairs broke and you were responsible for their potential injury and possibly (worst case scenario) them becoming paralized by being thrown from the cart if it flips?I say this because from your description (IMHO) you half-assed the repair and did not repair everything that needed repair. If there was visible rust or debris, it should have all been cleaned off or replaced, copying to the original design - by copying original design I mean that instead of replacing a 2" section in the middle of a frame rail, replacing the entire frame rail.Not trying to be a dick here, but everywhere I go I see people driving golf carts in the streets and the last thing I want is for one to break and I accidentally drive over somebody. Kinda goes along with guys modifying trailers with cracker boxes. You should listen to your own thoughts, if you would have trashed it then you should have no repaired it. By repairing it you have in essence made yourself liable for anything that can potentially happen to anybody or anything involved with the cart.I'm sure there will be some other guys ripping on my comment, but also some that will support me.Just my $.02
Reply:lol really. we got a golf cart for our yard at work. for free from another company we deal with. we use it to go from the shop out into the yard to pick out beams and stuff from the stock piles. of course when we got it the trays were completely wasted. we just cut it all out and redid it all. same design and all just put in new metal.and as far as the burning through debris comment.....you should see some of the paint and crap we burn through in the field sometimes. i know your supposed to clean it and all that good stuff but we dont have the luxury like in the shop, and when your in the raising gang grinding away paint is NOT an option lol. we pass every inspection, as do most out there.