King cat 162" rails, what type aluminum? weldable?

[SuaveGato]

Hey,
just wondering if anyone knows what type of aluminum the 162" King cat rails are made out of and if it's weldable?
thanks,
biGjOhn

 

[Rixster]

Not sure what grade of aluminum they are built out of but I have welded mine before. I had a few small cracks and a bolt hole get ripped out. Welded all that with no trouble at all.

 

[SuaveGato]

Not sure what grade of aluminum they are built out of but I have welded mine before. I had a few small cracks and a bolt hole get ripped out. Welded all that with no trouble at all.

No kidding? sounds exactly like what I am facing... Have you ridden it much since welding it? No metal fatigue or softening issues etc? Did you use a Tig?

Would it be much trouble to post some pix of your welds for me to check out?

thanks,
biGjOhn

 

[GlennRMK]

Samething happened on my M7

Yes you can weld it.

Find someone locally that can weld aluminum(TIG welding aluminum is not easy!).

 

[SuaveGato]

Samething happened on my M7

Yes you can weld it.

Find someone locally that can weld aluminum(TIG welding aluminum is not easy!).

Fortunatley I have a frined who is a professional welder, works at AeroJet and welds for NASA etc. so if it can be welded, he can do it but he wanted me to get the type (number?) of aluminum for him first if I could. I guess that will tell him how to weld it properly? Anyone know the number of the aluminum?
thanks,
biGjOhn

 

[Rixster]

Yeah thats the exact hole that mine did. I have all of last year of riding on the repairs with no trouble at all. And yeah the guy that did it for me used a tig.

 

[GlennRMK]

I would imagine its probably T6061 T-6 aluminum

That is one of the most common, but I'm not sure what arctic cat is actually using. I don't who would know that besides an Arctic Cat engineer.

 

[SuaveGato]

I would imagine its probably T6061 T-6 aluminum

That is one of the most common, but I'm not sure what arctic cat is actually using. I don't who would know that besides an Arctic Cat engineer.

Thanks Glenn. Do you or anyone else happen to know how I could find out? Can't find anywhere online to contact A/C about it? Wonder if the local A/C shops would know? Doubt they'd ever even try to weld it, they'd just replace though... Hmmmm.

 

[1Mike900]

I am sure it is 6061-T6, But it could be 7075-T6 The 6061 is a little more maleable and cheaper. You should have it welded with no problem. I think that the holes and top of the rail should be radiused to get rid of stressrisers. The top of the rails are sheared I think, As the new ones are all machined, But should be deburred anyways.

Hope this helps
Mike

 

[WILLIS]

John, did u ask redlineBill?

 

[SuaveGato]

Thanks 1mike900, I will forward that data to my welder guy! and yes Willis, I have a call into Bill as well, thanks!

 

[moes670]

If it helps we have tig welded many rails with no ill effects using 4043 filler rod. My vote goes for 6061 on the base material.

 

[spring snow hero]

4043 or 5356 oughta do it.

 

[untouchable]

You could do a Brinell Hardness test, the 6061 will be about 95 and the 7075 will be around 150. Or use an extensometer to find the ultimate tensile strength, 45 ksi for 6061 and 83 ksi for 7075.

or

The fact that they weld relatively close to the same way.

Same tungsten:
Thoriated
ThO2
1.7% to 2.2%

Same Filler:
4043
or 5356

The only diference is the 7075 is going to take more amprage to flow the metal about 150-175 amps for 1/4" rails. I have welded rails before and cool them slowly so as not to get stress cracks, and NEVER quench. Im sure they are 6061-T6. You should be fine, sorry about the smart a$$ remarks at the begining. Best of luck

-Boss

 

[mezz250x]

they are not 7075...that alum will not corrode or turn white like the rails do all the time. More than likely 6061. Just use alot of heat when you weld it so the weld penetrates good, or it will just crack the weld in the same spot as the existing crack. Good luck.

 

[Jut]

My m7 and a friends king both cracked, his twice. This time we ran steel braces down both sides with narrower bolts and hose clamps towards the end to keep from flexing. Works so far. My m7 is only 141 also.

 

[SuaveGato]

My m7 and a friends king both cracked, his twice. This time we ran steel braces down both sides with narrower bolts and hose clamps towards the end to keep from flexing. Works so far. My m7 is only 141 also.

Thanks. Me and a friend (Tony Snow) are also working on fab'ing some kind of additional support to add too. likely a 1" x 1/8 piece inside the I-beam down the length of the rails, that should do the trick!

Thanks everyone for all of your technical input, I will pass it all along to my welder friend and I'm sure he will figure it out from there! I'll post some pics of the "franken rails" repairs when we're done.
THANKS!
biGjOhn

 

[SuaveGato]

Talked to IceAge Mfg. and the guy there said that he uses the same exact alum. as A/C for their rails... 7129. Interesting. Mine are all welded up now, just need to go pick them up from my friend, will post pics when I get them.
thanks again for all the help.
biGjOhn