Cost to weld front motor mount?

GoldenMotor.com

maurtis

New Member
Dec 14, 2011
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Kyle, TX
So my Cranny's frame cracked and I found a replacement, a 1988 Schwinn Heavy Duti. But I found that I need a custom front mount...

So looking around at some of your awesome rides, I found a welded mount that I like on this ride:



I figured it would be easy peasy, I use the flat mounting plate I got with my BGF kit, cut some steel tubing for the spacer (my old 1" Cranny seatpost with the chrome sanded off), and have a welder just weld the plate to the tube and then those to the frame. I would prep the frame too.

I was hoping to bribe my neighbor with beer, but his welding rig is over on his property in Johnson City, so I started calling around. One guy estimated $175!!! When I told him that I had all of the pieces and would come to him and only needed him to weld them together, he said he could do it for $54.

That sounds better, but a little excessive? Honestly, I am a complete n00b to the welding world, so that may be completely reasonable for the materials he needs to use, I have no idea. All of my work on motorcycles and other projects mainly involved everything bolted, riveted, or JB Welded. Since he specialized in gates, fences, farm equipment, etc, I figured he would be less likely to charge "artisan" rates.

I was thinking maybe a muffler shop instead of a dedicated welder? I am not looking for artwork here, and can clean up spatter, I just want a strong mount and not get personally mounted in the process.

I could rent a wire feeder from Home Depot for $28 for 4 hours and get a spool of wire for another $11, then spend a couple hours practicing burning holes in stuff and blinding myself, but best case I would do a merely terrible job...
 

2door

Moderator
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Sep 15, 2008
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Littleton, Colorado
$50 sounds a little steep to me too. I'd try the muffler shops. As long as the guy knows how to weld thin wall tubing, and if he welds exhaust pipes all day he should, a muffler shop might be a lot cheaper than a pro-welding shop. Those guys are typically pretty proud of their work and get top dollar for their labor and materials.

I don't want to discourage you from learning to weld but you won't master it in four hours. Unless you're proficient the rental doesn't sound like a good idea, especially for something as critical as an engine mount.
Let us know how you do.
Tom
 

maurtis

New Member
Dec 14, 2011
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Kyle, TX
Thanks Tom, I agree, I think in 4 hours the very best I could do would be a terrible job, but I doubt it would even be that good. I will go to the muffler place that did the header for my Rio, they are locally owned and down to Earth guys.

Bairdco, I *wish* I lived near you! I spent two years riding the dotcom wave in SoCal in 1999-2000 and have been wanting to move back ever since. My wife is from Ventura and is dying to get back too!

Thanks for the reality check on the prices, y'all rock .trk
 

maurtis

New Member
Dec 14, 2011
707
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Kyle, TX
Called Fritz's Muffler in San Marcos, TX and told them what I was looking to do, they said "No problem as long as the frame is steel, $20." Woohoo! I mounted the motor using the rear mount only, then cut down my old Cranny seat post with a jigsaw and fine tuned it with the Dremel to make a tight press fit.

The welder and his buddies were very interested in the project and had lots of questions! He did an ok job, but it should clean up well. Time to get to sanding!

A pic without the mount:


A pic with the mount press fit:


And a pic after getting it welded:
 
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maurtis

New Member
Dec 14, 2011
707
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0
Kyle, TX
Looking sweet. $20.00 sounds about right.
Did you have the engine on it when you took it to be welded?

Tom
I did, I wanted everything to be nice and snug so I had him tack weld the mount in place with the motor on. I had to remove the bolts on the front mount after he tack welded the mount so he could weld all the way around, but that was it.