Repair panel basics, tips, tricks...

[heavy4x4]

Post up everything you know about replacing body panels (repairing rust holes, fender openings, rockers, etc). Anything from tips like "hold a brass sheet behind the two panels being welded, the welding wire won't stick to it"...to tips and tricks for making good-matching patches...to welder settings/speed...to step-by-step instructions....to _________

This post will be a good resource in this forum (and help me /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif)

 

[namkrow]

There is a special tool available for drilling out spot welds. Even though you use the tool, you'll still have to pry the pieces apart.

Still learning....

 

[jjlaughner]

Cut out more than you think /forums/images/graemlins/histerical.gif rust under the surface is 10x's as bad as you think.
Weld seams at body lines.
Flange your sheet metal when making panels.
When butt welding two pieces of steel over 1/8" grind a 45 at the end of the two pieces /forums/images/graemlins/grind.gif then weld in the V

 

[ryoken]

couple off the top of my head.

weldthru primer.... spray it on all grinded areas to be welded.

heat dam. wet towel placed in circle around welding area to keep warpage contained. they use to make a modeling clay stuff for this that was reusable. haven't seen it in years, prolly took it off the market for being loaded with asbestos. /forums/images/graemlins/eek.gif

for factory style spotwelds... drill or tool punch holes in weld areas prior to assembly. fill with mig.... spotweld bits are invaluable for disassembly... that and a air hammer...

 

[jarheadk5]

Get a catalog from Eastwood. All kinds of gadgets in there for sheet metal work, bodywork, etc. If you don't want to buy the stuff, look at the pictures and make your own!!

 

[gm4x]

Pick up a Cleco (sp?) set. It's like a removable spring-loaded pop-rivet that's handy for holding panels in place for fitment & welding. I think my set came from Summit, but imagine Eastwood & others carry them.

 

[lifethroughdeath]

whats the proper way to plug weld, when the top piece (piece with the hole) is thinner than the lower piece (solid piece that the sheet sits on) i believe it's called a plug weld, maybe a spot weld?

example; top piece is 18-20 guage sheet with i'd say 3/8" holes drilled in it, and the lower piece is 1/8" 2x4

thanks again, nate /forums/images/graemlins/k5.gif

 

[jjlaughner]

[ QUOTE ]
whats the proper way to plug weld, when the top piece (piece with the hole) is thinner than the lower piece (solid piece that the sheet sits on) i believe it's called a plug weld, maybe a spot weld?

example; top piece is 18-20 guage sheet with i'd say 3/8" holes drilled in it, and the lower piece is 1/8" 2x4

thanks again, nate /forums/images/graemlins/k5.gif

[/ QUOTE ]


I'm doing plug welds on my bumpers, inserting tube inside of tube and welding them together.
I think the right way to do plug welds for any thickness is to start at the center of the hole and go aroundwith a bead till you melt into the top section. Then if it where me, I would lay a weld 1' square over the top of that then use a flap wheel on a grinder to taper the weld out. You dont want to grind it flat in the case of thin sheet on top, it could still seperate.

 

[speedyvision917]

ok this is what i would do...step 1. get the yellow pages step 2. call a body shop step 3. pay them to do it since i hate messing around with rust and bodys....haha just my 2 cents

 

[kennyw]

Hmm, after thinking about it I will tell you more about how I replaced all my rusted out sheetmetal, I can garantee it is the easiest and most effective meathod I have found to date...




















Pack up everything you own and move out west. Part out rusty 'Burb and S10 Blazer then buy cheap rust free/straight old ranch truck from original owners grandson /forums/images/graemlins/whistling.gif

 

[heavy4x4]

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[devilsquid]

Make sure you cut the bad out before putting new stuff in.
Use sheet metal in place of fiberglass and fillers whenever possible.

 

[dodgedude99]

and if its an area where you cant weld up,(like small pit holes)use a fiberglass reinforced filler(Dynaglass, Tiger Hair, Duraglass, etc), because regular bondo isnt waterproof.
so you might be able to paint it from the outside, but from the inside its just exposed bondo, which is porous, soaks up water and bullseye.