Welding exhaust

[`03LB7]

During the last snow storm I racked my exhaust pretty good. Some of my accounts have small drives and when i back up i have to go right up the pile a bit. Needless to say, it seems the pipe caught the iced up pile and stayed where it was while the truck and myself went up.
I'm gonna cut the bent part off and try to re-work it, so most of the welding will be done off the truck, but some will be done on the truck. I know this subject seems as though it has been a matter of opinion. I have personally done some myself on my old car with no precautionary measures, though I care about my rig a whole lot more.
What should i do? If i disconnect the battery grounds will my computers have to re-learn? Should i disconnect the computers as well. It seems like even if you disconnect the batteries stray voltage could make it's way to the electronics. I don't know.... I would greatly appreciate some opinions through personal experience. Thanks in advance.

 

[NAR]

I built my bumper on the truck with the stereo playing... Still fine a couple years later.

Some say you should pull the cables, I dunno. I used to think that but really like you say it could still follow grounds back.

 

[Sunshine]

If its any consolation to you I've just had my exhaust welded and we just pulled the cables from the battery.

IIRC there is a thread at the 6.5 on welding try a search...good luck..

 

[`03LB7]

Thanks guys, if i do unplug the batteries will the Allison have to re-learn shift points?

 

[jrsavoie]

Make sure you clamp the ground directly to the piece of metal you are welding on. Otherwise you will never know the route the electricty will take

 

[`03LB7]

Ya, i always try to do that regardless. I notice a definite range in quality of arc in relation to where the ground clamp is. Thanks

 

[jrsavoie]

Many years ago I was welding on the head section of a bucket elevator - about 160' up.
I came down for dinner and moved the ground to the truck work table and fabbed up a few items. I went back up & welded the rest of the afternoon. When I came down the ground was still on the work table. How was this possible?
The welder had a steel grounded case sitting on the steel service bed. I had to have been welding off of their electrical service. The juice went througfh the 220 6/3 extension cord and probably followed the conduit & ground wires after that.

 

[DEERE3594]

I built my bumper on the truck with the stereo playing... Still fine a couple years later.

Some say you should pull the cables, I dunno. I used to think that but really like you say it could still follow grounds back.

I normally do the same thing. Im lazy ):h No problems either that I can think of..

 

[cwq21]

I just welded a new muffler on my sons truck and I grounded my Mig welder to the exhaust flange with no problems.

 

[`03LB7]

That's a wild story jrsavoie. You must have stood there looking at it for at least a few seconds. Thanks a lot guys.