Welding on my truck

[magrahamkp08]

I ran into an issue installing a motorcycle ramp onto my tailgate. They gave me these rivet nuts that you drill holes into your tailgate and then "press" these rivet nuts into the tailgate and then you can bolt directly to them. They didnt work to well and more than half just spin in the hole and you cant tighten the bolts down.
My plan is to tack weld each of the rivet nuts to the tail and wont ever have to deal with it again. However if im not mistaken if i start welding on my truck, i can fry some of the electronics. Short of completely removing my tailgate, what all do i need to disconnect electrically to safely weld on my truck? Is it just the negative terminal from the battery, or do i need to be concerned about all grounds?

 

[Bondo]

Ayuh,.... I believe that rivet-nuts are aluminum, 'n yer tailgate is steel,....

No weldin' the two together,....

 

[magrahamkp08]

they very well could be aluminum in which case i would cut them out and probably weld steel nuts in its place. The rivet nuts **** and i dont think its worth pulling the old ones and trying again

 

[kmkalf]

If it goes to your tailgate it takes.a minute to remove. Much easier than disconnecting the battery

 

[magrahamkp08]

If it goes to your tailgate it takes.a minute to remove. Much easier than disconnecting the battery

While i think you are probably correct that that is the easier route. at this point i am now curious as to what i do need to disconnect electrically from a car to be able to weld on it

 

[MP&C]

What size is the rivet nut you used? Do you have a picture of the rivet nut used in the kit, and what did you have for an installation tool? I use the AVK style shown in this video, and use the BF Goodrich tool for installation. The AVK's have ribbed serrations along the outer perimeter where the compression takes place to help prevent spinning, and the tool is made for installing the rivet nuts properly. If your "installation kit" came with something like a bolt, a hex nut and a washer to install them then that should answer why you have fasteners spinning..


https://youtu.be/3jrrf_VbTsc


Here is a picture of the AVK style I was referring to....

 

[BD1]

I have never disconnected anything when welding on trucks or cars. You can do more harm by disconnecting especially if it's a newer vehicle. It is imperative to have your ground on or as close to where you are welding. IF your ground clamp is too big get a piece of 10 gauge stranded wire and attach a alligator clip to one end and the ground clamp to the other stripped end wire. The clamp may get warm because of the thin wire but works fine. It's also great for holding a small piece that you are welding to.

 

[magrahamkp08]

They were the avk. But I didn't have a special tool to install
It did only come with a bolt washer etc. and I knew it as I was installing it it was insufficient but what are you going to do. When you need the ramp to load the bike that night.
At this point I'm trying to make the best of my situation.


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[magrahamkp08]

I have never disconnected anything when welding on trucks or cars. You can do more harm by disconnecting especially if it's a newer vehicle. It is imperative to have your ground on or as close to where you are welding. IF your ground clamp is too big get a piece of 10 gauge stranded wire and attach a alligator clip to one end and the ground clamp to the other stripped end wire. The clamp may get warm because of the thin wire but works fine. It's also great for holding a small piece that you are welding to.

Good to know. It's an 05 Silverado 2500 diesel
I thought I remembered reading somewhere you had to disconnect at least the battery before welding. Never had this issue of welding on a vehicle with the motor installed before

If the tailgate is easy enough to remove. I'll probably go that route just to be safe


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[APEowner]

Most tailgates come off with only slightly more effort than it takes to open them.

There's an ongoing debate about leaving the battery connected or disconnecting it when welding on a modern vehicle. I've never seen a manufacturers recommendation but I'm sure there is one. Personally I just make sure I've got a good ground near the weld.

You obviously need to determine the rivnut material before you try to weld them.

 

[MP&C]

What size rivet nuts did you have? I have most SAE sizes in stock and the correct BF Goodrich tool for each size. If you'd like to make a road trip on Saturday, my shop is in Southern MD and get you squared away. Likely you can just use the tool I have to "reset" the ones you installed. No welding required, no paint burned off.....

 

[magrahamkp08]

Off the top of my head I can't remember. And I can't go look at it at the moment to figure it out. But the bolts are stuck in the rivet nuts.
Bolts are going to have to be cut off. To get the ramp off and then go from there to pull rivet nuts out. If they aren't aluminum and I can tack them to the tailgate I can just use channel locks to get the remaining bolt out. If not I'll figure it out on the fly
If I can get everything out no damage to anything but the bolts. I will probably hit you up and get everything squared away. Thanks for the offer


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[ilovevocs]

Cant you take the access panel off on the inside of the tailgate and put a vise grip on the riv-nut to get the screw off?

 

[magrahamkp08]

I hadn't thought of that.
I will look into it


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[mustange70]

I've fried a battery & burned a few fuses before, partly due to faulty vehicle wiring, and once due to wrong grounding. If there is anything that is drawing a current with the key off you can hurt that circuit (such as a draw more than your standard radio memory circuits). Always ground as close to your work as possible, and never place a ground that would have the shortest current distance going through bearings. Since the couple issues I've always pulled the ground cable and haven't ran into issues.

 

[ishiboo]

You CANNOT install a rivet nut without the install tool. It's like under 20 bucks at HF.

The tool pulls the nut straight up without any turning force. If you use a bolt to try and install it, you turn the rivet nut at the same time and those threads made to keep it in one spot end up reaming out the hole.

1. I would install them correctly

2. I wouldn't mind welding on a vehicle with the battery connected

3. The tailgate on all my last trucks was dead simple to remove and took about 5 seconds to take off.

 

[ishiboo]

Yes, the Silverado HD tailgate comes off in 5 seconds. Remove the cables, turn it to a certain angle and lift up on one side (you can see a slot in the round thing where it will lift off) and then it will simply pull out of the other side.