8 replies to this topic

[coopertrooper2001]

I have a small rust hole where the boot floor meets the rear arch - it is clean through to the wheel arch (you can see if from outside the car). Took it to a couple of garages and they said plate it.

The rest of the metal seems sound.

Pics attached.

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[JohnGordon]

personally I'd take an angle grinder to it, cut out around the rust then weld a plate over it and cover it in woxoil/underseal/whatever you prefer to stop further corrosion

[panelbeaterpeter]

Clean the area up to bare metal, make up a plate to replace all the rusty metal, place it against the area needing to be replaced, scribe around it, cut out the scribed area, cutting to the inside line of the mark. Place the plate in the hole, trimming if required. Seam weld it in all round. Dress the weld if required, paint as normal.

[minidaves]

1 thats a mot failure so its clean it up and weld a plate over it seam seal stone chip and paint

dave

[blue redtop]

best way is peters way. theres nothing worse than seeing patches every where.

if you do as peter said the repair wont be visible, you will never know its been done

[Deathrow]

best way is peters way. theres nothing worse than seeing patches every where.

if you do as peter said the repair wont be visible, you will never know its been done

3rded and I can vouch that Peters advice is second to none.

[widerim_pickup]

4th'ed peter's way because its what i would do! Patches are ok to get through mot but thats about it, given a short amount of time you'll have another hole which will be bigger and harder to fix because theres 2 layers of metal

[minidaves]

by the time thats all cleaned up, there will be 2 patches proberly, one on the boot floor and one on the arch, u will not be able to get to all the arch because the subframe mount panel is in the way as for the repair denpends who is doing it if your paying someone to cut, part panel spray seal and paint then it will cost £££££. Patches are fine and take yrs to rot out if they are done properly cleaning zinc etc, what causes the rust is water and a chemical reaction when you weld. could go into long long discrption but basically it needs fixing as its a mot fail and longer left like that more it will rot

dave

[mk=john]

Rather than use an angle grinder, if you have access to a good compressor, use a small cut off tool as its easier to maneauvre in this area to cut the metal out.

Don't think about plating over, as this will just be a crappy bodge. Seam weld it as a butt joint all the way around. All you need do, it get some steel of the same thickness, a little larger in area than the rusted area, and bend the bottom to the correct angle. Then weld the lower flange to the flange on the boot floor. The top and sides may need to be bent a little to fit flush. this can then easily be done once the bottom flange is welded in place. then linish off the welds, prep and paint etc.

The cutting and welding in a new bit is quick, a couple of hours tops. Butt joints with welds linished smooth will have no water and moisture trpas....far better than plating over

Its always a good idea to use a wirebrush on an electric drill to clean the area as the first step, just so you know how deep the rust has penetrated. This will then uncover all the work that is really needed. Do not use a linisher for this step, as you will remove too much metal, I have always used a wirebrush on an electric drill as it keep metal removal to a minimum.

Edited by mk=john, 20 January 2009 - 09:02 PM.