Weld Attachments
- Wire brush the area around the crack to remove the paint, grease, mud, etc., to expose the crack completely and to ensure good weld adhesion.
- To stop the crack from spreading, drill a 6.35-mm (1/4-inch) hole at a point 12 mm (0.05 inch) beyond the root of the crack.
- Grind out the full length of the crack to the hole to form a V-shaped slot with the base of the V-slot contacting the reinforcement.
- The base of the V-slot should have at least a 1.52-mm (0.06-inch) opening to ensure weld penetration to the reinforcement when welding the crack.
- Drill clearance holes in the reinforcements to clear rivet heads and bolt heads or nuts where necessary.
- In the event that a repair is required on more than one frame surface (for example, a flange crack that extends into the web), two pieces of flat stock should be welded together where they join. The web reinforcement should be a minimum of 76.2-mm (3.0-inches) high and have a 63.5-mm (2.5-inch) radius at each of the two corners.
- Completely clean the surface of the frame under and around the reinforcements.
- Clamp the reinforcements securely to the frame prior to welding.
- Weld the reinforcement all around after welding the crack V-slot to the reinforcement.
- Ground the flange edge weld until smooth after all pit holes have been filled by the weld.
- If a damaged bolted-on-frame bracket is to be replaced, make sure the new bolts, washers and nuts are of the same specifications and bolt torques as the original parts.
- If cases where it is necessary to remove rivets, replace the rivets with Property Class 9.8 metric (Grade 8) nuts, bolts and washers of the next larger size.