PDA

View Full Version : Welding cracked pipe


fireburns99
10-04-2006, 11:50 AM
What is the most effective way to weld a cracked pipe. I bought a used sparks pipe and it was run on a walsh frame prior, and i guess it had rubbed. So now there is a hairline crack in it right where it bends around the frame.
I've welded enough to know that anything with chrome doesn't weld well, so is there a good way to strip it off? I was going to get it rechromed. Thanks guys.
wykyd z400
10-04-2006, 12:38 PM
I once had a pipe on a yz that cracked. I had it brazed (sp?).
fireburns99
10-04-2006, 01:08 PM
I thought about brazing, but i wasn't sure if it would hold up to the heat. I thought welding might be a longer lasting solution. But maybe it will hold up, I'll have to look into that.
wykyd z400
10-04-2006, 01:17 PM
Mine held up ok, and it was close to the head itself.
fireburns99
10-04-2006, 01:25 PM
ok, i'll check on that. Thanks for the advice!
C-LEIGH RACING
10-04-2006, 03:28 PM
If your going to braze it, drill a very small hole at each end of the crack to keep it from going any farther & pile the brazing on, dont leave it too thin. A pipe viberates quite a bit & sometimes brazing will crack back open if not piled on.
Neil
KY250r
10-04-2006, 10:45 PM
TIG Weld it.
wilkin250r
10-05-2006, 12:58 AM
After all is said and done, chrome is still just a "plating". It's not all that thick.

You obviously have to ask yourself how terribly important it is for you to have a shiny new-looking pipe. You could just strip the chrome in the area of the weld, but then you have a bare spot. The pipe would be mechanically sound, but it certainly wouldn't look "new".

A new chrome plating would look like a brand new pipe. Nobody is going to notice (or care) about a small weld near the bend if the coating is new and looks really sharp. But in order to get there, you need to sandblast the chrome off the entire pipe, get it welded, and then re-chrome it. You can't just chrome a small spot, it's all or nothing.
csr250r
10-05-2006, 06:21 AM
i have had to weld on a few snowmobile pipes and i just put a piece of metal over the crack and tiged the piece of metal on. my tip is be careful to make sure the welder is set really low or els you will burn right through.
fireburns99
10-05-2006, 07:51 AM
I realized that i would have to get the whole pipe re-chromed, but i just wasn't sure what was neccessary to remove the old chrome. Thanks for all of the advice.
TheFontMaster
10-05-2006, 04:49 PM
Like most people have been saying TIG welding it is the way to go. Just make shure it's at a low setting, and take your time with it cause that is some thin metal on those pipes.
ieatglue
10-05-2006, 08:24 PM
there may be a problem getting it rechromed. when i took a pipe to get it done they told me that it had to be completely clean, inside and out or they could not dip it. its not too easy to clean the inside of a two stroke pipe. check with the chrome people first.
ieatglue
10-05-2006, 08:48 PM
there may be a problem getting it rechromed. when i took a pipe to get it done they told me that it had to be completely clean, inside and out or they could not dip it. its not too easy to clean the inside of a two stroke pipe. check with the chrome people first.
A A R O N
10-06-2006, 04:04 PM
Originally posted by sponge_bob
there may be a problem getting it rechromed. when i took a pipe to get it done they told me that it had to be completely clean, inside and out or they could not dip it. its not too easy to clean the inside of a two stroke pipe. check with the chrome people first.

It seems to me like they could block the ends off somehow since the inside shouldn't be chromed anyway.