cast aluminum welding??

NYSpeed Automotive
1

can anyone hook me up?? can this actually be done??

There is a pin on the backside of the belt tensioner on my boat. The pin holds the tensioner in place so that it cannot rotate, only problem is that it sheared off on my tensioner. Im wondering if someone can weld something in place that I can shape with a file so I dont have to replace the whole tensioner.

2

yes it can be welded.

Dons Welding on Transit in Depew handles jobs like this all the time.

3

any idea on rates?? new tensioner cost $100 beans

4

cast aluminum is a pain to weld because of the air that is usually trapped in the casting. Most any welding place is going to want at least $50 to fire up the TIG torch. If I new one is only $100 I would go that route

5

I would buy a new piece. You can try and have it welded for half the price but you may only get half the life out of it. At that rate you are more than welcome to bring it by and I will let my welder look at it and see what he things. Aluminum is his specialty.

6

[quote=“Carnut,post:5,topic:31128"”]

I would buy a new piece. You can try and have it welded for half the price but you may only get half the life out of it. At that rate you are more than welcome to bring it by and I will let my welder look at it and see what he things. Aluminum is his specialty.

[/quote]

Thanks I appreciate the offer but seeing as how its a major part on my boat I decided to buy a new one. So $82 later the new one arrives tomorrow.

7

cast aluminum doesn’t weld very well at all. Sure the two pieces can be welded and it “looks” good visually…but you it’ll be very brittle and it’ll fracture at the edge, where the heat affected zone and original cast zone meet.

If it’s something that will see absolutely no stress…you’ll be fine, but if its something that has already broken it likely see stress gain.

fyi.

8

[quote=“SVT3945,post:6,topic:31128"”]

Thanks I appreciate the offer but seeing as how its a major part on my boat I decided to buy a new one. So $82 later the new one arrives tomorrow.

[/quote]

For that much you can’t go wrong. :tup:

9

anything cast is a bitch to weld. You need to preheat, peen the shit out of it and slow cool to try to minimize what lafengas said.