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 Welding a car door?

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Rickw
crazyjackcsa
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crazyjackcsa
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Welding a car door? Empty
PostSubject: Welding a car door?   Welding a car door? EmptySat Dec 04, 2010 1:21 pm

My new-to-me 1995 Riviera has an interesting problem. The passenger side door has begun to split near the top hinge. It's right up by the mirror, but on the inside of the door skin, and it's about 2 inches long. I'm worried about the crack opening up more, and eventually destorying the door.

What I'd like to know is: What are your thoughts on welding a car door, while on the car?

This really is a daily driver, and I'm not really looking to replace the door completely.

Anybody else ever have this problem? Anybody ever weld while the door was still on the car?
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Rickw
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PostSubject: Re: Welding a car door?   Welding a car door? EmptySat Dec 04, 2010 1:44 pm

If you do any welding on the car you must, at a minimum, disconnect the battery completely from the car.

It would be best to remove the door, just to be safe. Remember you need to ground your welder to the door and that surge of current through the car's body can cause a problem with all the electronics. Such as all the expensive and necessary stuff like the PCM, etc.

I know people weld on vehicles all the time, and remove the battery, but I don't know what to do to protect the electronic modules installed all over the Riv.
May require removing a bunch of fuses to isolate the main modules.
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AA
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PostSubject: Re: Welding a car door?   Welding a car door? EmptySat Dec 04, 2010 5:11 pm

I'd disconnect the PCM as a precaution. Here's some more info on the subject:

http://www.hobartwelders.com/weldtalk/archive/index.php/t-7537.html

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Abaddon
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PostSubject: Re: Welding a car door?   Welding a car door? EmptySat Dec 04, 2010 8:32 pm

We weld cars back together all day long at work. Just disconnect the battery....no need to waste time disconnecting everything else.
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crazyjackcsa
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PostSubject: Re: Welding a car door?   Welding a car door? EmptySat Dec 04, 2010 9:26 pm

Thanks for the info, I'll let you know how it goes when I decided to do it. It'll be in the new year at the very earliest.
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Abaddon
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PostSubject: Re: Welding a car door?   Welding a car door? EmptySat Dec 04, 2010 9:43 pm

Just remember though... When welding sheet metal that's thin, chances are you're going to warp the panel a bit. Be prepared to fill a few "wobbles" and repaint the area.
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bigdave
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PostSubject: Re: Welding a car door?   Welding a car door? EmptySun Dec 05, 2010 11:09 pm

I would recommend using a panel bond adhesive with a piece of sheet metal or flat stock overlapping the split by a couple of inches if this is possible. This process would be faster and safer than welding. I use 3M 8115 panel bond adhesive,but other companies such as Lord Fusor and Prestone make comparible products, but I am not familiar with their part numbers. Any auto body supplier should be able to help you with what products to use. Just make sure it is for metal to metal bonding. Also make sure to sand or grind both pieces to bare metal before bonding. These products usually have slow cure times but can be accelerated with heat. Usually about 10 minutes with a heat gun. Just dont get it to hot and cook it. I would hold heat gun about a foot away and blowing across repair at an angle to prevent overheating. Let me know if you have any questions.
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BMD
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PostSubject: Re: Welding a car door?   Welding a car door? EmptyMon Dec 06, 2010 2:43 pm

Great advice dave, I love the kind of info that you can only get from an insider! happy
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