Welding exhaust on-bike, safe?

**CookMySock** · 7th July 2009, 22:28

I took one of our bikes to town to get them to TIG on a little stainless bracket to the exhaust, just to steady it.

The bloke in the stop wouldn't have ANYTHING to do with it. "Take the exhaust off the bike or I won't touch it - welder will fuck the engine et al."

Hrm, I was thinking with the earth clamp directly on the bracket, and with firing the TIG up on the bracket first and moving to the exhaust it would be safe. I spose one slip with the TIG and the current is now through the frame, engine, and exhaust.

Any comments?

Steve

**cowboyz** · 7th July 2009, 22:31

i would have thought that removing the battery terminal (like normal) would have been safe enough. is it different usin tig?

**nallac** · 7th July 2009, 22:36

Originally Posted by cowboyz

i would have thought that removing the battery terminal (like normal) would have been safe enough. is it different usin tig?

Thats what i was thinking to?

**p.dath** · 7th July 2009, 22:41

Any risk of unburnt fuel igniting?

Any risk of electronics on the bike being damaged?

**Ocean1** · 7th July 2009, 22:42

Meh, I'd have done it if you'd have been prepared to accept the slight risk.

Stainless, DC, no real liklihood of damage as long as you turn off the HF start.

**YellowDog** · 7th July 2009, 22:47

That sounds quite strange Steve.

All you are asking for is to have a bracket welded to the frame.

A 5 minute job. No need to cook the bike so it combusts.

Mind you, those Hyosungs ARE made of Vulkan metal from the planet Urrrg.

Perhaps he was right to be cautious!

**Ixion** · 7th July 2009, 23:14

So, gas weld it. Sorted.

**NinjaBoy** · 7th July 2009, 23:29

Had someone weld the swingarm bobbin lug back on the swingarm. Just disconnected the battery terminal to ensure it didn't jump through the ECU. This worked fine without any issues.

**CookMySock** · 8th July 2009, 07:30

Yeah I'm thinking it was a little pedantic. It's possible for the welding current to take a path through the engine if the operator points the torch at the exhaust rather than the bracket, although I think the exhaust collector is solid-bolted to the frame further back.

I don't want to gas weld a 304 stainless bracket to a brand new decorative stainless muffler. It will make a mess of that for sure.

Time to get me a TIG I think. Thanks fellas.

Steve

**imdying** · 8th July 2009, 09:43

They welded up an entire custom exhaust on my SV without any bother, TIG, all stainless. We removed the battery and ECU, and that was it.

**skidMark** · 8th July 2009, 10:55

Its a hyosung... any heat over 100 degrees celsius id imagine the frame would turn into liquid metal...

**Dealer** · 8th July 2009, 11:05

Just use a 12v battery, jumper leads, and a nickel. It worked for McGyver, so should work for you, right?

**hayd3n** · 8th July 2009, 21:32

gas the foocker and polish up up once cold
a decent engineer /welder will do a great job
go in to a exhaust shop they'll sort ya but you might have to do a burn out for them

**Pixie** · 9th July 2009, 09:12

Originally Posted by NinjaBoy

Had someone weld the swingarm bobbin lug back on the swingarm. Just disconnected the battery terminal to ensure it didn't jump through the ECU. This worked fine without any issues.

The problem is earth loop currents.
Current will be greatest through the lowest resistances - copper paths as opposed to frame.
Removing the battery terminal won't protect the electronics as they may have ground points at various places

**Mschvs** · 9th July 2009, 14:14

Originally Posted by DangerousBastard

Yeah I'm thinking it was a little pedantic. It's possible for the welding current to take a path through the engine if the operator points the torch at the exhaust rather than the bracket, although I think the exhaust collector is solid-bolted to the frame further back.

I don't want to gas weld a 304 stainless bracket to a brand new decorative stainless muffler. It will make a mess of that for sure.

Time to get me a TIG I think. Thanks fellas.

Steve

You with a TIG? Now that's dangerous ... you bastard! hehe Make sure you get the family out of the house first! Lol