Rockers and Corners (1 Viewer)

[GerhardUngerer]

I have a LOT of rot right in front and behind the wheel wells in the back (left and right). Not sure what you call those areas. Dog legs?

It stretches up into the rockers. Both inside and outside were rusted out. I kept cutting and kept finding more rust. I had to remove the spot welds and removed what was left of the inner structure from the body mount so that I can have a point of reference.

My question is: Can I just cut it all way and replace the whole section with a donor piece? That will mean tracing the floor inside the vehicle and going into the wheel well.

Is it structural? If I cut the whole area out and replace it as one piece, will it crack and break with body flexing?

Another view (B) offered to see how far the rot stretches. Also the body mount.

This is the donor side that I managed to procure. I am sort of afraid of messing it all up.

 

[family80]

I am doing the same project right now. I got as far as you cut out and trying to figure out how to tie it all together

 

[GerhardUngerer]

Some more context. A video of the rust damage:

And a video of the donor panels:

 

[GerhardUngerer]

Nobody?

 

[Malleus]

Gerhard, yes you can cut it out and replace it. Yes, it's structural, most of the corners of the body are, but it'll be OK when it's welded back in. The welded section will be as strong as the original. The collision repair manual may be of some help to you. There are suggested cut lines in the manual for repairing the body.

If you don't have a copy, there's one in the Resources section.

 

[YMT]

Yes it's structural. If you weld it in correctly, it will not have any issues cracking or breaking with flexing. The bodies on these rigs don't flex near as much as some jeeps. One piece replacement is better than multiple smaller ones.

 

[GerhardUngerer]

If I take the whole section, it seems that I still need to remove the outer skin so that I can get to the inner structure and weld it together, no? Especially as it goes up the wheel arch?

 

[Rusty Marlin]

Look up a you-tube channel called Make it Kustom. He does an amazing explanation on welding in replacement panels.

https://www.youtube.com/c/MakeItKustom

 

[nigelsiam]

I would invest in some good body repair tools from Eastwood or something like that if you don't have some already. I just did a small patch in the back area behind the rear wheel. I made my own panel, welded it in, and used fiberglass filler to smooth it out. I fu*king hate rust!!! Take your time and think it through. You are doing the right thing fixing this. Just make sure you have all the rust on the inside of those panels taken care of before sealing it up.

 

[nigelsiam]

It sands smooth and it's covered by the bumper anyway.

 

[GerhardUngerer]

I decided to drill out the spot-welds to see how it all goes together. This will give me the best idea of how to fix it.

I regret cutting away some of the inner structure before I could get a full grasp on how all the inner parts fits together. There is a LOT of overlapping. Not a big deal, I can fix it. But I hate creating work for myself.

I have a whole lower side from another FJ80 and I could not figure out how I am going to tackle it. Unfortunately that leads to SERIOUS analysis paralysis. Excuse the HUGE mess. I had a few projects converge in this corner and I am in the process of putting it all away.

I finally made the decision to cut it right at the wheel arch (since I have repairs before and after that point) and drill the WHOLE rocker panel out. Then I will figure out how it goes together and also what parts I want to replace. Part of me wants to just replace the whole rocker and part of me doesn't want to create unnecessary work. Fortunately I dont have to make that decision now.

So Now I am drilling it all out as best I can. Will take a minute.

 

[GerhardUngerer]

I would invest in some good body repair tools from Eastwood or something like that if you don't have some already. I just did a small patch in the back area behind the rear wheel. I made my own panel, welded it in, and used fiberglass filler to smooth it out. I fu*king hate rust!!! Take your time and think it through. You are doing the right thing fixing this. Just make sure you have all the rust on the inside of those panels taken care of before sealing it up.

What fiberglass filler did you use?

 

[GerhardUngerer]

Did a little more today. Started drilling out all the spot welds. MAN, is that tough on a tall guy's back being scrunched over like that.

I managed to get the first component out. Only 400,000 more spot welds to go.

Had to get the wheel well cleaned out of the rubber spray and the filler to see where all the spot welds are.

A closeup of the wheel well.

See how thick the filler is applied in the wheel well. Must be because it is hard as a rock and protects the metal. I must remember to put it all back.

 

[nigelsiam]

What fiberglass filler did you use?

I used a couple different brands. I think one was Bondo. They ended up being the same. The trickiest part is getting the right amount of hardener mixed in.

 

[PFRELENG]

I’m currently doing the same project. What I’m running into is I chose to do this project working outside with no garage, wind, and a fluxcore welder in Ny winter... Work with what you got right! (Why I’m doing this now is a long story with a full build thread to come)... I’m wondering about primers and seam sealers as well as your process after everything is welded together? Im leaning towards the 3m cause of the fancy ripple tip you can buy, but they all seam generally the same and I may just smear around with a finger. My trucks definitely no show pony. I was thinking the following steps for my project but I am open to suggestions as body work is not my expertise and fairly new to me

Ospho to neutralize, then clean, then weldable primer, then weld, clean again, then bondo, then paint (type tbd) I think it needs epoxy not self etch, then seam seal, then fluid film the sh*% out of everything internally

I brought my rocker panel and weldable primer inside to paint the to rocker before I weld to the truck. Let everything acclimate together. But once it’s welded on. I might need to wait for warmer weather to paint (currently it’s 20 something degrees and snowing) I think I can bondo in the cold? But painting before seam sealer seems crucial. my cruiser won’t be driving till spring earliest anyway. I have very little welding experience. I’ve taken classes and messed around. I have enough knowledge to know I should have maybe just not done it, but here we are. Sharing my terrible welds and attempt at fixing my rusted rocker in solidarity.

My original goal was to lap weld since the metal is so thin and to give more material for fluxcore to not just burn through. I’m using fluxcore cause that’s what I got. Plus I’m outside in the wind I don’t have a garage. Lap welding didn’t go as I thought so I figured I’d back the metal with a “coupler” type of plate so it fills alls gaps and helps register the pieces. All gaps are plated creating the “lap” affect. I’m utilizing some of the pinch welds on bottom and top.

Keep us posted how you go and I’ll do the same.

Happy welding

 

[family80]

A little bit of my progression

 

[GerhardUngerer]

A little bit of my progression

How did you deal with the inner rocker and the internal stringer / bracket?

 

[family80]

The piece that is right under the foot sill( I’ll call it) with all the holes in it wasn’t rusted you can some what see it in the top picture. Hard to see but there is about 2.5 inch of that left I didn’t cut off and I over lapped it with the new piece and was able to get a couple tacks on it before I closed up the sheet metal. It’s not perfect but should be plenty strong.

 

[family80]

Also doesn’t help that everything is thoroughly covered in fluid film

 

[PFRELENG]

More photos of my process

A little bit of my progression
View attachment 3534799

View attachment 3534800

what are your plans for primers and Seam sealer? Why fluid film first?