Cobra4B

Installing the ultrasheld in the panoz using the seat mounts I had for the corvette. Had to drill new holes to meet up w/ the panoz chassis and the rear bolt heads are not accessible with the seat in. The bolts go down through the frame and use a lock nut under the car.

So.... I need to bolt heads tacked in place so I can tighten the nut on them. The seat rails are aluminum. Joey at Stock or Modified didn't have the rigth welding rod and the weld he tried popped right off.

Do generic muffler places like big al's carry the stuff to do a tack weld on aluminum?

execelon

No, they use mig set ups which are hardly ever used when welding aluminum (it's tuff to do) i would swing by abacus and talk to chuck. i'm sure they could do it really quick they have a nice tig set up in the back



edit: i'm sure you know RJ why not get him to do it?

Fabrik8

I wouldn't weld on the seat rails unless you really have to, if they're aluminum and are heat treated or forged you're going to substantially weaken them (or warp them).. That being said, if you're determined to do this, get someone to Tig weld a small piece of plate to the seat rail to lock the flat on the bolt head in place. Even better, do it on both sides of the bolt head so there will be less shear force per plate. Just blobbing some filler rod around the head is going to make too much heat locally and might warp the seat rail, but a neat beat on the edge of a piece of plate won't do too much damage probably.

Another solution is to get one of the stamped steel locking plates that are designed for this, they are a teardrop (one small mounting hole) or football (two small mounting holes) shape usually, with a hex cutout for the bolt head. All you have to do is slide it over the bolt head and drill and tap the small hole(s), and you have a locked bolt.

This is the best I could find in 5 minutes, it's similar to what I'm talking except that it's threaded instead of having a hex recess for the bolt head. You probably get my drift though..

Cobra4B

^ Link to this device you speak of? I'm really only trying to tack the bolt head in place... no major welding, just a tiny little tack. However the thing your talking about souds exactly like what I want.

Here's what I'm working with:


I just want the rear bolt head to stay put.

Cobra4B

Can't find anything via google on a bolt head lock. I seriously only want one little tack to hold the head in place... not go around the entire bolt.

I'd like to be able to cut the tack w/ my metal cutting wheel should I ever need to remove the bolt.

I just want it to not turn while I install the nuts below.

Fabrik8

Holy shit, don't worry about weld distortion, I didn't know you were dealing with 1/4" plate.. I'd still tack a little piece of 1/8" plate in place on either side of the bolt head if you want fast and cheap. I'll have to think about this.

execelon

you do realize you can't weld the steal bolt to the aluminum bracket? i'd just have two small plates welded on either side of the bolt thus holding it still. and if you do have a problem with it popping up. you can use a panhead style screw to hold it down.

Cobra4B

^ Gotcha... makes sense... I get it now. I'll do that and tape over the bolt head so it doesn't pop up when I put my seat in the car.

Verbal

JB weld. When i mounted JEG's seats in my samurai i had the same issue. You can put a little jb weld on it and when it cures it won't move. I also built some out on the outter edge to be safe. (It may have been a Sammi, but we know they love to roll.....literally.)

Kinda backwoods style, but it would work and can be done at home in 10 minutes (minus cure time, obviously)

Cobra4B

^ Hmmm... I thought about that... I have special metal epoxy too.