Wheel well, rear sill/channel repair

[bsilva132]

So since I got the 40 running, I could not leave well enough alone and embarked on fixing my wheel wells as I did not like how they were cut out and also addressing rust issues in the rear sill/channel. I was running TJ flares, but since my rims are only 3.5" BS, it looked funny. Someday I will get some 2.5" or 3" BS rims. I got the fronts of the wheel wells welded in a la stock, just wider. I could not do the rear until I address the rust in the rear sill and channel. I think I am just going to use some 2.5x2.5 box tube instead of spending the $225 for a new one. I will have to fab up some new corned supports also since they are rusted too. Should give me lots of practice welding (I just started learning). Here are some pics of what I have so far:

 

[bsilva132]

I used the stock wheel opening my bro cut out of his patch pannel as a pattern (sitting on top of the tire). I still need to get the rear sill/channel out so I can start replicating it from the square tube. Hoping to get this done by mid November, but free weekends are far and few between. Plus my wife and I are expecting a daughter (our 1st child) in March. So I gotta get this done soon. Here is where I am at currently:

 

[Silicon 70]

Keep the pics coming because I'll be doing this as well.

 

[way2frantic]

There are a number of great threads for this, complete with lots of pictures. Search for "sill repair" and go back a few pages of results.

FWIW, based on my own goof-ups:

• Once the sill and channel are removed, your rear alignment is completely shot. Mark and measure all of your holes, try to keep everything level (side to side and front to rear), and when you re-assemble tack weld everything first until you get the doors back on, then do the final welding.
• Canada Cruisers sells a decent kit for about $150. Being adventurous (and cheap), I fabbed my sill (for a '78) out of 2" square tube (some other posters have recommended 2 1/4" or even 2 1/2" tube, so use whatever works for you). To make the curved ends that extend under the quarter panels, I cut notches out of the back of the tube, bent it, and rewelded the notches. I made a template out of plywood (looked sort of like a double-ended hocky stick) before I removed the original sill and used it later as a bending guide.
• If you are good at tapping, you can tap most of the required holes. My tapping skills are limited to 8th grade metal shop, so I cut access holes in the back of the tube, dilled out the holes, and welded on hardened nuts. I also used the access holes to squirt in some POR for whatever rust prevention I could get, (although the 2" square tube is unlikely to rust through in my lifetime), then covered them over (see picture for the work-in-progress sill) after assembly to keep out the evil water and salt.
• You will probably need an additional piece of metal to fit on top of the sill and weld onto your tub; I used a length of 1/8" flat steel.
• When you are welding body panels, go very easy on the heat - the sheet metal warps quickly. After warping a couple of panels and having to pound them out, I started clamping wet rags around the weld, as well as using very short welds and jumping around a lot to keep it from overheating in any one spot.
• Buy your grinding wheels in bulk. You will need them .

Good luck and most importantly, have fun.

 

[bsilva132]

Thanks for the replies. I got the rear channel out. The 2 inner body mounts were a bitch to get at and remove. Luckilly I had been spraying them w/ PB Blaster for the last couple of days and got them out w/o breaking any of the bolts. I did not brace the back because the roll cage is still in supporting everything. Now I just need to get the 2.5x2.5 sq tube. I was thinking about using 1/8" but was toying with the idea of using 1/4" so I could just tap all of the bold holes instead of having to cut access holes and weld a nut on. Opinions??? And if you are wondering why the rear bumper is so FUBARed, it was that way when I bought it in 2001. I will probably just weld in some patch plates as I have a 2x4 tube bumper that is usually bolted over it.

 

[Nomis]

[*]Once the sill and channel are removed, your rear alignment is completely shot. .

way2frantic, is this still the case if you were to weld in a support beam between the rear quarters prior to removing the sill? Would the alignment still be lost?
Luckily, I believe I will only have to replace the sill cap - will know more once I tear into it.

 

[way2frantic]

Nomis - Sounds like a good idea (welding in a support bracket). I haven't tried doing it that way, but I imagine it would hold the alignment if you need to remove the sill. I would still be careful with the final welding until I was sure everything lined up okay. However, if you are only replacing the sill cap, I don't think it really supplies much lateral support, so there wouldn't be much of a problem.

 

[Nomis]

However, if you are only replacing the sill cap, I don't think it really supplies much lateral support, so there wouldn't be much of a problem.

Good to know. I'll probably use two pieces of 1" square channel in an X pattern and tack it into place prior to cutting the old sill cap out - just to be on the safe side.

 

[bsilva132]

Picked up 6' of 2.5"x2.5"x0.25" tube yesterday for $50. It is going to be beefy and never rust through again in my lifetime. Plus the thickness will allow me to tap the body mount hole and the tire latch holes and will act as rock protection of the lower corners. I am going to have to find time to make it to my parents house so I can use my dad's plasma and torch to cut notches in the backside of the tube and bend it. I will post picks once I get it done.

 

[bsilva132]

Got over to my parents place today and my dad and I got the new rear channel ruffed out. I ended up slitting the tube and cutting the initial curve out, heating the outter and inner face and filled in with scraps. Here are some pics of the ruff channel, will have to finish welding and grinding another day. It is not perfect, but it will work.

 

[bsilva132]

Got some more done this weekend. Filled in the holes in the rear bumper and boxed it in. Last one is a pic of the finished rear channel.

 

[bsilva132]

Pic of the new rear patch pannel and the rear channel installed. Need to finish welding the sheet metal and finish the rear curve in the wheel well, but the majority of it is done.

 

[Nomis]

Looks like it's going well. Keep the pics coming. I'm knee deep in my rear sil repair as we speak.

Shawn

 

[Hurtinslim]

Weeks of hard work are paying off. Continue to take your time and it will be a gem. Keep up the good work.

 

[Coolerman]

Nice work on that rear sill piece! Doesn't it seem to take forever to get anything done in that area?

Keep the pics coming!

 

[bsilva132]

Yes, but that was due to me making the curves a little off. One side was 1/4" and the other 1/2" so I had to weld some 1/4" pieces on and grind accordingly to make it right, which took most of Saturday. I also learned that you should wear long sleeves (like the welding jacket I did not wear) while welding. Got a sweet flash burn on my left arm. It took longer for the paint to dry then it did to weld the patch pannels in.

 

[bsilva132]

Got the majority of it done today. The channel is welded to the tub and the rear portion of the wheel well is done. I will have to put a thin coat of bondo to smooth things out before painting, but all of the hard stuff is done.

 

[joeyg1973]

Nomis - Sounds like a good idea (welding in a support bracket). I haven't tried doing it that way, but I imagine it would hold the alignment if you need to remove the sill. I would still be careful with the final welding until I was sure everything lined up okay. However, if you are only replacing the sill cap, I don't think it really supplies much lateral support, so there wouldn't be much of a problem.

What support does the sill provide if it is completely rotten out already? This was the case with mine that I just cut out. I didn't put in any supports.

 

[bsilva132]

probably not much. My roll cage provided the support I needed, but you could just tack or bolt something accross the top of the rear to tie the two side together and keep things square. I was not too concerned since this is a wheeler and not a resto.

 

[joeyg1973]

probably not much. My roll cage provided the support I needed, but you could just tack or bolt something accross the top of the rear to tie the two side together and keep things square. I was not too concerned since this is a wheeler and not a resto.

Still don't know why you need to brace anything. Unless you intend to beat down on the truck with the sill out, I am pretty sure that the metal that is already there is going to hold everything in place.