Question: I am looking at buying a welder for my personal use. I have never welded before, but have read everything I can on the subject, and am comparing two different welders-the Hobart Handler 140 MIG welder and the Lincoln Electric SP-135T MIG welder. My questions are: 110-volt versus 120-volt, what is the difference? What does weld thickness mean, what material can they weld, and can a 110-volt welder build a full chassis and rollcage for an off-road 4x4.
Dustin
via 4wheeloffroad.com
Answer: I received your question just as I was talking to Caleb Krisher, the manager of Product Development at Hobart Welders. I ran it past him and here are his answers.
110 volt versus 120 volt: Both manufacturers are referring to the input power coming from your garage or shop outlets, which over the years has been called 110, 115, and 120 volts. It's all the same, and this number should have no bearing on one brand over another. However, there is a difference between a 110-120-volt machine and the more powerful 220-230-volt machines. If you have a 230-volt outlet in your house for the oven or an electric clothes dryer, all you need is an electrician to run another cable from the power box in your basement to your garage and install the receptacle.
Weld Thickness ratings usually refer to the thickest mild steel that can be welded with this model using a single-weld bead technique. You may be able to weld thicker steel, but it will require multiple passes or multiple beads to get welds that completely penetrate and join the steel with adequate holding power.
What Materials? Both the Hobart and the Lincoln you are considering are set up for welding mild and stainless steel right out of the box. If you want to weld aluminum, you really should step up to a welder that is powered by 220/230 volts and purchase a spool gun. Aluminum wire is so soft it will "bird nest" at the drive rolls inside the welder, while a spool gun puts the drive rolls inside the gun, and only pushes the wire about 6 inches to the weld zone. You would also find that a 110/115-volt unit just doesn't have enough power to weld aluminum in what is called "spray transfer."
Chassis and Rollcages: A 110-volt unit can weld a full chassis or rollcage as long as the material is 1/4 inch or less. However, the additional power of a 220-volt machine can make up for weaknesses in your welding technique, metal preparation, and the like. After all, your life is on the line when you're wheeling. Is it worth spending $700 on a 220-volt unit instead of $400 on a 110-volt unit to ensure adequate welds? We say yes.
As for which brand to buy, well, it would be wrong to assume Caleb wouldn't recommend his own Hobart team. However, there are three leading brands in the U.S. that manufacture strong, industrial quality products-Hobart, Miller, and Lincoln. You usually can't go wrong with one of these. Depending on which model you're comparing, each manufacturer has some benefit over the other at different price points. That being said, remember that Hobart is the official welder of our Ultimate Adventure, so they recognize the value and interests of off-roaders, and their Hobart Handler 187 is a great all-around 220/230 machine and available online at www.northerntool.com for under $700.
Question: I've got a couple of old Broncos ('78 and '79) and I wheel them in the Silver Lake sand dunes here in Michigan. I drive from my house to the dunes and that's a good stretch of highway. I've heard about the STAK transfer case from you guys and I see they have one with Overdrive in it. I called the company and they said it'll bolt right into my Broncos. Do you feel it is a viable alternative for Overdrive in older vehicles like my Broncos?
Mike
via 4wheeloffroad.com
Answer: I have a STAK three-speed transfer case in my red Chevy and I love it, but it does have a few issues compared to other transfer cases I've used. First, the massive gears inside, which give it so much strength, are very loud at highway speeds. This is not an issue when you have a loud engine and loud mud tires, and other users have told me their cases were quiet. If you are daily driving this Bronco you might get annoyed compared to a quiet chaindrive case. As for the performance of the case, I love having multiple gears to play with, and I think the Overdrive version would be excellent for your application. The only thing I wish was that the Overdrive STAK had a lower middle gear, as it currently has 0.79:1, 4.33:1, and 1:1 ratios. I wish that 1:1 was more like 2:1 for slightly lower gearing.
Question: I'm building a rock buggy in my barn and it has a Dana 300 transfer case and a Dana 44 front axle. I really like the way Toyota driveshafts attach with flanges instead of yokes, and I have found a Toyota driveshaft that I think is the perfect length. I've heard that the Toyota U-joints are pretty strong. Is there a kit that allows me to bolt this driveshaft to both the Dana 44 and the Dana 300?
Gary N.
via 4wheeloffroad.com
Answer: InchWorm (530.677.8111, www.inchwormgear.com) and High Angle Driveline (530.877.2875, www.highangledriveline.com) both offer a flange kit for the Dana 44, and both have the same spline count as the Dana 300 and should work there as well.