Update, parasitic current fix, impending frame weld

wes11b10 said:
Hey Y'all -
. It's been a minute since I've posted and I want to keep comms open. I recently successfully fixed my "newish battery dying every other day" issue. This made me happy, verifying all the cash I gave to ITT Tech was a good idea after all. Since I wanted to clean the terminals anyway, I decided to do the in-line/series test with my Fluke meter set to measure current. Sure enough, I had a 200mA parasitic draw. The culprit was the aftermarket DUAL radio which was installed by the previous owner. I guess there's a way to look for parasitics by measuring voltage drop across each fuse? This involves charts and graphs, chicken bones and voodoo - looked a little complicated. If anyone needs help running down an electrical problem like this, let me know.
I've been practicing on scrap with my Hobart 140 MIG machine so I'll be able to successfully replace a rotten section of my frame (rear lower control arm bracket). Welding isn't easy but I'm getting a little better every time. My biggest issue is seeing where the hell I'm laying my bead/keeping my bead straight. Even with the darkening turned to minimum on my crappy Harbor Freight hood, still can't seem to make a straight line. Keep practicing, I know. Oh, I wanted to attach a picture that proves you can indeed fix your TJ frame with tie wraps, hahaha! Not ready for the trails but good enough to get me back and forth to work. All the best, kids!
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wes11b10 said:
Hey Y'all -
. It's been a minute since I've posted and I want to keep comms open. I recently successfully fixed my "newish battery dying every other day" issue. This made me happy, verifying all the cash I gave to ITT Tech was a good idea after all. Since I wanted to clean the terminals anyway, I decided to do the in-line/series test with my Fluke meter set to measure current. Sure enough, I had a 200mA parasitic draw. The culprit was the aftermarket DUAL radio which was installed by the previous owner. I guess there's a way to look for parasitics by measuring voltage drop across each fuse? This involves charts and graphs, chicken bones and voodoo - looked a little complicated. If anyone needs help running down an electrical problem like this, let me know.
I've been practicing on scrap with my Hobart 140 MIG machine so I'll be able to successfully replace a rotten section of my frame (rear lower control arm bracket). Welding isn't easy but I'm getting a little better every time. My biggest issue is seeing where the hell I'm laying my bead/keeping my bead straight. Even with the darkening turned to minimum on my crappy Harbor Freight hood, still can't seem to make a straight line. Keep practicing, I know. Oh, I wanted to attach a picture that proves you can indeed fix your TJ frame with tie wraps, hahaha! Not ready for the trails but good enough to get me back and forth to work. All the best, kids!

View attachment 308487
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When I got my current 01. If it happen to sit for a bit. It would die. I couldn’t figure it out. Took 3 shops to fix it. 1st ship said battery was bad. Then it did it again they gave me another new battery warranty. When ya turned it off tumbler was broke it allowed me to pull the key out in assembly. Draining battery. Took a long time to figure out.
 
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Try welding with a bright droplight shining on your work area. It has helped me a lot.
And yeah, you might tack something onto that bracket to tie it to the more solid parts of the frame for now.
 
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Jerry Bransford said:
I spent 50 years in technology and still hated that typewriter font, I changed it back to something we can all read more easily.

And a Hobart 140 isn't up to frame repairs. I sold mine due to that problem and replaced it with a Miller 180.
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Curious as to why a Hobart 140 wouldn’t work on a frame? Is the frame even .125” wall? Should be able to handle that no problem
 
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Superjay5 said:
Curious as to why a Hobart 140 wouldn’t work on a frame? Is the frame even .125” wall? Should be able to handle that no problem
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No problem with a small piece of whatever thickness it is. A small piece can't sink the heat away. A big piece readily sinks the heat out and into the entire frame that sucks/draws the heat right out of the weld.
 
williambmac said:
I didn't say that. Neither one is viable repair. There is nothing to weld too, it's just rust and scale.
Obviously, the zip ties are unsafe.
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now come on ! 2 wraps of duct tape and 6 zip ties are stronger than 1/2 in steel plate just ask Macgyver ! :ROFLMAO: might have to add a few drops of gorilla glue for added insurance :ROFLMAO:
 
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williambmac said:
I didn't say that. Neither one is viable repair. There is nothing to weld too, it's just rust and scale.
Obviously, the zip ties are unsafe.
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There’s enough to weld to with a little prep that will go down the road just fine.

What do you think the frame patch attaches to? The lower 1/4 of the frame is gone rest is fine.
 
I don’t really do short arc but a Hobart 140 if outputting advertised specs should handle a frame repair without issue.

To weld in a straight line look backwards and watch your top toe freeze and make the molten puddle line up with that. Or try to scribe a line.
 
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wes11b10 said:
Hey Y'all -
. It's been a minute since I've posted and I want to keep comms open. I recently successfully fixed my "newish battery dying every other day" issue. This made me happy, verifying all the cash I gave to ITT Tech was a good idea after all. Since I wanted to clean the terminals anyway, I decided to do the in-line/series test with my Fluke meter set to measure current. Sure enough, I had a 200mA parasitic draw. The culprit was the aftermarket DUAL radio which was installed by the previous owner. I guess there's a way to look for parasitics by measuring voltage drop across each fuse? This involves charts and graphs, chicken bones and voodoo - looked a little complicated. If anyone needs help running down an electrical problem like this, let me know.
I've been practicing on scrap with my Hobart 140 MIG machine so I'll be able to successfully replace a rotten section of my frame (rear lower control arm bracket). Welding isn't easy but I'm getting a little better every time. My biggest issue is seeing where the hell I'm laying my bead/keeping my bead straight. Even with the darkening turned to minimum on my crappy Harbor Freight hood, still can't seem to make a straight line. Keep practicing, I know. Oh, I wanted to attach a picture that proves you can indeed fix your TJ frame with tie wraps, hahaha! Not ready for the trails but good enough to get me back and forth to work. All the best, kids!

View attachment 308487
Click to expand...
 
UPDATE TO THE UPDATE.

You guys didn't think I was leaving it that way I hope. It's 0530, I'm just back in from the post repair test drive. I have to get up for work in an hour so I better hurry up and post this. Anyway, it actually went pretty well. The biggest problem I had was getting all the holes to line up for the upper control arm bushing bolt. I made sure to measure everything, over and over and over again. Even though the rot was extensive, there was hours of grinding to do. A plasma cutter would have turned that part into a 1 hour job. My welds look, well, mostly awful. I'll post a picture of one of the better beads I ran. I'm still not "done" done but it's orders of magnitude better than what it was and definitely safer. Whenever I thought about making time to finally do this, one of my motivations was this forum and its members, some of whom I caused mental anguish and virtual head explosions.
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Cptnmurica said:
When I got my current 01. If it happen to sit for a bit. It would die. I couldn’t figure it out. Took 3 shops to fix it. 1st ship said battery was bad. Then it did it again they gave me another new battery warranty. When ya turned it off tumbler was broke it allowed me to pull the key out in assembly. Draining battery. Took a long time to figure out.
Click to expand...
It's unbelievable how many professionals can't do basic electrical troubleshooting. It's really not that hard, especially in the age of YouTube.
 
Longwhitejeep said:
I thought it was going to be a Nigerian prince or something with that font.
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I was trying to use Courier, like what real writers do - I didn't think it would cause such widespread trauma. Hopefully it's still not set up that way. But if it is, Greetings My Good Sir. I wish the Lord's blessing upon you and I have been authorized by my Swiss Bank Account in the name of myself, Brigadier Earnest Mtobo-Smetterton, MBO OBE. Sir. Please forward to me transfer fees in the amount of Wal-Mart gift cards $2,000 and allowed to you immediate access £159,000,000,000. DO NOT DELAY.
 
Claytone said:
Try welding with a bright droplight shining on your work area. It has helped me a lot.
And yeah, you might tack something onto that bracket to tie it to the more solid parts of the frame for now.
Click to expand...
That was the ticket, a bright work light. When I had my welder set up just right, I could see little half moons disappear from the repair section into the puddle that straddled the lap joint. Now if I could only do that every time...
 
Fughuert said:
I don’t really do short arc but a Hobart 140 if outputting advertised specs should handle a frame repair without issue.

To weld in a straight line look backwards and watch your top toe freeze and make the molten puddle line up with that. Or try to scribe a line.
Click to expand...
Aside from my lack of skill that led to some ugliness, my welds ended up solid. I have no complaints about that Hobart 140 - it was around $500, it can do anything I'll ever need it for, and it's made in the US.
 
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