Post by catmando1 on Jan 26, 2011 7:45:19 GMT -5
I'll try and show what I did with mine using a wire welder on some bridger 1.65's. It may help and may not as you probably know all about this. First, before doing anything, I would clean the traps up and dye them to rid them of rust so it doesn't get worse between the base and the base plate.
When welding on the plate, center it, and weld both ends, and a quick little tack weld on each corner near the D-ring. On the end where you removed the original chain and hook, a couple good tacks on each side of the hole where the old j-hook was.
Then bubble a weld on top of each jaw where it sticks through the frame. Also note how I have the pan notch filed down to 1/16 in., and the dog is filed at an angle, and the slop in the dog eye has been removed by pinching it closed just enough to allow it to work. This allows consistent and very crisp firing of the trap with little pan creep.
jaw lams require more tinkering to get just right. I measure to find center of the jaws, and center of the laminates, and match them up. normally, the lams will not fit perfectly down on the jaw. Place lam #1 right on the very edge of the inside jaw, and with it centered, clamp it in the center with vise grips and adjust to stay in place. Then with another vise grip, clamp about a half inch away from one end, making sure the lam is along the edge of the jaw the whole distance between and at the end. Tack that end. Repeat the same on the other end, Then remove all clamps and make sure the middle is down on the jaw and in line with the edge, and tack in the middle. Now go back and make stitch welds 1/2 in. long at all three spots. Repeat on the other side and make sure the lams are touching just barely down the length, for best results unless you have os jaws, then follow the jaw edge.
Now you may go back and do what I DIDN'T do, and tack a small bead to close each j-hook in the chain/connecting system.
When welding on the plate, center it, and weld both ends, and a quick little tack weld on each corner near the D-ring. On the end where you removed the original chain and hook, a couple good tacks on each side of the hole where the old j-hook was.
Then bubble a weld on top of each jaw where it sticks through the frame. Also note how I have the pan notch filed down to 1/16 in., and the dog is filed at an angle, and the slop in the dog eye has been removed by pinching it closed just enough to allow it to work. This allows consistent and very crisp firing of the trap with little pan creep.
jaw lams require more tinkering to get just right. I measure to find center of the jaws, and center of the laminates, and match them up. normally, the lams will not fit perfectly down on the jaw. Place lam #1 right on the very edge of the inside jaw, and with it centered, clamp it in the center with vise grips and adjust to stay in place. Then with another vise grip, clamp about a half inch away from one end, making sure the lam is along the edge of the jaw the whole distance between and at the end. Tack that end. Repeat the same on the other end, Then remove all clamps and make sure the middle is down on the jaw and in line with the edge, and tack in the middle. Now go back and make stitch welds 1/2 in. long at all three spots. Repeat on the other side and make sure the lams are touching just barely down the length, for best results unless you have os jaws, then follow the jaw edge.
Now you may go back and do what I DIDN'T do, and tack a small bead to close each j-hook in the chain/connecting system.