We recently started using Mo-Clamp's Full Frame Anchoring System http://www.moclamp.com/4070hpage.html.

As seen in this photo the pinchweld clamp does not hold the thick mouunting flange well because they are designed to clamp steet metal not thick steel.
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My proposed solution is to weld a larger piece of steel to the mounting flange so that it may be directly bolted to the clamping plate.
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The problem is that the flange is about 7/16" it may be closer to 3/8" or 1/2" I haven't measured the thickness of it but it is in that range. I know that stick welding is going to be the best way to go about this, but since this is in a body shop we are not equipped to make this weld.

Our machine shop has Precision TIG 225, but I do not know if they have the stringer for SMAW.

At home we have an Airco 180 amp AC only welder.

Can the Airco welder make this weld-assuming worst case scenario full 1/2".

What size 7018 rod should be used in this case-I plan to v groove both sides of the weld and make multiple passes. Am I correct in remembering that there is a 7018 AC rod?