Broken Frame

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I got a call to weld this frame.  It was rejected by DOT inspection.  I don't think my AWS cert covers it.  Some one else is doing the job.  I will wait and see what happens next.  Its a "LIMO". Relly a bus with bathroom.  The "crack" is right in front of the rear tandem spring hanger.  Lots of stuff on the frame, it would have to be plated on the inside.  I wanted to box it after welding and plating.  Its broken both sides all the way through.  Frame looks to be 5/16"  There is a body mount bolted in the top flange where its broken. Attached ImagesReal world weldin.  When I grow up I want to be a tig weldor.
Reply:Wow, looks like it broke due to too much weigh - maybe sheared?John -  fabricator extraordinaire, car nut!-  bleeding Miller blue! http://www.weldfabzone.com
Reply:You can have that one.... looks like a pain in the @$$_________________Chris
Reply:That would not pass inspection???? ...zap!I am not completely insane..Some parts are missing Professional Driver on a closed course....Do not attempt.Just because I'm a  dumbass don't mean that you can be too.So DON'T try any of this **** l do at home.
Reply:I'm not sure about buses but if it's like trucks contact the manufacturer and ask if it is weldable. It might be a heat treated frame. If it's not repaired to manufacturers specs DOT might not pass the repair.Last edited by tresi; 05-02-2007 at 09:40 PM.
Reply:Yea that looks fun...  I try not to do frames myself, just too much liability involved.I'm a Lover, Fighter, Wild horse Rider, and a pretty good welding man......
Reply:Looks like it's been broken for a while by the corrosion.
Reply:Cracked frame????  That's not a cracked frame, that's a discontinuous frame!  A crack is when the item is still at least partially together.  That frame is in two separate pieces!Sheesh, the separation between the frame segments is greater than the thickness of the frame material!Yup, based on the corrosion the frame has been in two pieces for a while.And the material failure looks more like catastrophic brittle failure than a yield failure.  There doesn't look like there is any frame shape distortion adjacent to the break, just the total break.  Hmmm, almost like frame was cracked from the beginnning.Step one :  Remove body from frame.Step two : Remove hangers and brackets from frame.Step three : Replace frame rail.  Do not repair frame rail, replace it.Step four : Reassemble."Hey, can you weld this up for me?  DOT failed me, those picky @%#@.  Just run some weld on it.  Shouldn't take more than 10 minutes or so."HaHaHaHaHAHa.
Reply:I am just standing back waiting to see what happens with this one.  Like to see if DOT passes the job some one else did.  May get it yet.  If I do, the price goes UP.DavidReal world weldin.  When I grow up I want to be a tig weldor.
Reply:So what are we saying here?  It CAN be welded with 110v MIG, or it can't?.......... Sorry, I couldn't resist.  Heck, a real close inspection might reveal that it might need the same treatment on the opposite side, for prevention.cricman
Reply:We3ll, like I said, its at a body shop Yes the other side is broken the same.DavidReal world weldin.  When I grow up I want to be a tig weldor.
Reply:2 car batteries, a pair of jumpers, and a white coat hanger should be just fine for that repair. I would'nt touch it with a 10 foot pole.Disclaimer; "I am just an a$$hole welder, don't take it personally ."
Reply:waitwaitwait ...  -BOTH- frame rails are broken clean through in pretty much the same location and pretty much the same way/shape/appearance??????The coach body was holding it all together???To me, that says design/material failure.  Not just a "crap-happens" failure, but something really-really-really wrong with the design (either the original frame design or the modifications put upon the frame loading by the bus/limo/customizer) and or the material(s) for the design.Like someone else mentioned, before even attempting a repair, contact the frame manufacturer and get info on the original frame material and if it's a factory heat-treated frame to begin with.Next, unless you can do an engineering analysis on the frame, with load, stress, and deflection calculations at a minimum, I say don't touch it.  You touch it, then you are "IT".