Motor Mount - Welded Steel 1.0

An attempt was made to weld one of the sectioned OEM BMW motor mounts after it had been hot glued to the aluminum mounting flange, but the hot melt glue did not hold the correct orientation of the two parts during transport and then welding.  The parts were then separated with an abrasive cutting disk and the new plan is to reaffix the parts with hot glue followed by withdrawal of the pieces from the car and tack welding them prior to transport.  The tack welded parts should be safe for transport and the orientation would not be lost due to softening of the glue during the welding process.

To develop the skill required to tack weld aluminum (which requires 100% Argon welding gas), it was elected to practice steel MIG welding using an available Miller Matic 140 Autoset.  Previously only flux core welding had been attempted, and the amount of time required to clean up the resulting flux residues was disappointing.  This was especially true when the weld was incomplete or had to be redone.  A reality too often to confess.  This time it was elected to spring for the rental of a tank of  Argon/Carbon dioxide (75%/25%) welding gas.  Best decision ever for an amateur welder!  The clean up using a wire brush was extremely simple and the repair of defects very fast.

A previous all steel alternate motor mounting design was used as a practice project.  This design could be exchanged for the previously described clam shell style aluminum foundry top casting.  After welding flanges to this top ring, the bottom support ring attached with bolts.  Holes would then be drilled into the top steel flange to allow the OEM BMW support (described in the last blog posting) to be bolted to the flange surface.

 

Picture DSC00437 showing the 2" tall 2" x 3"angle iron prior to being welded to the steel support ring. 

 

 

 

Picture DSC00436 showing an oblique view of  the angle iron pieces prior to being welded to the steel support ring. 

 

 

 

Picture DSC00435 showing vise grips securing the three steel pieces prior to tack welding.  By leaving the excess steel toward the center of the support ring, the vise grips had a secure surface to hold to.

 

 

 

Picture DSC00438 showing the welded mounting surfaces attached to the support ring after the excess steel had been removed from the internal curved surfaces.

 

 

 

Picture DSC00440 showing the side view of  the welded mounting surfaces attached to the support ring after the excess steel had been removed from the internal curved surfaces.