Welding On A New Tractor

[claridon]

There is an excellent long running thread in this forum titled "Repair/mechanic tricks and or tips?". A few of the posts cautioned about welding on a tractor equipped with an Electronic Control Module. Recommendation was made that the battery be disconnected proir to welding to prevent "blowing out" the ECM.
I'm about to weld reinforcing angles and chain hooks and possibly a grapple to the top of my loader bucket on my L3540. Is disconnecting the battery sufficient protection for the ECM? I'm guessing disconnecting the negative battery terminal prevents amperage from feeding into the electronics thru the negative side of the circuit. But I don't know for sure if that's all that's needed or if that's even a correct assumption.
I'm grateful for you guys enlightening me on this BEFORE I blew out my very expensive ECM! At this point I'm asking any of you with the experience or electronics savy to elaborate on the precautions for welding on these fancy new tractors.
Thank you in advance.
-Len Smith

 

[bjcsc]

An extra measure of safety when doing this would be to disconnect the positive and negative leads from the battery. Then take a clamp and clamp the two leads together, metal to metal. If you do a search you'll find that this is the preferred method for welding on vehicles with sensitive electronics.

That said, there would be no worries, and it would be a whole lot easier to simply drop the bucket...

 

[john_bud]

You should be fine, especially doing as the previous poster stated and connect the battery cables.

Also, make sure the ground connection is on the bucket when welding on the bucket. You don't want to arc the pin to bushing!

jb

 

[doxford jim]

There is an excellent long running thread in this forum titled "Repair/mechanic tricks and or tips?". A few of the posts cautioned about welding on a tractor equipped with an Electronic Control Module. Recommendation was made that the battery be disconnected proir to welding to prevent "blowing out" the ECM.
I'm about to weld reinforcing angles and chain hooks and possibly a grapple to the top of my loader bucket on my L3540. Is disconnecting the battery sufficient protection for the ECM? I'm guessing disconnecting the negative battery terminal prevents amperage from feeding into the electronics thru the negative side of the circuit. But I don't know for sure if that's all that's needed or if that's even a correct assumption.
I'm grateful for you guys enlightening me on this BEFORE I blew out my very expensive ECM! At this point I'm asking any of you with the experience or electronics savy to elaborate on the precautions for welding on these fancy new tractors.
Thank you in advance.
-Len Smith

Hi Len,

Why don't you take the bucket off and then do the welding. I have just recently repaired the bucket on my old MF65 - but I removed the bucket. Mine has just three pins and is diconnected in as many minutes. Plus, you get to be able to work on it (bucket) in comfort as you canmove it around to suit your welding position.

Just a thought and it worked well for me - no worries about ECM or engine bearings etc.

Jim

 

[BTDT]

Welcome to TBN. Good luck with the mods on your new tractor. Once you get this done, what projects do you have lined up?

 

[sandman2234]

And if the suggested method doesn't work, what then? Just how much is your time worth taking the bucket off, OR waiting till UPS delivers the wrong, very expensive, broken part that you will have to send back and argue with them over replacement?
I vote remove the bucket!!
David from jax

 

[MJPetersen]

no worries about ECM or engine bearings etc.

Jon Bud was not referring to engine bearings when he made the statement regarding the ground clamp for welding. He was referring to the pins and bushings in the loader arms. If, for example, you attached the ground to the tractor frame and then welded on the bucket. The result is that current at high amperage would travel through the bucket, loader arms, and to the frame. In this process it is highly likely that there would be arcing (welding) taking place in the pin/bushing mating surfaces, which will scar, or otherwise damage them. Then welding on equipment, the rule is ALWAYS connect the ground as close to the weld area as possible.

The suggestions regarding disconnecting the battery cables and connecting them together and having the welding ground clamp close to the weld area will easily be sufficient. However, if you are still uncomfortable, then by all means, take the bucket off and weld on it. The peace of mind, especially on a new tractor, may be worth the extra work involved.

Mike

 

[RoyJackson]

I'd also suggest removing the bucket. If it's a QA type, that's a 30 second operation.

 

[claridon]

Thank you all for the quick replies.
For my particular project I am going to remove the bucket before welding. Although I didn't ask the question very well, I was looking for general guidance regarding protecting the electronics while doing welding on my tractor, and you guys gave me what I was after:
1) Whenever possible, remove the item to be welded, from the chassis.
2) If it can't be removed, protect the ECM by disconnecting both leads from the battery and clamp the ends together.
3) Make welder ground connection close to weld area when welding on the chassis.
Thanks again.
-Len

 

[john_bud]

Len,

Good summary. Follow that and you will have fewer problems.

The only thing to add is that weld quality will be immeasureably better by always grinding down to bare metal to ensure a good ground and contamination free weld.

jb