Auto Frame Steel Type

[Thrutraffic]

Question I need answered is: What kind of steel to they make car frames out of?



Back Story:
============================
I'm pretty new to welding and a guy at work asked me if I'd fix a small crack in his car frame. Claimed the auto repair shop wouldn't do it citing liability. I haven't seen the crack yet but his description goes like this:

Backed into something with his bike carry attached and the force carried through the carry and the class II receiver enough that it snapped one of the bolts that hold the hitch to the frame and craked the frame around the hole.

As described it doesn't sound bad but I've been around long enough that that might also mean he should not say anything to a dealer and trade this car in for a new one. :-)

If it IS just a small crack out of the bolt hole I don't think it's a big deal to drill the end of the crack and then weld back to the hole. Maybe even weld on a small patch.

Any experienced thoughts out there?

[davo727]

Its a unibody car and this is a small frame section thats part of the unibody right? If so its already welded together so you can weld on it some more.

[Broccoli1]

Dealer gives a rats arse about the crack at trade in time- if he is trading it in I wouldn't bother touching the car.


can't help on the welding part

[ihctractor]

Since your new to welding and the job is probably going to require overhead welding while lying under a car trying to fuse Chinese steel of questionable alloy made from recycled Blatz cans and Skoal lids, I would probably advise against it.

Hammer it flat, throw a washer on the hole and crank a new bolt down good and tight.

[nocheepgas]

If a body repair shop wouldn't touch it, you probably shouldn't either........

[Sberry]

If a body repair shop wouldn't touch it, you probably shouldn't either........

Why not, you figure all body shops want this work, or are even capable of welding anyway. If there is a good fix for it why not. Most of these do not need to be drilled. weld over it with a wire feeder nice and toasty, drilling can help burn thru on starts, penetration, or if its thick grind a little. I will agree, could be difficult, location, position etc.

[Sberry]

Claimed the auto repair shop wouldn't do it citing liability.

Yes, you couldnt expect a repair place to actually fix anything??? hahaha. Dont you wish they would just fess up, we dont know how to do it, or, its not our kind of job.

[FusionKing]

Probably not their thing, as SBerry said.
I send people packing quite regularly, but they generally know the real reason.

[CK2]

don't know if you took the job or not but I have welded on few frames in my time with no ill effects, 7018 or mig, get the paint and dirt off might need to grind a little "v" depending on size and thickness of frame ( sounds like a small crack) but like sberry said over head and or location could be prob.Keep ears covered from the little hot balls a fire good luck

[CK2]

remember you have fuel line, wires, brake line, ect... that run along inside of frame!