15 replies to this topic

[Evan]

Hey guys.

I am wanting to re enforce my rear suspension body mounts and i was just going to put a handful of 1 inch welds around the circumference of the mounts.

I was having Google and i found the Aussie v8 thread about reinforcing them and the recommendation there is not to weld them but to bolt them as welding could cause cracking over time in high stress situations.

I am just wanting some second opinions on this before i start welding or if i should be just adding a few more bolts as per the recommendation.

Here is the thread anyhow. Post number 5.
http://www.aussiev8....iling-arms.html


Thanks in advance.

Evan.

[ls2lxhatch]

I would weld a plate inside the body to spread the load and stitch weld the mount to the body.

The CRS chassis kit has a plate inside the body and the chassis kit bolts throught the lower control arm mount and one of the control arm bolts.

[Evan]

Thanks LS2Lxhatch.

Ill look at doing it that way with a few more stitches around the mounts.

Ev

[ozyozyozy]

i`ve stiched them to the shell dont have to go crazy, havent had any probs so far, been 10 years.
recommend welding some washers or extra support for the control arm bolts, on both upper and lower mounts on the body, theres not enough meat there from factory.
i have done it and know of others that have elongated the control arm bolt holes by alot through abuse.

[ls2lxhatch]

I welded washers on one of my k-frames to restore and reinforce the control arm bolt holes.

Edited by ls2lxhatch, 22 November 2011 - 07:30 PM.

[AbsynthHatch]

The previous owner of my hatch used it for drag racing for a few years

He stiched welded all the lower mounts, didn't go over the top

I cleaned them all up a few months ago when i repainted under the car and they look perfect no damage from the abuse what so ever

[Evan]

Thats great news to hear that other have successfully reinforced the mounts without any issues.

Whilst im there ill weld some washers on the bolt mounts also as per your recommendation ozy. Cheers for the tip.

Ev

[deauville]

I think I have seen in Cams regs for the L34 (or was it A9X) how teams could use four(4) 3/8 bolts and washers on each corner on the mount to strengthen the mounting brackets to body.Perhaps it was a known weakness that the teams had to deal with.

Am I right in saying that the uppers are the ones more prone to tearing from the body.? (From Diff forces trying to rotate the housing relative to the car body.)

[355LX]

i`ve stiched them to the shell dont have to go crazy, havent had any probs so far, been 10 years.
recommend welding some washers or extra support for the control arm bolts, on both upper and lower mounts on the body, theres not enough meat there from factory.
i have done it and know of others that have elongated the control arm bolt holes by alot through abuse.

I did exactly this, I used hardened washers from westrac and welded them on each side of all my trailing arm mounts, and will do the same again with any future torana build. Also did the stitch welding with no visible problems as yet. As said already, dont go crazy and weld the whole lot.

Dave

[Evan]

Cheers Dave.

I got around to doing this job and it was pretty hard with everything still in the car (accept the drop tank)

Ill update this thread in the next few weeks with photo's for future reference.


Most of the cracking associated with people doing this would be from poor welding hygiene. I took my time cleaning the ares back to bare metal and
getting all the dirt out of the join before welding.

Cheers

Ev

[adgjl7]

do you have any pics

[GTR600]

Well done Even, when i first read this and thought of high stress then the answer is fully weld.

But as expericence has commented above this is not required, the next best thing and paramont with all welding is a good clean surface with all other variables correct.

Welding over old dirty steel with left over paint is not good, you should have no problems.

[ls2lxhatch]

One of reasons for stitch welding instead of fully welding is that if the weld does crack then the crack can only travel as far as the stitch.

[Evan]

Hey Guys.

As i said i would, some pics of a few of the welds. The hardest part was getting the area clean prior to welding. I got there eventually.

Ev

[Evan]

Yurp , sure is Clint.

I have to say a mig would have been easier than doing over head TIG. Your stomach muscles get a work out trying to hold yourself in the correct position to hold the torch steady and feed the wire.