Welding Requirements

TB 9-2510-242-40

(3) Welded Members. Depending upon the extent of damage, a welded-on frame member may be cut out and

replaced or repaired while in place. Cutting may be accomplished by grinding. If material is to be cut by carbon arc air

gouging, remove CARC paint from the heat-affected area using an appropriate wire wheel and respirator.

s shall be made by certified steel and/or aluminum welders.

d. Welding Requirements. There are five basic requirements for frame welding repairs:

(1) All weld shall be made by certified steel and/or aluminum welders.

(2) Use arc welding procedures for joining weldable steel and aluminum members.

(3) Use filler materials that matches the parent metal.

(4) Use intermittent (skip) welds to allow for proper joint cooling, to minimize concentrations of internal stresses

resulting from welding, and to avoid frame warping. Size, length, and space between welds will be specified

in the trailer Frame drawings.

(5) Round all welded corners to avoid stress risers and subsequent weld cracks.

In addition, MIL-STD-1261C(MR), 20 January 1988, prescribes the classification and welding processes used in arc

welding construction steels, and shall be made available to welders. It contains updated information to cover the state-

of-the-art by including additional welding i processes with referenced matching filler metal to reflect current industry

practices.

e. Bolts and Rivets. Use new bolts, washers, and locknuts when installing repaired/replaced members. Remove

rivets with an appropriate tool, such as the rivet buster, and replace with a new bolt, washer, and nut. Ream the rivet

hole to the proper size for the replacement bolt. (The rivet buster may be fabricated from a 7/8 or 1-inch cold chisel

ground to an edge of approximately 55'. The point should be ground to have a flat side that rests on the surface of the

component. Attached to an air hammer, it makes a very efficient tool for removing rivets without damaging the hole.)

In bolted repairs, more plate should be used compared to welded repairs, to compensate for comparatively lower

strength of a bolted configuration. Bolt spacing and diameter are critical for producing a strong joint design. Bolt spacing

should not be less than 3 inches center to center for up to 1/2 bolt size, that is the most commonly used bolt for trailer

frame repairs.

f. Buckled, Wrinkled, Mangled Segments. Do not straighten segments of members which are buckled, wrinkled,

or mangled. Members and/or segments with this type of damage must be replaced. Metal damaged this way stretches

greatly at each bending point; its original strength cannot be restored even though it can be restored to its original shape.

It may be more economical to remove the member with the damaged segment and replace the entire member, rather

than attempting to replace the damaged segment only.