# Welding the frame rails **URL:** \ **Category:** SON240sx Automotive\ **Created:** [August 2, 2006, 3:03pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/welding-the-frame-rails/98565 "2006-08-02T15:03:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![R\_T](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/r_t/32/5529_2.png) [@R\_T](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/R_T)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2006, 3:03pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/welding-the-frame-rails/98565/1 "2006-08-02T15:03:43Z")
I did a quick search and I didn’t come up with anything, so forgive me if this is already covered. I have a hole in the passenger side frame rail, and I’m just wondering the best way to weld it up. Would it be better to just cut out the rotted area and weld in a plate, or to weld a piece of steel along the length of the frame? What gauge of steel should I use for this? Is there anything else I can do to help reinforce the sub frame? I dont have a lot of experience with a welder, but I will have experienced people helping me with the process. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/uploads/speedlife/original/2X/b/b7170c8eddc0b95ece6b88172b2f416a08489a45.png) [@system](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/system)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2006, 3:59pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/welding-the-frame-rails/98565/2 "2006-08-02T15:59:14Z")
usually you can go to a body shop and they can weld it up for you, i think they would use a 12ga steel or 10ga not too sure , but thisis something i would take to the proffesionals farmer ---
**Author:** ![BAS](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/bas/32/5540_2.png) [@BAS](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/BAS)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2006, 5:26pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/welding-the-frame-rails/98565/3 "2006-08-02T17:26:10Z")
they use at heaviest 18ga unless the welder is a hack and needs the extra material also you can only weld to clean steel, so that little hole may turn into a large patch if the rust is bad. ---
**Author:** ![R\_T](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/r_t/32/5529_2.png) [@R\_T](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/R_T)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2006, 6:27pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/welding-the-frame-rails/98565/4 "2006-08-02T18:27:56Z")
What would be a fair quote? My mechanic doing my safety said he would do it for 160 bucks. ---
**Author:** ![Dark\_Zero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b38774/32.png) [@Dark\_Zero](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Dark_Zero)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2006, 12:58am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/welding-the-frame-rails/98565/5 "2006-08-03T00:58:49Z")
> [@R\_T](#): > > What would be a fair quote? My mechanic doing my safety said he would do it for 160 bucks. uh i’d imagine that is quite the amazing deal, simply cause i’ve seen people getting quotes of like 1xxx+ dollars. ---
**Author:** ![R\_T](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/r_t/32/5529_2.png) [@R\_T](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/R_T)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2006, 2:44pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/welding-the-frame-rails/98565/6 "2006-08-03T14:44:36Z")
> [@Dark Zero](#): > > [quote=R\_T]What would be a fair quote? My mechanic doing my safety said he would do it for 160 bucks. uh i’d imagine that is quite the amazing deal, simply cause i’ve seen people getting quotes of like 1xxx+ dollars.[/quote] This is not to get the whole frame rail boxed or anything, its just a 3"x3" patch job to pass the safety. ---
**Author:** ![Doba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a8b319/32.png) [@Doba](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Doba)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2006, 3:33pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/welding-the-frame-rails/98565/7 "2006-08-03T15:33:21Z")
^^ which in that case a 3x3 area shouldnt cost you more than a couple hundred at the most youre looking at cutting rust out grinding fitting a new piece welding grinding painting/underbody 3 hr job i would say x $65/h = 195 sounds pretty reasonable to me ---
**Author:** ![atutt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c4cdca/32.png) [@atutt](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/atutt)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2006, 4:04pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/welding-the-frame-rails/98565/8 "2006-08-03T16:04:38Z")
take into account the person welding and the welds themselves ask to see like a trial piece or something… (just cuz it looks fine and dandy, doesnt mean anything) since that would kinda be the most important part… if theres any porosity (air bubbles) the weld will crakc really quickly… and could just come right off… which would be usless cuz then it would be needed to be done again… make sure the person bevels the edges of the replacement piece (creates momre surface area for there to be welded, and if done right will loook cleaner and essentially be stronger)… just make sure they use the same gauge of metal as the frame itself… i think the frames are roughly 3/8ths thick… dont let them use flux-core… its dirty and full of impurities… metal core would be the best but good luck with that… its used for structural and usually used in a 660v welder which would be extremely hot on even its lowest setting… and metal through… this might seem like meaningless babble… but i’m just throwing my ideas out… and i’m a ticketed welder so… ---
**Author:** ![Sockington](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8edcca/32.png) [@Sockington](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Sockington)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2006, 5:04pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/welding-the-frame-rails/98565/9 "2006-08-03T17:04:43Z")
> [@atutt](#): > > and i’m a ticketed welder so… Formerly ticketed welder. You stopped taking the test since there was no point for you (I forget the reason). 😛 Just poking fun - not saying you’re not a great welder. I know I suck at it. ---
**Author:** ![atutt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c4cdca/32.png) [@atutt](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/atutt)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2006, 9:31pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/welding-the-frame-rails/98565/10 "2006-08-03T21:31:55Z")
nopw where i work now has certifed me… cuz i’m in structural welding, so i’m re-ticketed, lol ---
**Author:** ![Flash-Point-Matt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/94ad74/32.png) [@Flash-Point-Matt](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Flash-Point-Matt)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2006, 6:02am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/welding-the-frame-rails/98565/11 "2006-08-09T06:02:14Z")
I can weld it up for you, but i’d need to see it to give you an accurate quote. but $165 is a pretty good deal. ---
**Author:** ![Hector](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/43a26b/32.png) [@Hector](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Hector)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2006, 12:58pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/welding-the-frame-rails/98565/12 "2006-08-17T12:58:58Z")
> [@atutt](#): > > take into account the person welding and the welds themselves ask to see like a trial piece or something… (just cuz it looks fine and dandy, doesnt mean anything) since that would kinda be the most important part… if theres any porosity (air bubbles) the weld will crakc really quickly… and could just come right off… which would be usless cuz then it would be needed to be done again… make sure the person bevels the edges of the replacement piece (creates momre surface area for there to be welded, and if done right will loook cleaner and essentially be stronger)… just make sure they use the same gauge of metal as the frame itself… i think the frames are roughly 3/8ths thick… dont let them use flux-core… its dirty and full of impurities… metal core would be the best but good luck with that… its used for structural and usually used in a 660v welder which would be extremely hot on even its lowest setting… and metal through… this might seem like meaningless babble… but i’m just throwing my ideas out… and i’m a ticketed welder so… flux core is ok as long as it is not gasless flux core , being a ticketed structural welder you should know this, as long as u remove the layer of ceramic/glass also known as slag you can do a fill after your root pass is performed, 660v welder means nothing , you can turn it down to what ever u need, u can control the weld by speeding up your pass as well as increaseing distance from your tip to the work area , if u would like to argue the whole flux core being impure being untrue i can show u my test peices that were x-ray welded, tickets mean nothing , people have drivers licences , doesnt mean they can drive ---
**Author:** ![logik23](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/logik23/32/5548_2.png) [@logik23](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/logik23)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2006, 6:21pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/welding-the-frame-rails/98565/13 "2006-08-17T18:21:04Z")
I need a 10 inch long section cut out and replaced from one frame rail and I got quoted for 500$ cause the guy said he had to gut the interior cause he might burn the carpet cause it gets so hot when he welds…does this make any sense? ---
**Author:** ![robbbby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b19c9b/32.png) [@robbbby](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/robbbby)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2006, 6:28pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/welding-the-frame-rails/98565/14 "2006-08-17T18:28:18Z")
> [@Hector](#): > > tickets mean nothing , people have drivers licences , doesnt mean they can drive Now that is funny and also VERY true. ---
**Author:** ![trinituner](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/trinituner/32/5523_2.png) [@trinituner](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/trinituner)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2006, 6:12pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/welding-the-frame-rails/98565/15 "2006-08-18T18:12:16Z")
dude get ur frame repaired properly, so u dont have to worry abou ti again for a looooooog time, i did my frame properly, both frame rail welded with 18g hardend steel along the entire rail, cut and replaced floors on drover and passanger, pretty much the car was given a complete new inderbody, rock solid sr20 ready do the job rite it cost$ 550 \> good friend did it, at his shop that job was realy wort about 900 or more ---
**Author:** ![BAS](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/bas/32/5540_2.png) [@BAS](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/BAS)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2006, 10:52pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/welding-the-frame-rails/98565/16 "2006-08-18T22:52:28Z")
… welding occours when you heat the metal to the metling point… I don’t remember the last time a polyester carpet or sound deadening could stand over 1000 deg. never mind the temp $500 maybe a high but maybe not, depends no how many hrs it takes to get the interior out. > [@logik23](#): > > I need a 10 inch long section cut out and replaced from one frame rail and I got quoted for 500$ cause the guy said he had to gut the interior cause he might burn the carpet cause it gets so hot when he welds…does this make any sense? ---
**Author:** ![logik23](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/logik23/32/5548_2.png) [@logik23](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/logik23)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2006, 11:03pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/welding-the-frame-rails/98565/17 "2006-08-18T23:03:10Z")
I’m just saying, some guy said 160 bucks, I’m guessing they don’t take the carpet out at that price… ---
**Author:** ![R\_T](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/r_t/32/5529_2.png) [@R\_T](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/R_T)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2006, 10:28pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/welding-the-frame-rails/98565/18 "2006-08-19T22:28:51Z")
Well the job is done, 200 bucks, there was another bad spot he found that he patched up. I’ll get it done right in the spring, I just needed to get the safety, now I can do whatever I wish. The work was good for a patch job, but right now the car is a daily with the KA, so it will do till it gets put away for the winter. Thanks for the input everyone. Oh, and as far as I know, they didn’t gut the interior or anything, but they didn’t have to do the floor.