Which rod for the job

pat32rf · Jul 5, 2012

After about 4000hrs of playing with our native rock the bucket on my JD4300 has started to show problems. The bottom has been forced up in the center, where it is a single layer and has started to crack at the old crease.
I have used a anvil under it and a big body hammer to reshape it and now want to weld the cracks and add some 3/8x1 1/2 strips to the outside bottom. There are two factory strips of 1/8x 2" down there now but they are 3' apart, leaving the center area kinda weak.
I have a choice of 6011, 6013, 7014 or 7018 on the shelf. Might even find some 7028 if I dig farther, and either AC (Lincoln buzzbox) or a small DC electronic to melt them with. The bucket is off and everything will be horizontal.
I'm a 40yr amateur welder with a couple of college welding courses under my belt a long time ago but don't know if the 70xx rod is going to give me a weld that will crack instead of flex with the soft bucket metal....

nybirdman · Jul 5, 2012

6011 will be a lot better if there is rust,7018 alot stronger but everything needs to be rust free.

killdozerd11 · Jul 5, 2012

7018 rod if it's dirty or what ever clean with a stringer bead wire brush fit up and burn it

AKwelder · Jul 5, 2012

I would use 7018 or 7014 ( they are low hydrogen rods and would be best) add some preheat and it will be fine.

yomax4 · Jul 6, 2012

Perfect opportunity to use up some of the old rods or open packages. Clean it up and weld. All will work.

Gary Fowler · Jul 6, 2012

7018 is more ductile and will allow more flex without breaking. The strips are for wear pads and not for reinforcement as primary component although they will give a bit of strength to the bucket bottom. The bottom of the bucket shouldnt be used as a hammer to pound stuff with, they are designed for digging only with the cutting edge. If you are going to be pounding rocks with it, you might look at putting in a 3/8" solid steel reinforcement plate under the bottom.

rankrank1 · Jul 6, 2012

AKwelder said:
I would use 7018 or 7014 ( they are low hydrogen rods and would be best) add some preheat and it will be fine.

For the record: 7018 is a low hydrogen rod (if and only if it is kept in a sealed factory vaccumed tin or when opened if kept in a rod oven). 7014 is NOT a low hydrogen rod regardless of how it is stored.

I love 7014 as it is an "idiot rod" type of performer for those who lack welding skills like me but maybe not the absolute best choice for this repair. I would use 6011 and then cap pass the 6011 with 7018AC if I had any on hand which I usually do NOT. 6011 is very ductile so would work well. (7018AC is slightly easier to use than plain ole 7018 which is why I would use it)

Oliver1655 · Jul 6, 2012

As previously stated all will work, but I would weld the backing strips on the bottom of the bucket first to minimize the tendency for the thin edges of the cracks to burn through.