Welding Foot Pegs on Dirt Bike

[mitchash]

I am restoring a vintage trials motorcycle, it's a 1980 SWM (Speedy Working Motors), it has a Rotax engine. I want to upgrade the foot pegs to the wider newer style. I have a Clark 130EN MIG welder and a Lincoln G8000 welder generator. I haven't done much welding in a long time and would like advice for welding the new foot pegs on my bike(what welder to use, settings, etc.). I'll have to cut the old brackets off and weld the new ones on. Thanks

 

[mitchash]

Here is what the bike should look like when I am done restoring it.

 

[yomax4]

Nice Bike, I'd like to have it !!! You could likely use either one of your welders but if you choose the mig unit, Make sure you run it wide open and no more wire than you really need, You'll have to run a couple practice beads.

 

[jack707]

I would use 7018

 

[txndncowboy]

I'm assuming you've confirmed the new won't fit inside the old mount. The first question I would have is how to get the new separated and not lose the spring tension. Or will it relax when moved all the way around allowing the bolt to just slide out with ease? I can't really tell from the picture. If it's that easy then yes 7018 is the way to go but to be honest I think 6011 would work just fine for this application. I just like 7018 myself because it's just pretty hard to beat.

 

[Big Barn]

I think 7018 is out as the OP mentions he is using MIG. in which case yomax4's advice of "wide open"would be best (with a Clarke 130)

 

[Sodo]

In your pic it looks like you are dealing with steel less than 3/16" thick, which should be no problem.

Heres some pics of a new footpeg bracket I made for a friend who crashed and tore his footpeg off (Suzuki DRZ400). It's welded with a Miller 135 (120v). The bracket material is 1/2" thick, but the 120v welder can handle it because the overall size of the whole mass is pretty small. It's probably the same on your modification, the motorcycle frame just doesn't have the mass to suck heat out, consequently the little 120v MIG probably may be able to keep up. In this case I made the root weld on each side, then quickly went to the cover weld while it was all still good and hot. So kind like a "preheat".

The bracket material you show is less than 3/16", which is well within the capacity of a 130A MIG I'm showing you this because the 1/2" material is almost 3 times thicker than 3/16" - and it can be done and done well. There's always the option of preheating to extend the capacity of a 120v MIG.

I agree with the others who say to make some practice welds on something else before sparking on that restoration project. Probably good to do a full mockup on scrap metal then repeat it on the bike once you are satisfied what you will get.

Another problem some guys run into with 120v MIGS is they plug it into a 15A circuit, but the machine needs about 20A to run at it's max output settings. So they get to welding then the circuit breaker in the basement pops mid-weld. Look at your electrical panel and find a circuit that's 20A. Usually a garage circuit if there's a washing machine outlet is 20A. Sometimes bathrooms, and kitchen outlets are 20Amps. If theres a GFCI on the circuit they can be troublesome. And if you have to use an extension cord it needs to be a thick one, like as big as your pinky. A skinny 10, 12, 15A ext cord might not be enough to run the welder at full amperage. Often the problems people have with their 120V welders are not really the welder, but other factors (and the peanut gallery too :laughing: :laughing: :laughing

 

[not2old]

I do most of my own welding, but when I needed some pegs welded on my dirt bike in order to lower and move them to the rear, I took them to a professional welder as I couldn't take the thought of having them fail at speed. $150.00 for aftermarket pegs and $75.00 for cutting and welding= cheap peace of mind. They are now on my third bike, 12 years later.

 

[mitchash]

I think 7018 is out as the OP mentions he is using MIG. in which case yomax4's advice of "wide open"would be best (with a Clarke 130)

I have both the small MIG and stick welders. I ordered the foot pegs and haven't received them yet (from the UK). The shop I bought them from works exclusively on the older SWM bikes and he said he couldn't find any wider pegs that would just bolt on.

 

[Big Barn]

I have both the small MIG and stick welders. I ordered the foot pegs and haven't received them yet (from the UK). The shop I bought them from works exclusively on the older SWM bikes and he said he couldn't find any wider pegs that would just bolt on.

Oops, sorry. I missed that. (Poor comprehension skills)

Terry