Cant weld to frame?

[4x4Hemi]

Ive been trying to get my rock sliders welded on, but from the people ive talked to they say you cant do it... Apparently you cant weld onto a frame?

one shop told me it would void warranty on the entire truck (yeah right) and that it would never ever pass inspection (im not even sure we have inspections up here?)

Is there any truth to this at all?? I feel like im talking to people who arent experts on the subject there haha so i called a restoration shop and hes getting back to me, but he didnt seem to have a problem with it initially... soooo is this true at all?

 

[Musclemckeester]

Sounds like just excuses and nobody wants to do the work.

 

[audio1der]

You wouldn't need an inspection unless you're buying a truck 10+ years old if I recall correctly. (or from out of province but thats not the case and neither is buying a 10+ yr one so you should be fine)

 

[4x4Hemi]

Well the shop told me they could drill it in for me lol, but how is drilling 24 holes in my frame better then welding on?? :S

Im sure someone will do it...

 

[4x4Hemi]

You wouldn't need an inspection unless you're buying a truck 10+ years old if I recall correctly. (or from out of province but thats not the case and neither is buying a 10+ yr one so you should be fine)

yeah the inspection part i wasnt worried about really, figured the guy was bull****ting on that honestly.

 

[HuntinRams]

I've welded a few brackets onto my frame. Never had any issues with them.

 

[WhiteExpress]

Well the shop told me they could drill it in for me lol, but how is drilling 24 holes in my frame better then welding on?? :S

Im sure someone will do it...

Unless they are drilling your frame with a plasma, they won't be changing the tempter of the steel. Welding *could* alter it.

I use COULD because I think it's a crock of crap. From what I have come to understand, most of the modifications we all know and love void a lot of points of warranties. But changing the frame of the vehicle could open them up to some pretty huge liability.

It sucks living in a world ran by lawyers.

 

[4x4Hemi]

Yeah from talking to a few shops absolutely no one wants to touch it haha ive had 5 shops say they will not do it... and that its unsafe...

looks like i either have to buy a small space drill, or pay someone to drill it in there

 

[Alex]

As far as I know, the only time a vehicle in Canada has to be inspected/safetied is a) change of ownership (In MB and SK for sure, anyways) or b) when you move to a different province, it has to be re-safetied in order to register it in the new province

And I believe this all only came out in the last year or so, because when I bought my dad's car in 2010, I didn't need a safety. But when I moved from SK to MB with the truck last fall, I had to have it safetied to register it here

 

[Hornet]

You won't find a shop in Canada that'll weld on your frame.
The lawsuit ain't worth it
Frame welding is pretty specialized these days,you need to control cool down temps and you also should pre-heat the frame before welding.
Try a big rig shop that specializes in frames,they're about the only guys who might take a stab at it,but you'll pay.
Other option,go to Crappy Tire and buy yourself a 120 Volt Lincoln mig welder for less 500 bucks on sale,and do it yourself.
If you can point and pull a trigger,you'll be able to mig weld

 

[4x4Hemi]

Well thats what im finding out. no one wants to do it haha i didnt realize it was such a huge deal to try.

Well for 500 bucks im sure i could buy a drill and bolt it in myself... or pay someone to bolt it in for me lol Ill probably end up bolting it in myself since welding it on is such a tough thing to do.

 

[Chewy]

Welding on certain parts of a frame can be OK, but it can change the strength of it. Semi trucks have a warning that you can't weld from this point back.


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[ram-head]

Could you have a shop modify the sliders by adding some brackets that would bolt to the places the factory step bars use? Or would this not be strong enough to provide the protection the sliders are meant for?

 

[Hornet]

I haven't drilled a Dodge frame,but i've drilled other Hydro formed heat treated frames.
You'll want to buy more then one bit,unless you're set up to sharpen them.
Buy good bits,cheap ones will just ruin your day,and "use" cutting fluid,helps keep the bit temps down,so you don't blue the bit and take it's temper out,leading to instant dull bit

 

[4x4Hemi]

modifying the steps to go to the factory mounts would completely eliminate the point of these steps ahah i would have just bought regular steps if i wanted to do that.

I will either use titanium or cobalt drill bits, probably cobalt ones.

****** thing is i had all my bits, bolts and cutting fluid but i returned it today ahaha dumb me.

 

[Hornet]

Get yourself some high carbon steel bits,Cobalt and Titanium are junk for a frame,you're just wasting your money.
All they are is a coated cheap bit

In a pinch you can use water for a cutting fluid.
Fill a squirt bottle full of water,and have a somebody constantly flood the bit with water while you're drilling

 

[4x4Hemi]

Oh i was told cobalt was pretty good haha, ill just get cutting fluid.



So if i did have a friend weld it to the frame is that just a terrible idea?? would it hurt the frame?

 

[jlb]

If you are going to weld it to the frame just make sure you weld in parallel to the frame. Do not weld vertically, or across the frame as this creates an entire weak seam on which cracks can begin to form. Weld from front to rear, or vice versa.

Also, if you choose to drill, carbon is definitely the way to go for hardened metals, and they might not know what "cutting fluid" is. You could also say super soluble oil which is the industry name for coolants used in machining/cutting processes.

 

[4x4Hemi]

ugghhh this is becoming such a pain in the ass that i never wanted haha. All this negative talk about welding ruining my frame reaaaaallly just makes me want to drill it in there. Thats what ill be doing then. ill have to ask for a high carbon bit then?? and i know where the fluid is on the shelf haha so ill just pick it up and not say a word about it

 

[Chewy]

If you drill it, use an annular cutter.


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