SLROC Forum

Hi Guys
Busy at the moment getting the wifes 110 ready for its MOT. Lots of welding required. New rear crossmember. Rebuilt chassis area behind and around the rear spring hangers. Both front outriggers need to be removed to repair main chassis rails beneath. Variouse other areas need repaired etc. I have been useing an ARK welder so far and im doing ok nice strong welds useing 2mm plate and 2.5mm ark rods at 80 amp but whats your opinion will this give me a better result than MIG welding or are they as good as each other. Just curiouse of opinions from folk.
Cheers.
Scott

Mig is easier faster and if your welding good with stick mig will be easy for you but by the sounds of things another chassis would be a idea

  If you have a decent Arc or Mig then either will do for a chassis

Doing chassis welding on 2mm plate I'd go for about a 180 amp mig with 0.8mm wire, if done well stick welding will be fine but it may be a little heavy for 2mm plate, mig is for me a lot more precise, neater and not as footery as arc, but again I suppose it boils down to whatever your best at.

both are good....... if your welding outside arc better as wind won.t blow away your gas and give you a porus weld

Either will do a perfectly good weld. I invested in a mig as its easier and quicker. I also managed to do some repairs to the aluminium body work with it.

just stay away from gasless migs,,, cos no matter how good you are the weld still looks shite and everybody that looks under your buggy will slag you to f,,    as folks have already mention you could use either, i tend to use stick for thicker metal like plate, mig for lighter metal like chassis, for some of those tighter bits mig may be better (no slag to chip away),  are you inside or on the drive ? a good breeze steals gas from your mig nozzle, so stick would be better, its horses for courses buddy,

Cheers for the replys guys some interesting points made. Have used gasless mig in the past and agree its messy. I do find the Ark a bit clumsy in tight spots but its all we have and all repairs are outside and we always have wind here being so close to the sea which makes gas mig difficult at times.
Am happy tonight though got the job finished today. New outrigger fitted. Cut out the old rotten footwell above it and made a new one out of galvanised steel. Its one less job. In an ideal world a new chassis would go on but we cant afford one so the welders our best friend for now. Next job other outrigger then the new rear crossmember. Then swivel rebuilds, new suspension kit and finally a rebuilt 200tdi to be dropped in.
Scott