Welding a custom bumper.

Cdills · Aug 12, 2012

I am starting a custom bumper build on my 2009 f350. I am going to have to tack weld the bumper together on the truck. Am I going to be safe to just unhook the batteries while I'm welding to protect the electronics? Or, is there more I need to do prior to welding the bumper on the truck? Any tips offered would be a great help.

kadeninabnitt · Aug 12, 2012

I've welded on my truck before and forgot to unhook batterys and its still alive.

Michael10 · Aug 12, 2012

AS long as the batteries are u hooked u shouldnt hurt any of your computers. I would unhook both tho that away u do not send any type of signal to your computer, and take the chance of frying it.:fordoval:

Tx_Powerstroke · Aug 12, 2012

Michael10 said:
AS long as the batteries are unhooked you shouldn't hurt any of your electronics. I would unhook both though, that away youu do not send any type of signal to your computer, and take the chance of frying it.:fordoval:

Fixed it for ya drunkie:blitzed:

jdiesel_us · Aug 12, 2012

I would unhook both batteries. I welded on a prior truck and cooked the ecm. I had no problem with the ground being good enough to weld with but a computer guru I work with took apart my old ecm and you could see the burn marks on the boards.

SSpeeDEMONSS · Aug 12, 2012

I always forgot to unhook the batteries and my 6.0 was always fine but I would just to be safe.

Garrett

encrypted with an enigma machine

Ipkyss · Aug 12, 2012

The only time I have seen an issue was with a stick welder in a shop. Ground on the front of the truck, welding on the rear. I have mig welded on hundreds of things without ever having an issue. Never even pulled a batt cable. I alway just keep the ground as close as possible to what I am welding.

Tx_Powerstroke · Aug 12, 2012

I'd disconnect them only takes a few minutes to be on the safe side of things.

713Diesel · Aug 13, 2012

Unhook them for sure. My buddy just burnt up the NAV on his truck.

tensixniner · Aug 13, 2012

Ford has a procedure for welding/cutting on the truck. It's a bit more than disconnecting the batteries.

https://www.fleet.ford.com/truckbbas/non-html/Q123R2.pdf

Which can be found here ...

https://www.fleet.ford.com/truckbbas/topics/hotinfo.html

Crack85 · Aug 14, 2012

tensixniner said:
Ford has a procedure for welding/cutting on the truck. It's a bit more than disconnecting the batteries.

https://www.fleet.ford.com/truckbbas/non-html/Q123R2.pdf

Which can be found here ...

https://www.fleet.ford.com/truckbbas/topics/hotinfo.html

oh wow!!! good stuff!!!!

Cdills · Aug 15, 2012

Thanks for the link tensixniner.

STROKEDOUT · Aug 15, 2012

Tensixniner glad you posted that from the body builders manual. When Ford went to from the 7.3 to the 6.0 things got complicated with the on board computers. We found out the hard way on a 2004 6.0, fried the instrument cluster. That was 2K later. :doh:

NCfarmboy · Aug 16, 2012

Ipkyss said:
The only time I have seen an issue was with a stick welder in a shop. Ground on the front of the truck, welding on the rear. I have mig welded on hundreds of things without ever having an issue. Never even pulled a batt cable. I alway just keep the ground as close as possible to what I am welding.

Bingo, that's the key. I've welded on hundreds of trucks/jeeps. Have a clean ground area, and keep the ground close to what you're welding