How to fix this crack

[IslandTractor]

I wish I was out there. Those are the kind of repairs I enjoy.

Making a field welding repair that you know is better than original is a great feeling.

 

[woodlandfarms]

I wish you guys were out here too. I live a couple hours south of Shield and if it wasn't for his crazy neighbor I would probably stop by and say hello ;-)

In all honesty I am going to make the Hajj to Shield one of these days if he will have me. A few hours under his tuteladge would be huge.

And thanks for the layout of the fishplate. Going to do me some welding next week.... Make sure I do it next to the house cause if the tractor goes, I want the house to go as well.

 

[Shield Arc]

I live a couple hours south of Shield and if it wasn't for his crazy neighbor I would probably stop by and say hello ;-)

Yeah she called the sheriff on me this morning. Said I have been running the tractor at 5:00 A.M. It doesn't get light until about 6:30. And I also sneak over to her place and steal rocks from her drive way.
I'm headed to central California on Wednesday for 10 to 11 days. You are always welcome to come play in my shop. Couple members here have come by for some welding lessons.

 

[Jesse masterson]

Well you could weld it , or just grind it some clean it and get a couple tubes of jb waterweld putty, dries hard and won't come off, it will work! Doesn't look as pro as welding but I have fixed several diesel tanks with the stuff . It's fuel resistant also. Try it you will like it. Don't tell my dentist but I used some to fix a filling that fell out. It's non toxic.

 

[MossRoad]

Well you could weld it , or just grind it some clean it and get a couple tubes of jb waterweld putty, dries hard and won't come off, it will work! Doesn't look as pro as welding but I have fixed several diesel tanks with the stuff . It's fuel resistant also. Try it you will like it. Don't tell my dentist but I used some to fix a filling that fell out. It's non toxic.

Its a structural crack.

 

[Jesse masterson]

I thought it was just a oil tank for holding oil. Maybe I missed something I'll read it all cause I haven't yet .

 

[jwmorris]

The one on the side is perfect. The one on the top would have been better if both ends were not welded and instead had the weld beads continue on either side towards the right side of the photo on both sides of the plate. A skip weld might even have been better if it is a torsional or "twisting" load so you let the metal work vs working your weld, everything flexes, until it fails.

The weld directly across the top member creates the "notch" that the "V'ed" plate on the side tried to avoid.

It might last forever but if it doesn't it will fail where the weld is 90 deg across the top, more than likely before even the punched hole to the left, because the weld goes to the edge and it looks like it's only "boxed" well before the end of the top strap. Just the "plug" welds would have been a better idea there.

Nice looking beads though and I know it's hard to not weld "everything" when you are doing good but sometimes it pays to not weld everything.

This is an older but good read on the subject.
http://www.pfri.uniri.hr/~bernecic/...orking - WELDING Welding Tricks & Secrets.pdf

Note page 7,24,25,26,27,32,35 and 36.

 

[Mysfyt]

Its a structural crack.

Like me, he probably was looking at what must be the fuel tank mounted on top.

I would do the fish plate mods to the frame, but I would look for a way to make the oil tank its own entity. I would cut the top off the original integral tank and fab up a tank that would set down in that space, securing it so it could 'float' in between the side rails. More work than most would want to dive into, but that's just me.

 

[woodlandfarms]

So I am going to go with ArlyA fish plate design. Still working on steel thickness, probably a 3/8 piece I have will be the answer.

Still more questions though.

Would you Mig this or Stick this?

Is Co2 / Argon heavier than air or lighter than air? Wondering about the purge I am planning.

Finally, I assume that the fish plate should be a bit (1/4" or so) smaller than the piece I am welding on to. Meaning, I do not want to make the weld from the side but from the top.

 

[Shield Arc]

Would you Mig this or Stick this?

If you have a powerful enough Mig welder, by all means use it. I just love Lincoln's L-56 Mig wire. If you are going to use a stick welder, use 7018!