bobm
WTF, WTF, WTF!!!!
Tea with Honey and a shot of whiskey in it 
Builds 1977 FJ55 west TN build: family wagon
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- Thread starter
- #242
So, just been thinking about how to repair the wheel well lips. Here's my idea, so please shoot it down.
Cut the entire outer lip out of the 55 and add small repair metal pieces to the back of the lip. Cut out the inner lip of the wheel well since the problem resides in moisture getting between the two lips and rusting the outer lip from the inside. Shape metal (small pieces of angle iron or metal that I bend) to follow the contour of the inner wheel well from the top down the wheel well and weld the fixed outer lip to this support leaving a bigger volume between outer and new inner lip that can be filled with bedliner. Here's a pic of a cross section of the lip that may help explain my thoughts.
Please let me know the flaws in my thinking here. I've searched and haven't really found that much helpful material on this repair unless I want to replace the lips with new lips from utility truck beds.
Cut the entire outer lip out of the 55 and add small repair metal pieces to the back of the lip. Cut out the inner lip of the wheel well since the problem resides in moisture getting between the two lips and rusting the outer lip from the inside. Shape metal (small pieces of angle iron or metal that I bend) to follow the contour of the inner wheel well from the top down the wheel well and weld the fixed outer lip to this support leaving a bigger volume between outer and new inner lip that can be filled with bedliner. Here's a pic of a cross section of the lip that may help explain my thoughts.
Please let me know the flaws in my thinking here. I've searched and haven't really found that much helpful material on this repair unless I want to replace the lips with new lips from utility truck beds.
I am not sure you can create enough of a gap and to ensure that it drains out the bottom and doesn't quickly become clogged with mud and holding water - maybe.
I am not an expert autobody guy so take this for what it is worth, but I would not cut any more of the lip than you have to from the original, it is such a PITA to get the lines back to something that looks right. I once did repairs to the fenders on a volvo p1800 (not a single straight line on the damn thing) and spent months trying to get the areas I cut to look right. On my truck, I pulled the fenders, cut out the rust, welded slightly oversized pieces on from the back ground, fiberglass sealed, bondo and paint.
I am not an expert autobody guy so take this for what it is worth, but I would not cut any more of the lip than you have to from the original, it is such a PITA to get the lines back to something that looks right. I once did repairs to the fenders on a volvo p1800 (not a single straight line on the damn thing) and spent months trying to get the areas I cut to look right. On my truck, I pulled the fenders, cut out the rust, welded slightly oversized pieces on from the back ground, fiberglass sealed, bondo and paint.
bobm
WTF, WTF, WTF!!!!
I wouldn't try to reinvent it! You will have a hard time welding the inside of that wheel lip period! I would take a piece 2 to 3 inches wide form it to the inside of wheel lip, clamp it mark it and trim it when happy with fit use it for template for other side. Then do the outside in smaller pieces to get the contour. This is a great opportunity to use CAD cardboard to get your shapes for outside and inside 
The other option is something like this...
Front fender lips are rear lips in reverse so right front will fix a left rear and vice versa.
love the dually conversion. lol
PabloCruise
SILVER Star
Oh! A literal rat's nest!?!
PabloCruise
SILVER Star
You guys got sick at Christmas? My wife and boy got LEVELED last Christmas. The neighbors had just come back from Hawaii. I kind of wonder if they got the Rona then. The neighbors got sick too. Not sure why I never got sick.
You guys are a little further E, but I do wonder about last Christmas...
- Thread starter
- #250
After over a month off, I’m back at the rear quarter. I got 2 patches in. The bigger one went okay, except for trouble with dialing in the welder so as not to blow holes in the butt weld. The smaller one is going to require welding upside down. I got a piece of puddle rolling around in my sock from welding upside down. That’ll get your attention!
Amen to that!
RUSH55
SILVER Star
Oh boy! New scars!
- Thread starter
- #253
Pic
Yeah, you were doing a Irish jig!
bobm
WTF, WTF, WTF!!!!
Ya don't do anymore of that!! Happened when I was welding a crack on a cat converter under my 40 ! Right down my sleeve and in the bend in my arm 
. No ace to go just Sucked it up 
. No ace to go just Sucked it up
- Thread starter
- #256
Irish jig fer shure, fer shure.
Dang, can’t imagine having a puddle on your arm and having to eat it!
Dang, can’t imagine having a puddle on your arm and having to eat it!
bobm
WTF, WTF, WTF!!!!
Sucked! Scar still there 
. Bad part of welding is GRINDING 1st 
getting Burned 
is 2nd
. Bad part of welding is GRINDING 1st getting Burned is 2nd
PabloCruise
SILVER Star
Probably time for new socks too!
PabloCruise
SILVER Star
That's how tough Bob is!!!
RUSH55
SILVER Star
One of my most memorable scars was from stick welding overhead one time, one handed, a glob of slag fell into the glove of my left hand that was hanging idle. By the time I was able to drop my stinger, throw my hood back and rip my tight fitting left glove off, the slag had managed to burn a smiley face in the area below my thumb and index finger. 
