"On Vehicle" Aluminium Welding

Hi Neil,

I don't have a direct answer to your question but just thought I'd let you know you can buy a robust clamp style antenna bracket.
I use one on my vehicle for the sand flag when required.
The one shown suits a 50mm dia. bar but other sizes are available too.

Bull Bar Bracket

gooday Neil : If it was me as an ex welder in the NT did a lot of these for station vehicles. I would be getting a lot stronger bracket made heavy.. vertical gusset down one of the posts of your b/bar , that's a big antenna for a small bracket .
I have seen a lot of these on the back of vehicles.
as to your question should be able to weld on vehicle ( not from Vic ...)
cheers nick

Take it off now ! That flange may (more like will) let go without further warning. The autotune is far too heavy and exerts more leverage when mobile than such a flange was ever designed for. A steel clamp on bracket might do the job. Such antennas are best mounted to the chassis if practical. Bullbars generate a lot of vibration at the extremities.
The type of mounting assembly seen

If the weld has started cracking welding it will only make it crack again, as said above you really need to redesign the bracket or move it from the front to the rear of the vehicle.

Once aluminium starts fatiguing it is very hard to stop, unlike steel.

Hi Neil,

That bracket was never intended for the mass of an auto tune antenna. It would need considerable bracing to be adequate and even then is not a good location for the antenna.

Only the antenna whip needs to be above the vehicle body, so if possible it would be better mounted directly to the bumper and behind the bull bar.

In any case, mounting the antenna as is yours directly in the driver's vision line is inappropriate. In some Australian states it is illegal to have an autotune antenna mounted such as yours.

Aren't these things worth a fortune? Why wouldn't you hide it away somewhere where it's out of the way & far less likely the get broken by something?