Board logo

welding to a chrome vanadium socket?
nick205 - 21/11/13 at 12:51 PM

I need a 21mm offset ring spanner to dismantle a mcpherson strut. All the local tool people I've tried would have to order one in and they're not cheap.

I've got a spare 21mm socket and plan to weld a bar onto it to make suitable tool. The socket is polished, but I would flap wheel it to give a good clean surface to weld to.

Is there any issue MIG welding to chrome vanadium steel?

ashg - 21/11/13 at 12:59 PM

Just take it to a local garage and get them to undo it with a rattle gun.

v8kid - 21/11/13 at 01:10 PM

quote:
Originally posted by nick205
I need a 21mm offset ring spanner to dismantle a mcpherson strut. All the local tool people I've tried would have to order one in and they're not cheap.

I've got a spare 21mm socket and plan to weld a bar onto it to make suitable tool. The socket is polished, but I would flap wheel it to give a good clean surface to weld to.

Is there any issue MIG welding to chrome vanadium steel?


No issues will weld perfectly I've done this a few times. If tight for space you can cut socket with a thin grinding wheel to remove 1/2" drive section.

Cheers!

nick205 - 21/11/13 at 01:10 PM

Bits are at home in the garage, need to finish the work tonight so I can drive it tomorrow!

Plus I refuse to be defeated

nick205 - 21/11/13 at 01:13 PM

quote:
Originally posted by v8kid
quote:
Originally posted by nick205
I need a 21mm offset ring spanner to dismantle a mcpherson strut. All the local tool people I've tried would have to order one in and they're not cheap.

I've got a spare 21mm socket and plan to weld a bar onto it to make suitable tool. The socket is polished, but I would flap wheel it to give a good clean surface to weld to.

Is there any issue MIG welding to chrome vanadium steel?


No issues will weld perfectly I've done this a few times. If tight for space you can cut socket with a thin grinding wheel to remove 1/2" drive section.

Cheers!



I actually need the height and will be welding to the side of the socket as I need to be able to access the hex drive through the socket into the top of the Mcpherson strut...


mcerd1 - 21/11/13 at 01:20 PM

it'll weld, but it might not last long (i.e. you could end up with a brittle weld depending on the wire you use etc...)
try shaping the end of the bar before you weld it on to spread the load over as much weld as possible.


my dad's got quite a few special tools made from sockets that have something wrapped round the socket then braised together and they've all lasted quite well


or how about one of these for ~£6
http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_trksid=p2054897.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.XRing+Spanner+21mm&_nkw=Ring+Spanner+21mm&_sacat=11700&_from=R40

nick205 - 21/11/13 at 01:27 PM

Good comment, I'll use 25mm RHS and fishmouth it around the socket.

As above, need a fix tonight!

iank - 21/11/13 at 01:46 PM

Be extra careful not to breath any fumes while welding. Chrome compounds are very bad for you.

loggyboy - 21/11/13 at 01:55 PM

I might have a21mm dropped ring spanner, will have to check but if you can wait till 6pm you can borrow (if you still work in bstoke?). Not 100% I do have a 21, but pretty sure the set I have doesnt stop at 19mm

EDIT - just rang the wife and asked her to check, the largest she can find is 19. HOWEVER after racking my brains, as I did this on my clio only a few months back - there maybe another route for you. I have a 21mm sparkplug socket, which has an external hex drive around the rim. Providing your allen key is long enough, you can thread it through the socket drive and use a larger spanner (or adjustable) on the outside of the socket.


[Edited on 21-11-13 by loggyboy]

Davey D - 21/11/13 at 02:11 PM

Is it for a Vauxhall by any chance?

i did exactly the same when it came to changing a front spring on my 05 Astra estate. didnt have a 21mm deep ring spanner, so just welded some 30x10 flatbar onto a 21mm socket to make a handle, so i could put the Allen Key through the middle

mcerd1 - 21/11/13 at 02:11 PM

quote:
Originally posted by loggyboy
...I have a 21mm sparkplug socket, which has an external hex drive around the rim. Providing your allen key is long enough, you can thread it through the socket drive and use a larger spanner (or adjustable) on the outside of the socket.

actually I've done that one before too, but I'd completely forgotten about it until you said that - i must be getting old

nick205 - 21/11/13 at 02:48 PM

quote:
Originally posted by loggyboy
I might have a21mm dropped ring spanner, will have to check but if you can wait till 6pm you can borrow (if you still work in bstoke?). Not 100% I do have a 21, but pretty sure the set I have doesnt stop at 19mm

EDIT - just rang the wife and asked her to check, the largest she can find is 19. HOWEVER after racking my brains, as I did this on my clio only a few months back - there maybe another route for you. I have a 21mm sparkplug socket, which has an external hex drive around the rim. Providing your allen key is long enough, you can thread it through the socket drive and use a larger spanner (or adjustable) on the outside of the socket.


[Edited on 21-11-13 by loggyboy]




Cheers Loggy - that would do it!

I can make my allen key fit down the hole using the long end and the handle of my adjustable spanner to drive the short end.

I'll be leaving work about 6pm anyway so if it's OK I can call round on the way home?

britishtrident - 21/11/13 at 04:46 PM

I did this years ago for an alternator pulley nut tool, I still use it for BMW struts, just grind the chrome plating off grind a very slight chamfer round the edge and aad fairly substantial bit of flat bar on the top welded round the circumference of the socket , finally drill a hole in the bar for the allen key.

In my experience using a drop spanner is unlikely to work as it will either not fit in the recess or coggle off sideways.

The ideal tool for the job is "drive through socket"

Are you 100% sure the nut is 21mm across the flats because if it is 22mm a Lambda sensor spanner will fit and these are fairly low cost.

[Edited on 21/11/13 by britishtrident]

v8kid - 21/11/13 at 05:05 PM

quote:
Originally posted by mcerd1
it'll weld, but it might not last long (i.e. you could end up with a brittle weld depending on the wire you use etc...)


Nope it worked perfectly for me twice! The addition of the chrome seems to make the weld flow nicely. IIRC I used a stick welder to whack the current in and I used it to unbolt a crank pulley and adjust camshaft timing in situ so it was well abused

Interestingly I recently reclaimed one of the sockets by cutting it off again and it works perfectly with a 1/2" drive - and it was red hot when I welded it.

Dunno if that's a characteristic of chrome vanadium in general or not - I seem to recall summat about the high temp performance of vanadium steels anyone know offhand?

Cheers1

nick205 - 21/11/13 at 05:55 PM

quote:
Originally posted by britishtrident

In my experience using a drop spanner is unlikely to work as it will either not fit in the recess or coggle off sideways.

[Edited on 21/11/13 by britishtrident]


You may well be right, it's a nylon lock nut, but it's that corroded on it will take a substantial amount of force to free it. I only want to retrieve the bump stop and gator to fit on the new shock.

mcerd1 - 22/11/13 at 12:16 AM

quote:
Originally posted by v8kid
Nope it worked perfectly for me twice!

I'm only saying not to expect it to be perfect when you weld a socket of unknown grade to a bar of unknown grade with a random bit of mild steel welding wire using whatever gas you've got


when your welding some dissimilar metals together the welds can end up very weak, very brittle or both....