Upper A arm weld

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This is a weld on an upper A arm on a Jeep Liberty it is an aftermarket part and a fair number have failed in this manner . If you all could rate this weld I will pass it on to our LostKJs site it looks to me to have almost no penetration.http://www.lostkjs.com/forum/phpBB2/...r=asc&start=20http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r...4/DSCN0219.jpghttp://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r...4/DSCN0220.jpghttp://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r...4/DSCN0218.jpghttp://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r...4/DSCN0217.jpg
Reply:Metal looks thin at the root....Looks like an easy fix but i would fillet web or two. Have done several lower a-arms from Porsches and always run 3 fillets.....Lincoln Tombstone 225 A/C Steel StickerOld Victor O2/Acetylene setupMiller Syncrowave 250 Tig/PC-300 PulserMiller Millermatic 212 Mig HTP Invertatig 201 Giant Teck D50 Plasma cutterLots of HF grinders
Reply:Low level of prep work, leads to lousy penetration and low bond strength. Look at the tube, it shows almost no penetration down into the base material.  The tube itself needs to be beveled so the penetration is complete. Anothjer potential fix is to build up the weld with multiple passes. A third fix is to gusset the joint with a rosette, or web it.Fourth fix?? SAS it like one poster said in the other forum!!And then, after so much work...... you have it in your hand, and you look over to your side...... and the runner has run off. Leaving you holding the prize, wondering when the runner will return.
Reply:By the look of the pics, the guy welded the tubing directly to the body of the ball joint. Seems a dubious practice to me. His prep work sux as well.Rex
Reply:Poor prep work. I've seen A arm made that way but I would never make one with out a gusset that ties the 2 tubes together and contacts 100% of the area on the ball joint sleeve between the tubes. It doesn't have to be a solid triangle. It could look much like a boom-a-rang.Last edited by tresi; 07-01-2009 at 09:53 PM.Tough as nails and damn near as smart
Reply:Yes, a ton of ways to make that better. I would certainly think that the body is thick enough to set the tube into it slightly also, then gusset and multi-pass.