would like opinions on welding the DMF
- Thread starter HankHill
- Start date
phazertwo
Die Summer DIE!
Sounds like a bad idea to me. Welding creates a lot of heat. Heat changes to properties of metals... allot. Just my .02
PZ
PZ
Dave7.3
Diesel ******
That and wouldn't it throw off the balance of the flywheel itself?
I know some guys have sucessfully done it. In theory, if you make a bunch of small welds evenly spaced around you might make out OK. However, a lot of this depends on your skill as a welder. If you do the Lucky Mod, the skill required is much less. Also, if you opt to weld it, you really should gut it first, like you would with a lucky mod, or there may be noises from the loose and broken parts inside.
tractorman86
Registered User
YI would say no dice, for the same reason phazer mentioned, even if you get it balanced you dont know how it will last
Dave7.3
Diesel ******
TWeatherford
Full Access Member
Search "Lucky Mod" as Agnem suggested. Several on here, including myself, have done it. Basically you gut your DMF, drill the threads out of six existing holes, and put in grade 8 bolts and locknuts to bolt the two halves together. Total cost: just a few dollars, plus your time and you'll need a decent drill press.
towtruckdave
Resident Nutcase
The guy I used to work with welded a DMF in a truck and it worked.
I would not do it except for a total beater.
Also flywheels are like grenades if they crack.
I would not do it except for a total beater.
Also flywheels are like grenades if they crack.
65sixbanger
Full Access Member
I had good luck with it. there is only about 12 welds that are about an inch long. I did it with a millermatic mig and had it pretty hot but didnt get it hot enough to rainbow or warp. I was so glad i did this and hated myself for not doing it in the very beginning. Although, i also have a clutch disc with springs in it..
And yes everybody knows heating a metal up does weaken it, but in all reality, I dont see it cracking.
If you want to get serious on this holding up, 12" times 3.14 is roughly 36''. I wanna see any truck break that bead.
(I might have a foot total.) To test this I dumped the clutch hard and tires went spinnin, also pulled lots of weight and even took it to a truck pull.
And yes everybody knows heating a metal up does weaken it, but in all reality, I dont see it cracking.
If you want to get serious on this holding up, 12" times 3.14 is roughly 36''. I wanna see any truck break that bead.
(I might have a foot total.) To test this I dumped the clutch hard and tires went spinnin, also pulled lots of weight and even took it to a truck pull.
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Dave7.3
Diesel ******
Thanks, I didn't locate it at first until I clicked on the "DMF to SMF conversion" thread in the tech articles. Then I did find the "lucky mod".
Looks like something I will have to consider if my DMF ever gives out...defecater
Full Access Member
I would not hesitate to do it, the type of metal used in flywheels is some good quality stuff and welds very nicely. I wont bore you with the details of why I was doing it, but I welded a spacer/adapter made out of a piece of crankshaft to the back of a flywheel and it turned out nice. I thought that if I ever did have to make my own flywheel out of a dual mass, I would bolt them together, then weld them.
65sixbanger
Full Access Member
I guess I just didnt have the want or time to pull the tranny again to do the lucky mod 
FordGuy100
Registered User
I would think you should someone try to get it balanced afterwards.
what do you mean by "gut" the flywheel, I'm not good with transmissions and this will be the first time I ever divorce one from any truck to do a swap, I hate my auto, Also I like the idea of welding rather than using bolts but I'm going to check into that lucky mod in the tech file
