Looks much better OP. Where did you end up going to get it done? What'd it run you?
Given the location of the damage it won't matter much, but that patch looks like crap too.
Vertical welds on a frame are a no-no. Squared off corners become a point of origination for stress risers. Welds have lots of undercut and visible porosity in them.
@csp , you keep throwing dirt on a vertical weld...what is the alternative when you have a vertical joint that needs joined?
A pretty weld doesn't always mean a good weld.
I was curious so
"On light truck frames, the procedure is similar to what was mentioned for tubes.
A crack on a flat surface is reinforced by a diamond shaped plate. Same thickness as parent metal. If the crack is 3" long, make a square that is 3.5" in the diagonal and have the diagonal cover the crack (you will have to grind down the weld - so a 100% penetrating weld is preferred.)
The idea is to spread whatever stresses caused the first crack around a bit.
If you weld a square plate over the crack, with square edges parralel to the crack, the same forces that made the first crack will now be concentrated at the edge of the square plate. If you rotate that square plate 45 degrees, the stress risers will be at 45 degrees to the original crack - effectively spreading them out.
''/\
/ | \
\ | /
_\/
Where the vertical line is the original crack. Call it a diamond, call it a square rotated, (call it a rhombus). whatever. "
http://www.millerwelds.com/resource...s/22010-welding-repairing-cracks-on-car-frame
Vertical weld on the vertical joint with a proper fish plate on the outside. Notice the rounded corners as well.
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I never said a thing about "pretty". However, since you brought it up most of the time a good weld (one void of porosity and undercut for example) IS pretty.
Yes, what feta said.
The site that photo is on must not allow remote linking. Here it loaded to this site.
So would you weld the vertical split shut, grind it flush and then put a patch like that on it?
Vertical weld on the vertical joint with a proper fish plate on the outside.