Welding On Motorhome

Disconnect the batteries and get a good ground for the welding machine. Keep it as close as possible to what ever you are going to weld. Welded for many years.

LOL! Who said it would crystallize the frame? Some of you guys are funny with statements like that.

The only metal that has to be preheated before welded is cast iron and then treated after. If you do not preheat, it will break into hundreds of pieces.

Camper93 wrote:
I used to do this(modifying truck and motor home frames) for a living,you can weld on these frames with out damage to the frame, disconnect all batteries and grind the area to bear metal where you will put the ground clamp for good contact, keep it close to the area you are welding and DON"T forget there is a gas tank close by

I agree with this post and, I have seen larger trucks (Kenworth and Peterbuilts) have welding on the frame done and there was a sticker on the truck frames advising anyone not to weld or drill on the frames. The work was done by our company truck shop before I retired. Most of the trucks that were welded on were wrecked and had the frame rails cut out and extenders installed with no problems.

thanks everyone, it is a workhorse chassis

thanks for the comments and some piece of mind. Everything seemed to be fine when I picked it up and ran most stuff on board. That one post reminded me I had levelers added to a previous coach that had to be welded and bolted on.

From what I understand, the chassis are supplied to the coach manufacturers in very limited sizes. Most coach factories will then add/weld extensions on to the frame to end up with the wheelbase length that they need for the specific coach that will sit on the chassis.
I have done welding on my own chassis without any problems by simply disconnecting the negative battery cable and having a good ground connection very close to the welding area.

I used to do this(modifying truck and motor home frames) for a living,you can weld on these frames with out damage to the frame, disconnect all batteries and grind the area to bear metal where you will put the ground clamp for good contact, keep it close to the area you are welding and DON"T forget there is a gas tank close by

RLS7201 wrote:

Daveinet wrote:
If it is Workhorse, you can not weld the frame. It is in fact heat treated. Workhorse very specifically states do not weld or even drill the frame. People may state that they got away with it, but they didn't ever test the strength of the frame afterword.

Dave you make a good point, but the MH manufactures weld frame extensions to the rear of the frame and weld multiple pieces to the frame to mount the house. When I was touring Tiffin in Red Bay they was MIG welding on both Ford and Workhorse frames with no post weld testing. Why is their welding any different than the owner welding on the frame?

Richard

sure, go for it. I mean what could go wrong?
bumpy

I had four hydraulic jacks brackets welded to my coach this past winter. Unplugged shore power and disconnected the batteries. Ensured the welder kept his ground point as close as possible to where he was welding. No problems with anything in the coach. Ford F53 chassis.

Daveinet wrote:
If it is Workhorse, you can not weld the frame. It is in fact heat treated. Workhorse very specifically states do not weld or even drill the frame. People may state that they got away with it, but they didn't ever test the strength of the frame afterword.

Dave you make a good point, but the MH manufactures weld frame extensions to the rear of the frame and weld multiple pieces to the frame to mount the house. When I was touring Tiffin in Red Bay they was MIG welding on both Ford and Workhorse frames with no post weld testing. Why is their welding any different than the owner welding on the frame?

Richard

Be certain the motorhome is not plugged into the same electrical distribution circuit that the welder is using. the welding current will seek the least resistant way to ground, that may be the coach electrical system.

other wise the only concern will be heat treatment of the frame.