1st Gen Runner rear wheelwell trimming

[amgraham]

Ok, I have some rust on my runner in the typical spot above the rear wheelwell. I have bondo'd it a couple times and I finally got it looking right then slid sideways on an obstacle and into a rock:

http://www.amgraham.com/photogallery/DSC00697-800X600.JPG

So, I'm thinking about trimming out that rust and then resealing it. What exactly is behind there? Am I going to have a gap to fill between the inner and outer panel? Would I be better off just grinding it out again and fiberglassing and bondoing it again?

Thanks!

[SteveO]

Guess ya better take a look to see whats behind there....

[amgraham]

Guess ya better take a look to see whats behind there....


Haha.. yeah. I know somebody has to have trimmed those before. I have a feeling that it's wide open behind it and I'm gonna have to make a panel to fill in the gap.

[Cebby]

Where's the wabbit? He trimmed his very nicely. I think he has step by step on his site.

[amgraham]

Bump.. (I just noticed we don't have a bump smiley.. I'll have to find that smiley thread..)

I looked on Brian's site and couldn't find that how to. I'll hopefully be doing this trimming later this week once I get my other truck on the road. I'm gonna pull the 4Runner down and check it over since it looks like I'm not gonna be able to wheel this month (too much crap going on on the weekends).

Any help or ideas are appreciated! Thanks!

[AxleIke]

you will have to patch the gap. When I cut mine out, i used welded metal and fiberglass filler. It worked well.

[amgraham]

you will have to patch the gap. When I cut mine out, i used welded metal and fiberglass filler. It worked well.


Do you remember what rough settings you used to weld it? I have done quite a bit of heavy material welding (3/16-1/4") but have never welded sheetmetal. I'm willing to practice on this job just looking for some pointers to start with. Thanks!

[AxleIke]

I have a miller 175. IIRC, it was set at a wire speed of 40, and a power setting of 4 or 5. I can't remember exactly. Basically, i cut and bent the part, then took the scraps of sheet metal and practiced a few welds until i got the settings down.

Then, it was just a tedious process of tacking it, and then carefully grinding the tacks smooth, then using fiberglass to get it back to the correct shape. I went back to roughly stock dimensions. Make sure you have plenty of time to get it done right.

Let me know if you have any other questions, i'm happy to help.

[Intrepidyota]

Here is a good write up:

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=386066

[amgraham]

Thanks guys. That write up looks pretty good too (although I don't want to trim near that much). I'll be sure to take some pics when I dig into it.

[waskillywabbit]

Where's the wabbit? He trimmed his very nicely. I think he has step by step on his site.


Yep, on my website on the 85 pages. Not hard...just tedious.

:guitar: