Tacking axle brackets

[Lickitysplit]

I'm building an 8.8 for my TJ and want to place the brakets myself then take them to a shop to weld up good & proper. I don't have a welder, and have no prior experience. My reasoning for placing myself is that I really don't trust any shop around here to both have the knowlege and take the time to place the brackets exactly where they should be. While we're at it, I'd rather fuss the details myself (something i'm good at) at let them fuss the welding strength (something that hopefully they're good at).

What's my most economical & safest way to do this? I know i can rent a 100amp welder from Home Depo for $27 / 4 hrs, but this seems more equipment than i should need for tack welding. However it does come with a face shield, which i would otherwise have to buy.

What are your suggestions?

TIA.

Cheers.

Devin

[BillaVista]

Renting a MIG welder seems like a good idea. Do some reading first (Hobart, Miller, and Lincoln sites) and you should be fine to tack stuff in 4 hours.

Remeber prep is everything (fit up, cleanliness, etc)

Not that I'm in any way qualified to give any kind of welding advice

[64Trvlr]

Have you thought about getting everything all together and having a portable welder come over and weld it on site? That way you can be sure everything is in the right spot before he leaves.

[BrettM]

paying $27 to rent the welder, then taking it to a shop would probably be cheaper than a portable welder coming out.

you could even JB weld all the brackets in place then take them to a shop

[64Trvlr]

Originally Posted by BrettM

paying $27 to rent the welder, then taking it to a shop would probably be cheaper than a portable welder coming out.

you could even JB weld all the brackets in place then take them to a shop

By the time he pays for the rental the time and gas to get it and take it back, then takes it to a shop he might be money ahead having it done on site. Call around tell them what you need and that it's ready to be welded whenever they are in the area and see what kind of quote you get. If you have it ready to go it shouldn't take more than an hour to zip it up. Whatever you do DON'T JB weld it because then you'll be paying for them to clean it off so they can weld it.

[tsm1mt]

What about buying a face shield and using some jumper cables to string 3 batteries together to make a crude DC stick welder to tack things in place?

[64Trvlr]

Originally Posted by tsm1mt

What about buying a face shield and using some jumper cables to string 3 batteries together to make a crude DC stick welder to tack things in place?

Originally Posted by Lickitysplit

I don't have a welder, and have no prior experience.

That would be quite a learning curve for him.

[Lickitysplit]

Originally Posted by 64Trvlr

That would be quite a learning curve for him.

And actually this is something i had in the back of mind. I have a Optima Yellow Top & a Mean Green 200Amp alternator. Can I tack weld on the Jeep's juice? My thinking was for the price of the rod & shield I can just rent the FCAW (Lincoln Weld Pack 100).

[doctor_cad]

Get some clamp-on style brackets. You just clamp 'em loose, then play with the angles. Once you're happy, clamp em tight. take the axle down to the welding shop, and they can weld the brackets up solid for ya. If you take it REAL FAWKIN EASY you could drive the rig down... Once theyre welded, you can remove the clamp piece if you want.

[Lickitysplit]

Nice idea doc... if i had leaf springs.

[doctor_cad]

Argh... Guess I should have read your posy a bit more closely!

[braxton357]

Fwiw, and if there are no other options, you can usually find a small flux only mig at harbor freight for less than $100 and it wouldn't be too much shittier than that 100 amp from HD. Then at least you'd have something to show for that 100 that you just wasted.

[kwrangln]

So there is nobody else who wheels or builds jeeps in Wi? No clubs? No one you know or can find that has a welder?

[ZJim]

If you're going to tack it, why not just go all the way? I've been looking at cheapie welders for 100 bucks or so from Harbor Freight. Not the best, but then again... I'm not much of a welder either.


Might be something good for you to learn on, so in the future you can fabricate all the shit you want. If you're in the process of an axle shop I'm sure there's a billion things in your near future you might enjoy having a welder around for.

[kwrangln]

Are you actually suggesting that he learn to weld with a buzzbox putting his axle brackets on? What, are you fawking nuts?

[Lickitysplit]

Originally Posted by kwrangln

Are you actually suggesting that he learn to weld with a buzzbox putting his axle brackets on? What, are you fawking nuts?

Yeah as much as i'd like to learn to weld i don't think axle brackets are the place to do it. I've been asking around and no freebie welding yet. There really is nowhere to wheel around here, I typically end up driving to Badlands for a couple weekends a year. In fact I blew my D35 pinion on an I-80 onramp heading to Badlands.

[braxton357]

Originally Posted by kwrangln

So there is nobody else who wheels or builds jeeps in Wi? No clubs? No one you know or can find that has a welder?

Haha riiight....he lives in wisconsin.


Although, on the other hand...most farmers/ranchers have welders. Might be a place to look?