Radius Arm Welding. Yes? No?

[andersonoverland]

Ok, so I removed my radius arm bushings tonight and used the sawsall technique to get the metal outer collar out that was around the rubber bushing. (Tons of videos on youtube telling you to do it that way) However, when I made the careful cut I accidentally cut into the metal eyelet of the arm itself. This is slightly concerning me but only barely into the metal. Would it be fine to just put a small bead of weld inside it and smooth it out? Or do you think I’m fine to just leave it and press the new bushings in the way it is?

 

[Malleus]

How much is "barely", in feet and inches?

 

[leonard_nemoy]

It sounds like you could leave it. If you don't feel comfortable with that than pick up a used set of arms. They should be cheap.

If it were me I would throw the new bushings in and run with it. Than take your time and pick up a used set of arms for cheap when you can find a set locally. Throw new bushings in the used set and have a spare set ready.

 

[mudgudgeon]

Post a pic of your crimes!

If it's a slight cut, groove, leave it.
I think you'd be safer leaving it rather than welding it, unless tou understand the metallurgy, and correct welding procedure.

A weld could weaken it more than a shallow nick.

If you're really worried about it, find a used replacement

 

[andersonoverland]

Post a pic of your crimes!

If it's a slight cut, groove, leave it.
I think you'd be safer leaving it rather than welding it, unless tou understand the metallurgy, and correct welding procedure.

A weld could weaken it more than a shallow nick.

If you're really worried about it, find a used replacement

Yeah I agree! I think its fine. Just a shallow nick. I’ll post a photo asap.

 

[Marvelicious]

Aren't the arms are forged? I wouldn't recommend welding. It's either worth replacing, or not

 

[Rusty Marlin]

You'd be safer to blend the nick to a smooth surface instead of a sharp corner, and leave it as is, over welding.

 

[CruiserDave]

Cheap hack could be jb weld and then sand it down if it isn't damaged too much. Or just sand the nick smooth like stated above.

 

[lelandEOD]

You start talking about grinding on radius arms and I get flashbacks of the time we we on Rubicon and had to repair a snapped radius arm which had been compromised by too much grinding action.

 

[RuggedOverland]

Ok, so I removed my radius arm bushings tonight and used the sawsall technique to get the metal outer collar out that was around the rubber bushing. (Tons of videos on youtube telling you to do it that way) However, when I made the careful cut I accidentally cut into the metal eyelet of the arm itself. This is slightly concerning me but only barely into the metal. Would it be fine to just put a small bead of weld inside it and smooth it out? Or do you think I’m fine to just leave it and press the new bushings in the way it is?

From this description, if it was my 80 and from what I know you are doing with it so far..... I would make sure to take care of any burrs, smooth it out and install new bushings. If you are talking like a LOT of material, I have extra arms on the side of the house we can talk about.. lol

 

[Rifleman]

Ok, so I removed my radius arm bushings tonight and used the sawsall technique to get the metal outer collar out that was around the rubber bushing. (Tons of videos on youtube telling you to do it that way)

If I'm understanding you right, you pushed out all the rubber, and you were left with nothing but the metal outter bushing ring in the radius arm bore, right?

If that's the case, here's a little trick i learned a long time ago that you can use to remove that ring with no need for a saws all,

If you have access to a stick, mig, or Tig welder just weld a bead about an inch long on the inside of that metal ring, once the weld cools it will shrink that ring just enought and it will push/slide right out of the radius arm bore,

This trick also works to remove pressed in bearing shells/races in blind bores that you have no way of pressing, or pulling out of the bore,