aluminum repair suggestions ?

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Hey all          have to fix a truck dump box  body  cracked frame . The crack is about 6 to 8 inches from the steel bed hinge .  The cracked frame is I beam shaped aluminum  .      The fix : Gouge out crack and weld then sandwich both sides of I and fish plate , stich weld perimeter .  Would thisbe good way to approach the repair ?                               Thanks Laurance
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Reply:There was an aluminum dump truck that broke in half and lost its load on the interstate, so be sure that that crack is not just the tip of the ice burg you are seeing.
Reply:Hello laurance D, depending upon who this repair is going to be for and how you are associated; meaning, are you an employee of the company that the dump unit belongs to? are you a third party repairman working for a welding fabrication and repair shop? are you a private repair welder who would be personally liable? Answers to those questions might dictate how you may wish to proceed with addressing this challenge. If this is an over-the-road type unit the first move I would likely consider is contacting the DOT folks to see what sorts of requirements they have in place concerning repairs of this sort. They may require documentation of properly qualified welders, meaning those holding the correct certification(s). Welding is not always allowed, especially on aluminum Truck frame rails. In this particular instance there may not be that sort of limitation as it isn't the frame of a truck, yet, there are certainly do's and don'ts that should be heeded. You may also wish to try to contact the original manufacturer of this equipment to determine whether they have any suggested/required welding procedures for addressing this sort of repair. Knowing alloy type and whether heat treating is a part of the units manufacture will give you some valuable information to consider if you repair it. Should you determine to proceed with a weld repair, it is common to address the cracks first with gouging and welding and then to use formed "sleeves" to fit snugly inside of the the beam on both sides where the weld repair has been made and then only apply welds longitudinally where the edges of the sleeves meet the flanges of the "beam" shape, stitch welds that are properly started and terminated is a good idea. You might also wish to consider the length of these sleeves to be as long as it practical for the given situation(if the crack is in the middle of a minimum of say: 21/2' to 3' set of sleeves). Additionally, bolting through the sleeves and the existing "beam" isn't a bad idea either. Huck fastening systems are well suited for this sort of repair and if they are available they will aid in providing a very tight and sound fastening of the parts. Good luck and best regards, Allanaevald