Arc welding to a truck body?

[John Orchard]

Hey Guy's,

I bought a truck to haul the vmx'ers around, I want to weld in tie-down hooks & stuff.  Can I just weld away or do I need to disconnect all the electrics?  Any help would be appreciated, thanks.

[kdx Geoff]

Hi John,

The alternator may not like the welding, if you disconnect the battery that usually takes care of the electrics.

Your truck is a diesel, yes ? So you shouldn't have much more to worry about.

If you want to be thorough, you could stick your head under the dash and the kick panels and unplug any computers/cpu's it might have.

Cheers

Geoff

[Hoony]

Make sure your esrth connection point is clean and as close as possible to where you are welding
never put it in a place that is just convienient as the current may return via some wiring on the truck and melt it.

[vandy010]

also,
it pays to know whats behind the welded area as well...
burnt bits can be a pisser

[GMC]

What the others have said.

Disconnect battery

Nephew got 20 min. down the road before he realized the carpet was on fire from having just welded the exhaust.

If welding a chassis then put the earth on the chassis, if welding the body then put the earth on the body.
Same with bikes, if welding the swingarm then put the earth on the swingarm not the frame otherwise the current will travel through the bearings or shocks. If it does it will create an arc strike on the bearing surface rendering said bearing forked.

Haven't had to weld anything on a modern car of late but if I did I would also be disconnecting the computer

[hagon_84]

snap on make a really good battery isolator which connects to both pos and neg on battery and it has lights on it to tell u if system is isolated and ready to go to weld i use quiet regularly (smash repairs) but if its a one off disconnect  battery like others said 

AL.

[John Orchard]

Thanks Guy's  :-)

[Lozza]

Diesel spark plugs don't like the amps so take those all out before you start.

[FourstrokeForever]

Diesel spark plugs don't like the amps so take those all out before you start.

Hmmm, diesel spark plugs hey       

I think you mean glow plugs.....

John, I did the same thing on my Iveco when I was doing the bike transport and all I did was disconnect the battery and unplugged the computer. I didn't have any dramas at all. Mind you, I did use a Mig welder

[shelpi]

Diesel spark plugs don't like the amps so take those all out before you start.

what heat range spark plugs should I be running in my Dutz enduro motorscooter, in the winter and in the summer and can I do plug drops to check fuel/air mixture and should the tailpipe run grey

[Lozza]

Diesel spark plugs don't like the amps so take those all out before you start.

what heat range spark plugs should I be running in my Dutz enduro motorscooter, in the winter and in the summer and can I do plug drops to check fuel/air mixture and should the tailpipe run grey

42, yes and black sooty black

[shelpi]

Diesel spark plugs don't like the amps so take those all out before you start.

what heat range spark plugs should I be running in my Dutz enduro motorscooter, in the winter and in the summer and can I do plug drops to check fuel/air mixture and should the tailpipe run grey

42, yes and black sooty black

Ah good cos I was a worried as it has a bit of a rattly knock