Can motor be welded

B

Bman1116

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Hi my question is can the skyhawk motor be welded I just got a replacement motor and they sent me a motor made to fit a oversized bicycle frame my problem is that I have a skyhawk gt2a bicycle frame with the built-in motor mount and built-in gas tank but the built-in motor mount is made to fit the small front motor mount on the motor so I need to weld on a piece of steel to the motor so I can bolt it to my frame
 
U can not weld steel to aluminum but u could get a piece of aluminum and make it happen u will need to change your spool and change from 75/25 to full argon for your shielding gas
 
Welding these cheap aluminum case is not easy and you sure have to have the proper welder and know how to weld then it is only going to be so good. I have the same problem you do with my second build. To me all it looks kike I have to do to install my genuine Gurbee SkyHawk is to drill the holes out a little for the bigger 8mm studs and move then out a little.
 
Your problem is that the front studs of our motor won't fit the welded frame mount? Just make what I call a transition plate. (Rectangle of thick mild steel.) Both the engine to the plate and bolt the plate to the frame. Just measure your holes carefully and keep things centered.

Through personal experience, I don't trust those frame mounts. Mine broke. Also, they force the placement of the engine. At the very least I would use some angle iron pieces to shore up the motormount and attach it separately to the downtube. Might be best to just chop the frame mount off to ensure a perfect engine placement. Those 1 1/2" muffler mounts from the auto store are a great way to attach the engine to the downtube.
 
Welding the frame would not be a problem but he is talking about welding the motor case.
 
if you need to ask, you don't have the skills. welding aluminum is difficult in the best of situations, this mystery metal stuff is impossible if you don't know what you're doing.

based on your welding steel to aluminum idea, I'm going to go out on a limb and say you don't know what you're doing.
 
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ditto that... theres an art to welding aluminium(though easy once you know how), and using a MIG just doesnt do it. unless you like bird turds?

it really needs a TIG, and not just any TIG. it has to be AC capable... and theres no guarantee that it wont crack in the first five minutes...

but at the price welders charge...take the other cheaper options...make adaptor plates. four holes in a piece of steel is far cheaper than the $50 to $100 the pro would charge you.
 
Transition plate is the way to go.

I have welded to the aluminum cylinder before. AC capable TIG is a must and argon gas or argon with a little helium. I was showed a nice trick by a master at our garage. You should heat the aluminum object with a torch just before welding. Not real hot, not red, not even really too hot. Just good and hot. Then the aluminum takes the donor aluminum rod quickly and makes a perfect puddle. Worked like a charm. Before that, I had clumps of aluminum that were sitting there not knowing where to go. After using the torch to make it hot, the aluminum I added immediately went from spherical blob on the surface to being immediately absorbed into the surface with perfect unification. I recommend lot's and lots of practice welding aluminum before ever trying it on a useful part that you need to fix or modify. You will just ruin something. Even an experienced TIG welder that works with aluminum will have a better chance not to ruin it if they have a peice of the same metal to practice on...

I've made lots of adaption plates and avoid welding whenever possible. I cut wide strips of 0.8mm thick stainless steel and used them as clamps that the engine bolts to and connects to the frame. It doesn't require a very beefy connection at all. These are not dragster engines, lol)))
 
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