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Author: Subject: warped floor after welding
mark chandler

posted on 19/3/06 at 07:14 PM Reply With Quote
warped floor after welding

Hi there,

Searched for answers on this...

Just finished welding in my floor based upon the lightweight tunnel. Started off nice and flat but no more.

I have tried heating the high spots to cherry red, all that has done is made it worse so this method of shrinking has failed.

My only thoughts now are wacking some creases across the floor to shrink it a bit. Anyone done this ?

Regards Mark

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The Baron

posted on 19/3/06 at 07:28 PM Reply With Quote
Warp Factor 9 Mr Sulu

I had exactly the same trouble, tried all sorts, the final solution for me was to cut the steel floor out, dress the chassis rails back smooth, and rivet in a aluminium floor.

If nothing else, it makes the chassis lighter.

Probably not want you want to here, but I’m glad that I cut mine out, even though in took a day with a 9 inch angle grinder, loads of noise & dust.

The Baron
I

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David Jenkins

posted on 19/3/06 at 07:56 PM Reply With Quote
I welded mine - and got the warps. Eventually I got rid of the 'bongs' when I glued the rubber mat down.

I was bothered when I first did the job - now I don't care!

David






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Gav

posted on 19/3/06 at 08:00 PM Reply With Quote
Mines the same, im thinking of placing a couple of small angle iron stips or evan thick ish flats horizontally across the worst bits.
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mark chandler

posted on 19/3/06 at 08:19 PM Reply With Quote
If you,ve all suffered then I,m in good company

I was heading for an Ali floor until the post last week where it was highlighted that a steel floor was required to race (incase I get the urge).

My current plan is to get a bit of angle, tack it in place then beat the metal into the V then remove. This should in theory stretch the floor and add stiffness without adding weight.

The warpage problem is only where the seats will sit so is not really noticable unless you look under the car. I just want to achieve the best finish I can.

Regards Mark

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Gav

posted on 19/3/06 at 08:28 PM Reply With Quote
thats sounds like an interesting idea, i think i might try adding a few swage lines before welding more stuff onto it
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907

posted on 19/3/06 at 08:50 PM Reply With Quote
If you tack two flat strips, say 12mm apart, to one piece of heavy angle.....

Tack a length of 6mm dia rod to another piece of angle...

Match drill the two together, at the ends, so the rod lines up with the gap in the strips.


Drill two matching holes in the floor, and bolt the angles, one either side of the floor, and do up the bolts.
It should form a swage.

Fill up the holes in the floor, or leave as drain holes.

Hope you followed that.


Maybe ?????


Paul G

[Edited on 19/3/06 by 907]






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mark chandler

posted on 19/3/06 at 09:08 PM Reply With Quote
Sounds a much better way than the hammering I had planned. I was concerned about only locally loading the floor and ending up with something worse.

I,ll try this next weekend and see what happens.

Cheers Mark

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mark chandler

posted on 19/3/06 at 09:09 PM Reply With Quote
Sounds a much better way than the hammering I had planned. I was concerned about only locally loading the floor and ending up with something worse.

I,ll try this next weekend and see what happens.

Cheers Mark

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robertst

posted on 19/3/06 at 09:37 PM Reply With Quote
so what is better? riveting or welding the floor to the chassis?
is a riveted floor as strong as a welded one? i just fear the moment when the floor just drops down while driving!!!

i would prefer riveting the floor. but if welding is safer.... say no more





Tom

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NS Dev

posted on 20/3/06 at 08:39 AM Reply With Quote
bonded and rivetted floor is no more likely to drop out than a welded one, don't worry about it.





Retro RWD is the way forward...........automotive fabrication, car restoration, sheetmetal work, engine conversion retro car restoration and tuning

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procomp

posted on 20/3/06 at 09:20 AM Reply With Quote
Hi mark you mentiond steel floor so you can race. you only need a steel floor for locost racing am i right in thinking you got a bec in witch case use a riveted ali floor as the regs for rgb dont require steel floor.

cheers matt

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Dale

posted on 20/3/06 at 04:31 PM Reply With Quote
You should be able to shrink it if you heat with a propane torch to orange and and cool quickly with a damp rag. Do this in the places that are bulging and you should be able to plll it tight again.
Dale





Thanks
Dale

my 14 and11 year old boys 22
and 19 now want to drive but have to be 25 before insurance will allow. Finally on the road

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lexi

posted on 22/3/06 at 07:37 PM Reply With Quote
I have two 25mm tube running the length of driver and passenger floor sections welded in. Placed in the middle of each section it stiffens it and takes bumps out. They are tapered at each end and blanked with plate.
Alex

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mark chandler

posted on 28/3/06 at 10:47 PM Reply With Quote
Failed miserably to flatten the floor so cut the bugger out, did not take that long so a nice sheet of Ali is to replace it.

Not all was lost, I salvaged the TX tunnel !

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Triton

posted on 29/3/06 at 08:33 AM Reply With Quote
A steel floor will always ping once welded on unless extra ribs are either formed in the sheet like that on production cars or extra tubes added here there and everywhere to support it......or use heavier guage.

So ali floor everytime or rivet the steel one on if you are going Locost racing.





My Daughter has taken over production of the damn fine Triton race seats and her contact email is emmatrs@live.co.uk.

www.tritonraceseats.com

www.hairyhedgehog.com

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Broadside Motorsport

posted on 29/3/06 at 10:13 AM Reply With Quote
To stop the warping of the metal you have to use heat paste, very effective and weld a tiny bit in one place then a tiny bit in another, then another place and so on moving along the join then back to next to the first place you welded. This however doesn't produce a "nice looking" weld but can be done neatly if practiced, but it will stop the metal warping, its how new panels are fitted to cars after accidents, ie new quarters/sills etc.

Hope that helps

Mark

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Triton

posted on 29/3/06 at 08:54 PM Reply With Quote
Won't that heat paste contaminate the weld?





My Daughter has taken over production of the damn fine Triton race seats and her contact email is emmatrs@live.co.uk.

www.tritonraceseats.com

www.hairyhedgehog.com

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907

posted on 29/3/06 at 09:09 PM Reply With Quote
Another advantage with stainless!

Quench each stitch with ice cold water

Paul G






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Mark Allanson

posted on 29/3/06 at 09:21 PM Reply With Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Broadside Motorsport
To stop the warping of the metal you have to use heat paste, very effective and weld a tiny bit in one place then a tiny bit in another, then another place and so on moving along the join then back to next to the first place you welded. This however doesn't produce a "nice looking" weld but can be done neatly if practiced, but it will stop the metal warping, its how new panels are fitted to cars after accidents, ie new quarters/sills etc.

Hope that helps

Mark





Can you go into a bit more detail on how you use the paste, and where do you get it from?





If you can keep you head, whilst all others around you are losing theirs, you are not fully aware of the situation

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Broadside Motorsport

posted on 3/4/06 at 05:18 PM Reply With Quote
If I remember I'll get the name of it off the container when I go into work tomorrow. It won't contaminate the weld as you place it a few cm from where you are welding. It comes with instructions anyway but works well, will even stop a roof skin warping whan fitting a full quarter to a car!
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Mark Allanson

posted on 3/4/06 at 07:11 PM Reply With Quote
Why would a roof skin warp when you fit a quarter panel?





If you can keep you head, whilst all others around you are losing theirs, you are not fully aware of the situation

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Peteff

posted on 3/4/06 at 08:12 PM Reply With Quote
Cold Front?

Frost sell this , it sounds like what you mean. I find that when the floor bongs it just needs a few stomps with my riggers on to stop it





yours, Pete

I went into the RSPCA office the other day. It was so small you could hardly swing a cat in there.

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