OK, you got me on that one, its not cold rolled steel, its mild steel tubing, and yes they are x rayed, and the x ray uses a process where there is a slight radiation isotope thats part of the frame, its harmless but the frame is mildly radioactive. I was once involved in the manufacuting of bicycle frames from the Hedstrom Corp and thats how its done, the frames are heat treated for hardness, then x rayed for cracks. If the frame on ur ATV wasn't heat treated everytime you hit a bump the frame would give and bend, simular to the so called open frame used on the Dodge pickups. Most ATV's use very thin wall steel tubing to keep the weight down, but the thin wall takes away how strong and durable the frame is, to make that up the frame is heat treated for hardness so it don't bend and kink when you hit a bump or when you ride ur atv out the back of the bed on ur Dodge pickup without a ramp., oh, by the way, I own a 2005 Ford F150 pickup with a fully enclosed boxed frame.

 

so, who sits there and looks at x-ray film of every weld? and how is it that nobody has disovered their atv frame is radioactive? and what kind of heat treatment do they use? i can see maybe x-raying a half dozen welds on a high end bicycle frame but if you look at ANY atv frame you will see discontinuities that would not pass an x-ray.

the strength of an atv frame is from it's geometery utilizing the tensile strength of the frame members. there are guys that gusset their frames to increase durability, and those frames don't crumble. i have MIG welded winch mounts directly to atv frames with absolutely no ill effects.


monty

 

Maybe he has an engine on his bicycle and he is a little confused!

 

I would never give wrong information to anybody reading this forum, you CANNOT weld or drill holes in ANY part of ur frame! Its UNSAFE !! Im worried about you guys, I don't wanta see you guys wreck and get hurt, suppose ur showing off to ur girlly friends riding at high speeds over rocks, getting some air, then when you come in for a landing the weakened part of the frame that was welded gives out, bends or breaks then you lose control and wreck. Please, do not weld on any part of ur frame, ride safe. I care about you guys, really I do.

 

It has to be safe to weld on a frame, they sell shock relocation kits that weld onto the frame, and lets not forget the gusset kits for quads like the Z400 for guys that raced them, welding strengthened the frame, not weakened it. I work with a guy who helps his son race, and they have beefed up the frame, welded bigger footpegs on, and never had a problem with breakage, and that kid pounds the jumps real hard. But that's not to say a poor weld wouldn't cause problems, you have to know what you are doing, not burn holes or just glob a weld on with poor penetration.

 

um your an idiot, my rancher frame has been welded and gusseted at multiple parts of the frame. the only frames not recommend to be welded on are the new truck frames, even those can be welded with special precautions. it is true you can weaken if you don't know what your doing, but your information is completely wrong

 

I had a rancher that had the front upper shock mount welded on after the stock mount gave out on a high jump. High jumps after that were never a problem.

Aside from that you guys are now arguing over something that has nothing to do with the question asked. Will welding on an atv frame damage any of the electronic components was the initial question.

The proper answer would be to look at your wiring diagram and see where, and if the frame is used to carry ground. If its not I would just unhook the battery. If it is I would unplug all electronic components that use a frame ground....by the way I'm not an expert....Just my opinion. I have welded on frames before and just unhooked the battery and never had a problem.