Drilling through body work for central locking kit install

[yelmarb]

So to install a central locking kit, I need to drill through the a and b-pillars of the car to run the cabling. The body work of the car is double skinned in this area.

My concern is that when I drill the holes, the metal shavings will fall inside the body cavity and can’t be cleaned up. This will no doubt create a hot spot for rust which will be very difficult to rectify.

Any tips for minimising the drill shavings?

 

[yelmarb]

Good tip! I just did a little bench test and that does minimise the shavings.

Interestingly, most of the chips were coming out of the drill side of the metal, and not from what would would be the inside of the body panel.

Going slow and adding more grease made the chips on the otherside almost non existent.

 

[cruiserbrett]

Drill another hole below so you catch the shavings for the upper hole.

On a more serious note:
1: grease in drill bit flutes
2: neomybdium magnet taped onto the bit really close to tip. (Since the sheet metal is thin)

 

[wngrog]

Spray a bunch of Fluid-Film into the cavity and don’t worry about the shavings

 

[Gordobe]

Use a vacuume cleaner with that flat type accessory held right to the drill spot. Don’t charge through, push slowly and 90% of the hole shavings will get sucked up before the last push. Go real slow for the last push. Tricky but doable, maybe one or two small chips will fall in.

 

[Gordobe]

Just remembered any trick I used once. Tape a magnet to the dill bit.

 

[brisveganbj42]

Interested in this mod too.. are you planning on doing a bit of a write up?

 

[yelmarb]

Thanks for the tips guys.

Brisveganbj42: it’s a lot more fiddly and time consuming than I was expecting. I wouldn’t recommend it unless you have a whole weekend with nothing better to do.

 

[scrapdaddy]

I'd use this product...Eastwood Internal Frame Anti-Rust Coating, 14 oz. Spray in any hole you drill, especially the A pillar. Once it dries, then use the fluid film.

 

[Megadoomer]

Santa got me power locks and windows. I have been scoping out my attack plan. What door looms are you using?

 

[bobm]

Santa got me power locks and windows. I have been scoping out my attack plan. What door looms are you using?

Need some Lexus badging .