body question

[pwrinkle]

hello...i am new to this site and am a new project jeep owner.Really i am new to auto stuff but very mechanically inclined. anyway. i have a body question. is stainless steel an acceptable body piece replacement? cut to fit and welded in? will it take paint or a "rhino" liner type app thanks for your help.

 

[BajaEdition]

I think you want to add SS to cure rust issues, that is good but remember that a lot of the parts of the body are shaped for strength, and you will be piece mealing parts to fit ending with a hodge podge. It would be better to step back and consider a fiberglass or aluminum tub. Just considering the prep work to get paint to stick to a SS surface would be a major sticking point to the answer. I personally could do the welding involved to join SS to mild metal, but woild not want to deal with the issues of a patched tub with SS.

 

[TDHofstetter]

Expensive, too...

I might also add that "stainless" steel isn't truly rustproof. It's rust RESISTANT, but not proof.

Good thought, though.

 

[IOPort51]

I agree with these guys but for different reasons. And as usual I answer questions with questions.
Where are the rust areas?
Do you have a ready supply of stainless steel?
Do you have experience with forming and welding?

 

[Sasquach]

Repair with like kind and thickness metal were needed then it's all about preperation to ward of future rust, use of epoxy primers, seam sealer, etc.

 

[gert]

POR 15 great stuff I have it on many things and it hasnt come off yet painted right over the rust

 

[pwrinkle]

yes i do have a readily available supply of stainless steel. all shapes, sizes and thicknesses. I had planned on putting the stainlees in the bed part of the jeep.

 

[TDHofstetter]

yes i do have a readily available supply of stainless steel. all shapes, sizes and thicknesses. I had planned on putting the stainlees in the bed part of the jeep.

THAT's pretty seriously cool! You & I may need to do a little talkin' offline about me buying some 2"x6"x3/16" chunks, if you know what SS types you've got there. I'd love it if I could get those in 440F or 416, but 303 would be good...

 

[IOPort51]

To be quite honest I can’t think of any reason why you couldn’t use stainless steel, it is a bit more difficult to work with and cut. No torch and it will go through a saber saw blade faster than you can put them in. I use my wood cutting band saw and reverse a 15 tooth blade to friction cut it but I don’t use anything over 18 ga. It is pretty soft so it’s not too hard to brake but I don’t know how well it will braze. I guess it would mig, with stainless wire and pure argon. The existing steel would have to be really clean, no paint or rust. It has an incredible expansion coefficient, so it warps like nothing else I know of, this would really show up at the dissimilar joint. I can’t wait to see how this turns out, keep us posted. :lpopcorn:

 

[essexmo]

it all depends how bad your bed is i would think its easier to cut out any rust then mig or tig in a patch grind flush prime paint then rhino line the box if you want stainless then you would cut the whole floor out leaving s 1 inch lip you could rivit at every inch with stainless rivits or mig but your floor would have to have ribs for strength as the origional floor does there easy to make with a wheel then remember the drain holes and seal the edges with silicone or mastic

 

[pwrinkle]

that is about what i was thinking essex.. i thought about making a stainless steel tub essentially and then placing it in the back end. of course with the old removed. i could then rivet or weld to the existing wheel wells. i dont know really just doing some brainstorming. i have the ss and think it would be a shame not to use any of it. thanks everybody for your input.