I really like the idea of an alternator powered on board welder. Used alternators are $10 at the pull and save so I will probably go ahead and try this. My issue is my monster sized engine, I have ZERO under hood space. There is no place for an extra alternator in there. This got me thinking. What if I make a flange to bolt the alternator to my transmission and a bracket to hold it there. Put in in 5th and I'd have overdrive. Wouldn't have to worry about belt slip. Of course it would suck having to disconnect the drive shaft and bolt up the alternator every time I need to weld, but this would only be for trail repairs so it shouldnt be too bad...
What do you guys think?

 

Sounds like a logistic nightmare to make reliable and quick functioning. I'd pony up the dough and get a generator/welder. It'd be more predictable and you could use the extra outlets they provide.

 

Yeah maybe someday, but for now I just cant justify spending very much at all for this project, and having a generator hanging around in the back of my pickup would be a little annoying. It would definatly be a much slicker setup, but for as little actual welding as my on board welder will probably actually see I think an alternator and set of cables will work fine

 

Why not just carry some arc sticks and a battery? I mean you can actually just use the batter in your truck and the arc sticks for quick on the trail fixes

 

Premier power welder.
http://www.premierpowerwelder.com/

 

Try this at home spin the alternator with a electric motor power off a 12 volt supply .

Then see if you like the output characteristics of the alternator before going to all the trouble.

I think it would be a royal pain to have to crawl under the truck and disconnect a drive shaft in all kinds of places and weather.

Plan on having extra drive shaft hardware because you will lose some sooner or later.

 

why dont you just get a really high output alternator and put it where the stock one is unless you need a dedicated alternator for that, because i know some ambulance alternators are like 250 amps or something outragious like that.

 

how often have you needed to weld off road?

your idea sound like a major pain in the butt to implement and a $10 alternator isn't gonna have the juice to connect two peices of metal IMO..

 

Yeah, maybe this was a stupid idea, I havent actually NEEDED to weld to weld on the trail, but it definatly would have been useful a time or two, and it would be a nice option to have just in case. Maybe carring around an extra battery is more to my solution. The stock alternator is kind of on the bottom of the motor, so connecting cables to it would be a little awkward, plus I dont really like the idea of welding with my main alternator. This weekend I'll probably just buy a cheap alternator in the highest output I can find and rig something up. If it dont work it dont work

 

so how did it turn out?

 

Well I bought a 130amp alt off a taurus, and then when I got home I went to disconnect my driveshaft and realized that I didnt want to do that even in my shop on a concrete floor with nice tools and a creeper. There is no way I would want to in the mud or snow in the woods. Not sure what I was thinking. I will probably just put it in my dads Blazer. Plenty of underhood space in that. Got enough other projects at the moment that take priority though.