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Author Topic: Removing spot-welded things?  (Read 7275 times)

bmwman91

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Removing spot-welded things?
« on: July 13, 2006, 01:17:28 AM »
OK, with my COP conversion, I removed the coil packs on the fender.  The brackets are ugly just sitting there.

So, anyone ever removed spot-welded things before without destroying stuff?  I was thinking hack-saw as close to the welds as possible, aircraft snippers, and a grinder to clean it off.  Then some sanding, primer, and paint.

Discuss!

PS
This would leave sooooooooo much room for a turbo manifold/turbocharger it is RIDICULOUS!
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Katz Tsubai

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Removing spot-welded things?
« Reply #1 on: July 13, 2006, 08:47:32 AM »
Anyone of these help?  

http://eastwood.resultspage.com/search?p=Q&ts=custom&w=spot+weld+remover

I'm new to M42-powered cars, so I don't know which spot weld you're talking about (I'll look at my car later).
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dino245

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Removing spot-welded things?
« Reply #2 on: July 13, 2006, 09:06:57 AM »
Unfortunatly the brackets are not spot welded but welded with filler metal so just drilling out the spot welds wont help. I would sudjest a dye grinder to remove this filler metal and grind down the bracket at the mounting points. Good luck. By the way I want one of those COP brackets you made BMWMAN91, and I am patiently awaiting the maf kit.
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bmwman91

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Removing spot-welded things?
« Reply #3 on: July 13, 2006, 09:56:33 AM »
Quote from: dino245
Unfortunatly the brackets are not spot welded but welded with filler metal so just drilling out the spot welds wont help. I would sudjest a dye grinder to remove this filler metal and grind down the bracket at the mounting points. Good luck. By the way I want one of those COP brackets you made BMWMAN91, and I am patiently awaiting the maf kit.


Haha yeah I know the MAF has been a thorn in my toe.  I guess I just need to ship out some units and see what people think.  I am one of those people that wants it to be like 100% perfect, which just aint gonna happen.  The big thing was the power hesitation between 4200 & 4500RPM.  The COP conversion seems to have made it go away, but I still have to try it with the MAF on there.  The bracket is still being worked on.  I will be making V2 of it maybe this weekend.

I didn't see any bead welds on there, it looked like 2 spot welds on each.  Well, I guess they were bumpier than most spot welds I have seen.  You think there were little holes drilled in the brackets and they seam-welded them onto the fender rather than spotting?  Possible I guess.
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dino245

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Removing spot-welded things?
« Reply #4 on: July 13, 2006, 01:38:43 PM »
I like the seam welded idea, it looks like that.
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D. Clay

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Removing the coil bracket.
« Reply #5 on: July 13, 2006, 01:54:59 PM »
Quote from: bmwman91
I didn't see any bead welds on there, it looked like 2 spot welds on each.  Well, I guess they were bumpier than most spot welds I have seen.  You think there were little holes drilled in the brackets and they seam-welded them onto the fender rather than spotting?  Possible I guess.
Most body panels are welded that way - usually with a MIG welder and small wire. One piece is solid and the other has holes. The hole is about .25" and you weld around the hole. It's filled in the process. Several methods are used to remove pieces.
1) Drill out the fused area. Leaves a hole.
2) Grind through the bracket until it's thin enough in the welded area to remove but doesn't damage the fender apron.
3) Use a spot weld air chisel -  http://www.tools-plus.com/atd5703.html then grind the apron smooth. You have to bend up the piece to get the chisel in between the pieces far enough.
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bmwman91

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Removing spot-welded things?
« Reply #6 on: July 13, 2006, 02:36:10 PM »
Yeah I want to avoid putting any holes in there.  The chisel is a cool idea, but its a little cramped in there and I would worry about denting stuff up.

Further thought has made me think about sawing/snipping off as much of the brackets as possible.  Then I would take pliers (or a helper) and bend the edges upward as I went at the weld with a hack-saw (between the bracket & fender).  It would be sorta like how you cut the fat & skin off of a salmon fillet...pulling up on the removed material as you cut through at the seam.  I guess that makes sense, right?  (lol it is always easier to describe something than to understand it!)
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2002maniac

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Removing spot-welded things?
« Reply #7 on: July 13, 2006, 07:11:53 PM »
easiest way to remove spot welds is with a 1" cutting wheel in a die grinder.  

A chisel will leave the whole area really ugly looking and the spot weld cutter drills dont work well at all.
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sheepdog

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Removing spot-welded things?
« Reply #8 on: July 13, 2006, 11:13:56 PM »
Angle grinder will be your best friend.

Just go slow and/or have a wet towel handy to keep things cool.
Do it right and you will need some glazing putty/scratch filler and you can prime and paint.
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bmwman91

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Took one for the team...
« Reply #9 on: July 14, 2006, 12:01:47 AM »
Well I just went out & did it this evening.  Was all of like 15 minutes with aircraft snippers, pliers, hackwaw & screwdriver.  A file too.  Yeah, the metal further down on the fender is REALLY thin.  You can see the hole from where the little bracket to seemingly nothing was spotted on & tore out some fender.  I thought about welding a backing plate over the hole on the wheel-side, but it is so thin it would just burn through.  I applied Bondo, and tomorrow afternoon I will sand & paint after it has cured fully.

I'll make a writeup about this at some point.  It is half as much a lesson in what not to do...don't pull hard on the bracket when its welded to thin metal!

http://www.e30tuner.com/projects/images/cop/bmw071.jpg

http://www.e30tuner.com/projects/images/cop/bmw072.jpg

http://www.e30tuner.com/projects/images/cop/bmw073.jpg

http://www.e30tuner.com/projects/images/cop/bmw074.jpg

http://www.e30tuner.com/projects/images/cop/bmw075.jpg

http://www.e30tuner.com/projects/images/cop/bmw076.jpg

http://www.e30tuner.com/projects/images/cop/bmw077.jpg

http://www.e30tuner.com/projects/images/cop/bmw078.jpg

http://www.e30tuner.com/projects/images/cop/bmw079.jpg

http://www.e30tuner.com/projects/images/cop/bmw080.jpg
« Last Edit: July 14, 2006, 12:04:29 AM by bmwman91 »
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zerofreez

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Removing spot-welded things?
« Reply #10 on: July 14, 2006, 06:15:05 AM »
NICE!  I like the last pic, thats how mine is going to look minus the impact sensor.  The circle where the reciever dryer used to chill at will be a perfect spot for tubing to go through.
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nickmpower

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Removing spot-welded things?
« Reply #11 on: July 14, 2006, 02:07:58 PM »
Quote from: bmwman91
Haha yeah I know the MAF has been a thorn in my toe.  I guess I just need to ship out some units and see what people think.  I am one of those people that wants it to be like 100% perfect, which just aint gonna happen.  The big thing was the power hesitation between 4200 & 4500RPM.  The COP conversion seems to have made it go away, but I still have to try it with the MAF on there.  The bracket is still being worked on.  I will be making V2 of it maybe this weekend.

I didn't see any bead welds on there, it looked like 2 spot welds on each.  Well, I guess they were bumpier than most spot welds I have seen.  You think there were little holes drilled in the brackets and they seam-welded them onto the fender rather than spotting?  Possible I guess.


sorry for the off topic but i read somewhere that having a cone filter right before a maf can disrupt its ability to read the amout of air since it has to come in through all sides of the filter. Maybe this was the problem and you can fit some tubing or something between the maf and filter? is it richening or leaning out at those rpm's? and any hopes for a bigger maf? the e36 ones could be had for like $50 on car-part.com, and would probably look and fit pretty good
« Last Edit: July 14, 2006, 02:25:28 PM by nickmpower »
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bmwman91

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Removing spot-welded things?
« Reply #12 on: July 14, 2006, 02:57:04 PM »
Quote from: nickmpower
sorry for the off topic but i read somewhere that having a cone filter right before a maf can disrupt its ability to read the amout of air since it has to come in through all sides of the filter. Maybe this was the problem and you can fit some tubing or something between the maf and filter? is it richening or leaning out at those rpm's? and any hopes for a bigger maf? the e36 ones could be had for like $50 on car-part.com, and would probably look and fit pretty good

My design partner & I suspected a rich-condition.  From our tests, the sensor output was perfectly stable with the filter right on it...to our amazement.  It is plenty big as it is, any larger is totally unnecessary.  $50 for 36 ones!?  Sheesh I wish I had known about that!  Which models are these from?  All the ones I have looked at (just now) are like $150 - $300!
« Last Edit: July 14, 2006, 02:59:39 PM by bmwman91 »
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nickmpower

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Removing spot-welded things?
« Reply #13 on: July 14, 2006, 03:30:06 PM »
idk if you are talking about new or used, but im talking used. Just go to car-part.com then search for the air flow meter for a 1995 325 in all areas. First laugh that the price at the top and the name of the place selling it, then go to like the 9th and 10th pages
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bmwman91

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Removing spot-welded things?
« Reply #14 on: July 14, 2006, 05:57:51 PM »
Aaah, ok.  I was looking on the first page.  As long as they can guarantee it works I am good.
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