Help me make up my mind...

[jbatx]

My LX has all the plastic removed and the plan is to monster line the whole ship. I already know what color.

What I haven't decided on is how I ought to fill the dozens holes. I can weld and I can use filler. I have some tiger hair but I've never used it.

I think welding would require removing the door panels in order to back the weld. Alternatively, I could tiger hair.

Then there's the many many hours of body work to smooth out the welds or the tiger hair... Yuck

I also have a role of aluminum tape. However, that option hurts my heart. It feels so half assed and I'm concerned about the puncture resistance of the tape.

...seems like I'm looking for justification to do the tape.

 

[Roostre]

I'd just do the tape.

If you were doing a high dollar paint scheme the answer would be different, but it sounds like your going to continue to use and abuse your rig as Papa Toy intended.

 

[thatcabledude]

That's gonna be a lot of small slightly visible divots one day down the road if you go the tape route.

 

[NLXTACY]

mmm Tiger Hair.

 

[jbatx]

That's gonna be a lot of small slightly visible divots one day down the road if you go the tape route.

That's exactly what I imagine!

I'd like to hear from folks that have taped years ago

 

[jbatx]

I've been reading some about using tiger hair. Some pro body guys say don't use because the strands are too long and pain in such a small area

 

[Red Merle]

I would treat the holes appropriately and just cover them with the new flares. If you are going without flares and are adding holes, I kinda think you are fxxxing up your rig. Unless you typically drive on massive boulders or in deep mud or snow, you really should just try it out as a stock truck.

 

[jbatx]

My mind is made up. I'm going to weld them. Have to take the panels off anyway for other work.

 

[jbatx]

I would treat the holes appropriately and just cover them with the new flares. If you are going without flares and are adding holes, I kinda think you are fxxxing up your rig. Unless you typically drive on massive boulders or in deep mud or snow, you really should just try it out as a stock truck.

Adding holes? ...I don't follow you.

LX450 has more side cladding and s*** ton more holes than the usual 80.

Regarding where and how I wheel... Plastic parts on the side and flares don't last long wheeling in the TX hill country. It's very rocky. Armor gets used here. Besides, the PO already started the project. I bought it without the plastic.

 

[TexasJack]

Amen to that! I have been wheeling my 80 in the Texas hill country for 20 years and it is tough on vehicles. It consists of either limestone caliche or solid granite. Flares get dinged up by loose caliche rocks being thrown up by your tires when you climb really steep hills. The alternative to reving up and grinding your up the hill is to slide down backwards. Most people opt for the dings. I'll probably replace my flares sometime soon with some of those aftermarket black ones. I have an 80 so I don't have to worry about the Lexus plastic.

 

[jbatx]

Amen to that! I have been wheeling my 80 in the Texas hill country for 20 years and it is tough on vehicles. It consists of either limestone caliche or solid granite. Flares get dinged up by loose caliche rocks being thrown up by your tires when you climb really steep hills. The alternative to reving up and grinding your up the hill is to slide down backwards. Most people opt for the dings. I'll probably replace my flares sometime soon with some of those aftermarket black ones. I have an 80 so I don't have to worry about the Lexus plastic.

Which flares are you considering? Do you have a link?

 

[jay]

Which flares are you considering? Do you have a link?

U can put copper on outside an tig or mig from back side thrs also solder out ther if you line it you wont see it an if plastic is missing I would source it shop around put the land cruiser stuff on it i would NOT line it keep it fresh the 80 is solid an worth its wieghtn gold thr only like 60 thousand produced for the states you have one best trucks produced u can find chipd broken up flaris cheAP just line them we aren't probly gent solid axle coil over coil any time soon

 

[jay]

Uphol has the tintable spray also so you can match it if you went that route an you could use panel adhesive an sheet metal if your going to line it anyway if u weld cool panel just little squirt at a time of weld dnt go hard Tryn grind, sanding disc the panel. With leveling u thin the metal around it if its paint u after then a thin thin glazing putty with surfer blocked out an she wil b lookn good I got holes n my roof from factory rack I want the arb on it an hoes n my ride you could also just line the bottom portion I like the paint route sleep on it an yes im familer with the terain got them chips in the alternator belt pulley tore belt up quick like gravel stone but difrent like chips hey use a penny with a good backing just feed off edges you can use seam sealer panel adhesive or a shot of liner on back side of weld a nice tape off around it pull tape an it will b clean same wit plug welds chk u lateer

 

[Mud crawler]

U can put copper on outside an tig or mig from back side thrs also solder out ther if you line it you wont see it an if plastic is missing I would source it shop around put the land cruiser stuff on it i would NOT line it keep it fresh the 80 is solid an worth its wieghtn gold thr only like 60 thousand produced for the states you have one best trucks produced u can find chipd broken up flaris cheAP just line them we aren't probly gent solid axle coil over coil any time soon

When you say from the back side. Do you mean from inside the fender well?

 

[jay]

When you say from the back side. Do you mean from inside the fender well?

Yep or going to have pull fenders tak your time practice a couple holes n garbage piece if not comfortable find a good tig tel him the deal its not really hard to pull fenders or can remove corner lamps an put your arms down an glue in a piece sheet metal over hole if u going line ii would do that you can poor boy it with jb weld even with a piece of metal or glue nickels over hole from back side then on show side exterior side tape off an build era with liner or filler block it sand it 180 it super thin buildable then after drying shoot all or desired portion of panel think of bed liner over screws or indexations low spot quick an easy if work with liner the Uphol is good bro its like epoxy or similar to 3m gravel gard on rockers an tintable there 2 difs black n titable if going for the playboy look then do the tig an light filler or putty an paint job that the money route an more permanent the bed liner is hard as s*** get off paint isn't but welding u dnt want burn up panels me I love my yota im a toy lex tec I keeper I dump money too when im done i probly 15 18 n it but Rem 56k in 94 for a new one an todAY is all puffs soccer moms s*** next 4 runner talk is a unibody dnt let them lie to you solid axle is ad s*** u hear poeple swapping for ifs nope!! I weld an did som collision repair.me I know this fab guy wit the tig I me dammmm he has good control oil pay weld up holes an skim them an send to my painter always exam work ask questions take before an rafters ask procedure

 

[scottryana]

Lots and lots of holes!

 

[retrofive]

Lots and lots of holes!

Ha! This pic needs to go in the FAQ for deflaring a LX.

 

[retrofive]

And FWIW (and isn't much) I had the holes filled by the shop when they lined the truck. They didn't weld, but used some sort of clay/bondo compound. I will ask them what it was. Been a couple years now and has held up great.

 

[jay]

If welding the penny would be on outside of fender or panel the extior the show side u would weld from back side the copper is just a back plating for weld REmber steel an copper melting tempature are different they wont bond so when done the copper penny is removed gone deleted from the scene you wil have a flush or semi flush weld with a lite skim of filler or glaze an she's ready if going the other route you would glue on the tab from back which can later be removed to find hole but not permnet also its just liner which can be touched up UN like paint were thrs blending or clear of Complete panels if u get cracking or any prblm u have a lot more work so glue a tab or nickel behind the panel is the other option an panel adhesive is expensive that why I said jb weld if doing liner style. but if painting $$$ im ffill with weld an skim coat an paint

 

[jay]

Comes down to painting or bed lining thats all an how well u want that hole filled the thrs solder too