Welding Tips and Tricks

Hi everyone, I’m training to be a pipeline welder while also learning all processes but besides that I was wondering what a good starting truck would be like? Does it have to be a diesel or can it be gas? Does it have to be a dually or is that just desirable and what’s your opinion. Any feed back would be great I’m getting a sa 200 most likely also so any tips on that are welcomed also. Thank you to anyone that responds


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Gas or Diesel depends on many things. Climate where you live/work, hauling, proximity to fuel, anything else besides an SA 200? It tends to be a bit of a religious war over which is preferred.

Single axle or dual is more easily addressed. Dual axle trucks are rated for the bed load (your SA) sitting in them. Both can tow roughly the same weight, but loading your bed with 1,000kG of a machine, plus bottles, tools, etc can overwhelm a straight axle truck. Can you do it and get away with it? Sure. Is a dually a "better" choice? Yep.

@cj373 thank you for responding and do you know what a common gas truck is that people use?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

If you buy a deck for the truck vs build one, dually beds are also wider than single wheel decks. So you get more space as well as more weight capacity.

Sent from my SM-G970W using Tapatalk

Thestartup25 wrote:Hi everyone, I’m training to be a pipeline welder while also learning all processes but besides that I was wondering what a good starting truck would be like? Does it have to be a diesel or can it be gas? Does it have to be a dually or is that just desirable and what’s your opinion. Any feed back would be great I’m getting a sa 200 most likely also so any tips on that are welcomed also. Thank you to anyone that responds


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Search Utube for A Ross Welding & Schofield welding. They have some good videos & points regarding PL welding...

Thestartup25 wrote:@cj373 thank you for responding and do you know what a common gas truck is that people use?

Chevy, Ford or Dodge. Truck guys tend to be fairly obsessive about their brands. I am a Ford guy, diesel please for a truck. My son has an EcoBoost F-150 that's nice, but not a work truck.

I'd encourage you to look at a "cab and chassis" truck versus a bed truck. They are generally already prepared for commercial beds, less frilly, bigger brakes and stiffer frames. They will have lots of the doo-dads stripped out too.

I think it's cool to build a bed, but honestly, ready-to-go beds are a better value. Your time to fabricate costs earning hours. No matter what you buy, some customization will be necessary.

If I didn't have a philosophical issue with GM, I'd buy a Chevy truck. They ride better than Fords, their motors are more plentiful, and they cost slightly less. But only in a gas truck would I buy one. Ford has aluminum cabs now, so rust is no longer an issue (nice benefit).

It's all down to preference and availability really. Any brand will serve you well.