Welding on a car and protecting items like the ECU

[Mac68]

I've bought myself a 2010 997 C2S, which I'm loving.
I bought it knowing it needs a few jobs, 3 exhaust/bolts have snapped and the front suspension is slightly clunky.

I'm intending to replace the droplinks and from experience with my previous car I know that you often need to resort to cutting the swivel head off the droplink, which reveals a hex nut, which can apply the impact wrench applied to, to free up the corrosion.

So whilst planning this job in my head I wondered what would happen if you cut off the swivel part of the droplink off and there wasn't a hex for the impact wrench?

Could I simply weld a nut to the end of the droplink and not damage any electronics OR should I take precautions like disconnecting the battery?

What sort of risk am I taking with welding on the car?

Welded plenty of items but nothing attached to a car.

Thx

 

[stichill99]

welding

Definetely disconnect the battery.

 

[Alex]

Re: welding

Definetely disconnect the battery.

:agree:

 

[JonnieD]

I'm intending to replace the droplinks and from experience with my previous car I know that you often need to resort to cutting the swivel head off the droplink, which reveals a hex nut, which can apply the impact wrench applied to, to free up the corrosion.

So whilst planning this job in my head I wondered what would happen if you cut off the swivel part of the droplink off and there wasn't a hex for the impact wrench?


Thx

Surely, the best way to replace droplinks, is just to grind them off at each end?

My Indy replaced my droplinks in June, because I swapped my springs. He told me he'd only do the job if I bought new droplinks (the current ones were fine) as he always cuts them off due to likely corrosion.

It sounds like welding would be a sledgehammer to crack a nut, no?!

 

[Mac68]

Re: welding

Definetely disconnect the battery.

:agree:

Thanks for confirming

 

[Mac68]

Re: welding

Definetely disconnect the battery.

Thanks

 

[Mac68]

Surely, the best way to replace droplinks, is just to grind them off at each end?

My Indy replaced my droplinks in June, because I swapped my springs. He told me he'd only do the job if I bought new droplinks (the current ones were fine) as he always cuts them off due to likely corrosion.

It sounds like welding would be a sledgehammer to crack a nut, no?!

My understanding, and from experience on my previous car, is that top bolt on the droplinks, which attaches to the strut, more often than not seizes in the strut. This happens due to galvanic corrosion (I think) and when this happens the only way to remove it is by pulling the droplink connector off, cutting the "ball" off the end of the bolt to leave a hex nut, and then use an impact wrench to free the seized bolt in the strut.

I don't see this bolt could be removed by your garage by simply cutting?

 

[JonnieD]

The corroded bolt can be tapped through once its cut off. Surely that's the quickest way if they are stuck?

That's what my Indy did in June, and charged me very little to do the suspension work so I'm guessing he thinks its the quickest way!

 

[Mac68]

The corroded bolt can be tapped through once its cut off. Surely that's the quickest way if they are stuck?

That's what my Indy did in June, and charged me very little to do the suspension work so I'm guessing he thinks its the quickest way!

On my previous car "tapping" and then belting it with a lump hammer wouldn't shift it.

I put a couple of nuts on to protect the thread and gave it some welly but no joy. On that car I ended up cutting ball off to get to the nut and then bought a heavy duty impact wrench, which moves the bolt and then it can knocked out.

I suppose it depends how they old they and what sort of conditions the car's been driven in etc.

Thanks

 

[gizlaroc]

The corroded bolt can be tapped through once its cut off. Surely that's the quickest way if they are stuck?

That's what my Indy did in June, and charged me very little to do the suspension work so I'm guessing he thinks its the quickest way!

AWD 911s have a traditional drop link so you can do what you suggest.

The suspension carrier bolt is however a pig to remove as it seizes, steel and alloy fuses together.

On RWD 911 the drop link is combined with the suspension carrier bolt, hence why they are such a pig to remove.


It is often easiest/quickest to remove the whole wheel carrier and do it on a bench rather than spend hours fighting it while attached to the car.

8 hours to replace fused drop links is not unheard of.