Welding Tips and Tricks

I am welding a piece of 6061 billet aluminum to a cast aluminum swinging arm for a motorcycle. What rod should I use?

I like 5356, but 4043 also works.

cj737 wrote:I like 5356, but 4043 also works.

Why 5336? Not picking on you, just respect your answers!

tungstendipper wrote:

cj737 wrote:I like 5356, but 4043 also works.

Why 5336? Not picking on you, just respect your answers!

5356 is stronger, handles heat a bit better, and I get less porosity welding to cast with it. Has a less grainy finish under high heat applications too. But as I said, 4043 works well too. I’ve used both, but I now tend to grab 5356 for cast, 4943 is quickly replacing 4043 in my racks.

I'm just finish one of my repairs. I't was a 25mm(1") thick cast aluminium part. It takes more than 20 hours to finish. I'm using 5356 filler and it works pretty good. Lots of porositi in material makes me creazy. I was about 195A. 40% cleaning ( it could be 35 but electrode 3,2mm can't handle). 2,4mm feeding rod. Today I have big piece of cast iron to weld. I will use 2,5 mm NiFe stick for that job.