Welding a bearing bracket to thin tubing

[Decon]

I went and bought a kit of bearings that came with weldable brackets for the back of my kart and the way its done on my friends factory bought kart is they just welded the bracket right up next to the tubing. Im afraid my tubing is too thin though and im almost certian ill burn through it. Would a sleeve over the back part of the tubing work? or what would be the best way to do it?

 

[Doc Sprocket]

If you're concerned about burn-thru, putting the bearing brackets on, then would you have the same concern trying to weld on sleeves or supports?

As long as you can get around the burn-thru problem, the sleeves will work. Make them longer than they have to be, to distribute the loads better over a larger area of the frame instead of concentrating the loads in the one location.

 

[JHen]

How thin is your tube and what kind of welder are you using?

 

[Decon]

were using a mig welder and i cant remember the thickness of the steel and its at my friends house but its less than an 1/8th of an inch and the brackets are id like to say 1/4th inch thick. heres a link to the ones i bought. http://gokartsupply.com/bearings.htm

 

[DCProductions]

I welded my 1/4" brackets to 1/16" wall tubing (maybe a little thicker) with minimal burnthrough. Weld the brackets on with low setting, appropriate to the tubing; even if the weld is weaker than one you would use for 1/4" it will hold because it is appropriate to the weaker tubing. Are you welding them under or over the tubing?

 

[DCProductions]

These are the bearing hanger I welded.

The tubing is very thin, similar to the kind you described, but the kart withstood quite a beating without any signs of fatigue. I think the reason it has worked so well is because they are under the tubing, putting stress upward on it rather than on the welds

 

[Probedude]

Just be very careful, you can do it.

 

[fowler]

set the welder low and focus the heat into the bearing hanger

 

[JHen]

You can also bevel the edges where the hangar meets the tube and make multiple passes. This will give you better penetration of the weld. Just make sure to clean the **** out of the new weld bead before you weld on top of it.

 

[Decon]

ok i think ill bevel the bracket and try that. thanks for the help

 

[Decon]

o and im welding them over the tubing