The radiator support bracket for my CAT 22 2F5209 has a corner broken off it and I would like to try a weld repair. Does anyone know what material the bracket is? Do you think I can weld repair it with a MIG welder, or will I break it worse? I do not have the missing corner piece and would have to use mild steel. Thanks, Ray

"puffer@rpi.edu" wrote:

The radiator support bracket for my CAT 22 2F5209 has a corner broken off it and I would like to try a weld repair. Does anyone know what material the bracket is? Do you think I can weld repair it with a MIG welder, or will I break it worse? I do not have the missing corner piece and would have to use mild steel. Thanks, Ray

Not sure how you can repair it but there are thousands of broken brackets out there that need repair. Easy spot to hook a chain, but a very poor spot to pull from.

Ray
I saw a radiator support that George Rankin welded up with mild steel pieces. George is a master metal man but it can be dome. I don't know if it is made of cast iron or cast steel. I'm sure it can be done with a mig. I am sure I have the piece you need if you are interested. I have several broken supports. - Wally

Hi, Ray.
Here is a link to a video on Youtube about spark testing ferrous metals:

Another Youtube video:

And a PDF on the same subject:

www.weldingwire.com/Images/Interior/docu...brary/metal%20id.pdf

And another:

www.wiete.com.au/journals/GJEE/Publish/vol15no3/05-Dalke-R.pdf

And some more detailed text:

www.tpub.com/steelworker1/6.htm

If the casting is cast steel, it would be relatively easy to weld a piece of mild steel to it - vee both pieces well back to about 40 - 45 degrees to give plenty of surface to weld to, clamp them in place, warm both pieces a little and weld. It is probably worth letting them cool out a little between passes so as to not cause too much heat stress in the cast steel. When you have completely welded it from one side, I'd suggest checking the weld on the other side to make sure that your first run went through and got both edges all the way. If it didn't get both edges, vee it out a little and fill it with weld.

If the casting is cast iron, I'll let the 'experts' tell you how to weld that.

Just my 0.02.

if it's cast iron use nickle rods dunno what type of mig wire to use but with nickle rods you wont have to get to high tech make sure you have a bucket of dry sand handy pre heat a bit you can Vee it out if you want a lot depends on how thick the casting is once welded bury it in the sand and go have a cuppa or two

And pretty much the same for cast steel but its fairly hard to stuff up cast steel just like welding mild steel normal 12 P rods dunno if you blokes have them or not

As you probably gathered I dont have a Mig the old stick welder does all my stuff and with the new (5 or 6 years ago ) Lincoln Inverter welder I reckon I could weld ice lol

hope it is of some help if not disregard LOL and remember Im just a farmer not trained in any of this stuff just self taught so maybe disregard the lot LOL

Paul

You sirpise me Paul .
I thought you would give him the universal Cockies fix . The Cobb and Co fencing wire hitch .

Just because something is steel does not mean it will be easy to weld, or that a sound looking weld will not fail later unexpectedly. Cast steel can contain impurities or an amount of carbon than will challenge you. If you can get pieces of the same material to make a test weld, do so and try to break the weld. Use a file on the metal in the heat affected zone to see if it has become hard. Use the test results to modify your procedure. As I recall, that is not a simple part. It will need preheating and slow cooling. I'm thinking an electrode with a flux like E7018 might work, if it is steel. And as always, pics are nice!

Here are a few photos of the broken radiator support bracket from my CAT22, 2F5209. Sounds like it will not be a simple weld repair. I am guessing that it is cast iron, not cast steel, but will check with the spark test. The only impact on functionality of the bracket is that one of the radiator mounting bolt holes is broken out, so the radiator will not have full support when mounted. I can probably make do with it as it is, but wanted to make it look pretty if it was going to be easy to repair it.

Hi Ray,
I have a like new support, cleaned and painted if you need one.
Scott

Pulling apart our old D7 I believe the previous owners must have been good welders because many brackets and other parts have various weld applied to them.

In the main they used bronze and that part you have should bronze weld easily.

I would also try a low hydrogen rod with short welds and light conditioning by tapping the hot weld with a nail punch.

Looks to be more grey like cast tho, and if so it will require a lot more attention such as per heating, slow cooling, cast rods etc.

Bronzing should do the trick and keep the weld mass high on the back unseen side to provide greater strength.

You never know if you don't have a go!