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I have to weld two pair of axle brackets on a trailer frame. The perimeter frame rails are 2" x 5" x .120" wall rectangular mild steel tubing. The brackets are .250" thick mild steel plate bent 90 degrees. Here are two pics of the axle brackets...
Side view: http://www.qis.net/~geislert/axlebracket1.jpg
Top view: http://www.qis.net/~geislert/axlebracket2.jpg
The side with the holes mounts vertically (bolts to the torsion axle) and the shorter flat side (no holes) fits against the bottom of the trailer frame rail. Dexter states the short ends (front and back) should be welded, and then three 2 1/2" long 1/4" welds on either side of the bracket.
Last weekend I welded the brackets on, but later decided the placement wasn't as I wanted, so I cut them off and bought new brackets (couldn't save them). During the cutting off process, I was a little concerned that the penetration may not have been as good as it possibly should have. If I cut parallel to the end welds, the penetration of the root seemed to go about 1/8" past the edge of the bracket. During the welding, the side walls of the frame and bracket appeared to melt in nicely.
Machine is a 251 Millermatic, .030 Er60S-6 solid wire, 75/25 gas mix, 19.6 volts, 435 imp.
I guess I could have bevel cut the short ends of the bracket to help penetration, but the long sides both had a radius which basically created it's own bevel cavity.
Are the paramiters I used appropriate, or are some changes in order before I weld the brackets on again?
I do have a Lincoln Squarewave 175 Pro Tig machine that I could use to run a root pass if necessary. I kinda feel though, that this machine should be capable of this type of weld, setup as is?
any thoughts?
thanks
Todd G
Side view: http://www.qis.net/~geislert/axlebracket1.jpg
Top view: http://www.qis.net/~geislert/axlebracket2.jpg
The side with the holes mounts vertically (bolts to the torsion axle) and the shorter flat side (no holes) fits against the bottom of the trailer frame rail. Dexter states the short ends (front and back) should be welded, and then three 2 1/2" long 1/4" welds on either side of the bracket.
Last weekend I welded the brackets on, but later decided the placement wasn't as I wanted, so I cut them off and bought new brackets (couldn't save them). During the cutting off process, I was a little concerned that the penetration may not have been as good as it possibly should have. If I cut parallel to the end welds, the penetration of the root seemed to go about 1/8" past the edge of the bracket. During the welding, the side walls of the frame and bracket appeared to melt in nicely.
Machine is a 251 Millermatic, .030 Er60S-6 solid wire, 75/25 gas mix, 19.6 volts, 435 imp.
I guess I could have bevel cut the short ends of the bracket to help penetration, but the long sides both had a radius which basically created it's own bevel cavity.
Are the paramiters I used appropriate, or are some changes in order before I weld the brackets on again?
I do have a Lincoln Squarewave 175 Pro Tig machine that I could use to run a root pass if necessary. I kinda feel though, that this machine should be capable of this type of weld, setup as is?
any thoughts?
thanks
Todd G
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