seam welding

What is the proper procedure for fixing a split seam in the frame?

My car went into the wall hard enough to bend the front bumper support around backwards. I spent about 5 hrs on the frame machine making it look straight again. while straightening and from the incident some seams are split. I know for a fact that they are sometimes spot welded in spots and they use some sort of hard expanding glue stuff that is probably as strong as a weld to hold the seam together. Currently I have Hammered it back against eachother but over the winter months while the car is apart I am wondering if welding the split seams is a legal fix or not. If not what would you do to make sure it was fixed properly?

Stephen

I think the GCR states that repairs should be done according to standard procedures. You probably do not want to weld that crack because of mettalurgic issues. Rather, you probably want to replace the section, following I-CAR standards.

Sectioning with plug welds in place of spot welds is recognized as a proper and standard repair; it is not "seam welding."

In any event, I would do whatever is necessary to restore the area to proper strength.

Stephen:

IMHO: In order to stay legal you need to stitch it. In order to keep the metal from getting unhappy due to excessive heat you should stitch it.

Being a bumper support, you've probably got a good case that seam welding has zero competative advantage so it shouldn't matter. I would direct anyone who wants to protest such things down the hall to the sand pounding room. Frame rails etc are another matter however, they could be considered an advantage to weld.

The metal will lose some of its cold working strength by being over heated by a continous weld. By stitching it, you can skip around and keep the heat down but in the end have a pretty good percentage of weld.

Just get rid of all that dumb-dumb that fills up the seam, it keeps the weld from getting good penetration.

Matt

Thanks guys, Looks like I will find someone to stich the spots that have been torn do to rebending and repairing over the winter...... ok your right it will probably end up april 1st a week before the first event http://Forums.ImprovedTouring.com/it/smile.gif

Stephen