Seamwelding wishbones..... (dumb Q)

I've heard talk of this and before i get my spare mk2 subfame powder coated ready for the abf engine i want to do it. My mate is doing my mk3 seat frames next week so i might take everything down and get him to do it all.

What are the benefits of doing it?
Where exactly is it welded, in the v groove bit?
Should i do anything else while i'm at it?

Anyone got pics?

Is it here i put the red line on this pic?

Edited by: 1990

 

Makes them less likely to flex, stiffens the front up a bit. The only downside I can see is if you kerb the car you`re more likely to bend it as the wishbones act as a weak link up to a point, but not if they`re welded..

 

I`d replace the the gear shift ball as well while you`ve got it all in bits, only a fiver!

 

Thats the one from my old mk2, leftovers from the vr conversion.

Am i right with the red lines?

 

As far as I can remember the wishbones are made of 2 halfs of pressed metal spot wellded together, you need to go around the whisbones welding the two halfs all the way around and in the middle as well.

If you give them to your welder he`ll know what to do, to get the bes out of them you`ll need to fit ploy bushed to the `bones, best left `til after they`ve been welded.

 

Ive done it on mine, to be honest you cant really tell the difference a better mod is polybushes, i'm not saying dont weld the wishbones but if you run seams across each side of the wishbone you may distort the wishbone. Instead run 3 0r 4 seams across each of the 3 sides of the wishbone (in the 'v' groove) then as Keithmac said fit those bushes, the powerflex ones are the best to use bugpack are cheaper but a pain to fit!

 

I had no probs fitting bugpack bushes in my mk2

As Keith says, bump a kerb and the wishbone might not bend if it's welded

 

I do not bump curbs!!!!

I have Amanda to do that for me

 

lol- you thinking of coming to Germany with us then Ian??

 

If i can sweet talk the missus

 

I'd agree witht the rest of the boys. To me the wishbone is sacrificial in an accident, better the wishbone than the chassis leg!

 

i welded the wishbones on my mates skoda favorit rally car (V-similar to vw wishbones), you could tell the difference it made on the rally car but only on really rough stuff.

i welded a strip of steel all the way round the edge of the wishbone rather than just seam welding it.

we hit a lorry tyre at about 80 mph and it just bent the arm (and burst the seals in the leda damper!) but the front subframe and sus turret was ok.

cheers
rob