Rear inner quarter panel rust, seatbelt anchor

[taylort232]

Has anyone had an issue with rust on the anchor on the inner rear quarter panel?

Mine looks like it's ripe, and I'm concerned about it. I'd like to replace it - wondering if anyone has tried this before.

 

[Comet]

Yes. Safety issue. Cut out the rust and weak areas. Weld back in sturdy metal. Undercoating gets brittle and cracks, inviting moisture. Moisture equals rust.

Mine popped out on a country road with my sons friend. No injuries but a wake up call for sure. He just pulled it up and asked if he could move to the other side.

 

[taylort232]

Did you pull the whole panel, or try to do it in place?

 

[Comet]

In place. Not sure how to pull that section out without a lot of time and effort. Smooth bracing, like whats already there, is best.

 

[Kernal]

@Comet : got photos of your repair?

 

[taylort232]

The more I look at these, the more I just want to replace them. Looks like someone caked them with a rubberized wheel well coating at some point.

Anyone ever tried to pull these out and replace them? I've spent an hour or so searching - saw one guy that tore out his carpet inside to get to them and riveted them in, but no pictures.

 

[Comet]

@Kernal I do not. The repair was done about ten years ago. It was one of my first attempts at welding with a Harbor Freight buzz box that “fell off the back of a truck” and was missing more than a fair share of the parts necessary to run it. The high low switch was missing so I used the forward/reverse switch out of an old black and decker drill. Flux core is best for field repairs and it showed a lot of splatter.

 

[taylort232]

Alright I found a couple sets of these inner wheel wells in stock. Looks like for both rear wheels (all 4 pieces) it's around $800.

I'm pricing a couple options - I'm really not sure how deep the rust goes, so I'm trying to get a body shop to work with me on the install since I don't have a ton of time. Will report back.

 

[Malleus]

I've always been surprised at how minimally designed these welds areas are. Senior engineering project junk for sure - although it would get the A+ for the math.

The inner fenders are welded in. It would be much cheaper, and result in a better job, IMHO, to cut out the nut and weld a new one in, with a 12 ga backer on the outside.

 

[SucioP]

I've always been surprised at how minimally designed these welds areas are. Senior engineering project junk for sure - although it would get the A+ for the math.

The inner fenders are welded in. It would be much cheaper, and result in a better job, IMHO, to cut out the nut and weld a new one in, with a 12 ga backer on the outside.

That’s what I ended up doing. Rust was isolated to around that throughout / seat belt anchor for whatever reason.

 

[Malleus]

Welds rust. It happens.

 

[taylort232]

Welds rust. It happens.

You know, that's totally true. But making the attachment point for a seat belt to a welded thin-gauge piece of metal in the most rust-prone part of the vehicle? What the hell?

 

[Malleus]

You know, that's totally true. But making the attachment point for a seat belt to a welded thin-gauge piece of metal in the most rust-prone part of the vehicle? What the hell?

Like I said, that was a successful exercise in engineering, that failed the real world test. The weld size and metal thickness combination passed the stress tests required, and the designed obsolesence to boot.

 

[Comet]

Cut and weld.

 

[CalnSam]

 

[CalnSam]

The seats are long gone, so this was just to seal the cabin up and stop the growth.

 

[taylort232]

View attachment 3133079View attachment 3133082View attachment 3133084

Wow - that's a lot worse than mine. Is that just some kind of mastic?

I found a shop that will weld some 12ga with new nuts on to both sides. Do you recommend putting that rubberized wheel well coating on the new metal to blend it in?

 

[CalnSam]

Wow - that's a lot worse than mine. Is that just some kind of mastic?

I found a shop that will weld some 12ga with new nuts on to both sides. Do you recommend putting that rubberized wheel well coating on the new metal to blend it in?

you may be surprised what is awaiting your discovery, mine looked about the same as yours from the exterior. Have you removed the carpet and taken a look? The tan stuff is seam sealer, on top of primed weld joints. I did apply 3M rubberized undercoating on the exterior side and would again.

 

[Kernal]

"I did apply 3M rubberized undercoating on the exterior side and would again."

If just applied to the outward facing area of the wheel well you're probably OK
but IME you have to be very careful when applying any sort of undercoating on the underside of the vehicle, particularly the inner rocker panel area. There are multiple small weep holes for various body sections, panels, braces, brackets, etc that if sealed will trap moisture/condensation inside.

There are a few slit drains that are fairly obvious on the backside (inner side)
of the rocker panels but there are also a few small weep holes for the very rear of the rocker panel (actually part of the quarter panel and the hump) and the quarter panel cavity both of which are prone to rust.

FWIW

 

[CalnSam]

"I did apply 3M rubberized undercoating on the exterior side and would again."

If just applied to the outward facing area of the wheel well you're probably OK
but IME you have to be very careful when applying any sort of undercoating on the underside of the vehicle, particularly the inner rocker panel area. There are multiple small weep holes for various body sections, panels, braces, brackets, etc that if sealed will trap moisture/condensation inside.

There are a few slit drains that are fairly obvious on the backside (inner side)
of the rocker panels but there are also a few small weep holes for the very rear of the rocker panel (actually part of the quarter panel and the hump) and the quarter panel cavity both of which are prone to rust.

FWIW

I’m glad you advise the precaution, I would hope anyone with the ability to complete this repair would obviously feel the same. However, Leaving the exterior side of the specific area being discussed without some kind of impact resistant coating is pretty irresponsible, IME