Replacing sheet metal

[BLennon]

I'm about to cut out some rust holes on the cj and plan on welding in new sheet metal. My questions are what type of sheet metal should I use? It will be going on a rocker panel, a rear panel, and underneath the seats and floor pans. The holes are all pretty small so I don't think its worth it to get completely new floor pans. Also, what type of welder would work best for this type of welding? Thanks for any help and advice.

 

[IOPort51]

I think the body is 20 gauge steel, stay away from galvanized. I would recommend a braze rather than a weld I think a novice will have better luck with brazing. You will need an Oxy-Acetylene torch and a good fire extinguisher on hand. I have not looked but I would think there are a lot of sites that will tell you the basics of brazing.
One thing to remember; a good fit will make a bad welder look a lot better than he is.

 

[BajaEdition]

18 guage sheet metal

 

[BajaEdition]

Classic Enterprises - Restoration, Reproduction Parts for Studebaker, Jeep & Ford

 

[mylittlecj5]

I'm about to cut out some rust holes on the cj and plan on welding in new sheet metal. My questions are what type of sheet metal should I use? It will be going on a rocker panel, a rear panel, and underneath the seats and floor pans. The holes are all pretty small so I don't think its worth it to get completely new floor pans. Also, what type of welder would work best for this type of welding? Thanks for any help and advice.

Check out Eastwood.com for this...

So you are going to install your first floor pan or quarter panel. Before you cut out the first piece of rusted metal, make sure you have the tools you need to install it right. Eastwood has taken the guesswork out of panel installation with this kit. Included is a 3/16 inch pneumatic flange/punch tool (31015), Plugweld pliers (19134) 3/16 inch Blind rivet kit, 10 additional rivets (13752) two tubes of seam sealer (31024Z) and the Kevin Tetz - How to Install Body panels - 2-disc DVD set (50046).

Body Panel Install Kit 7 pc set

If this is too much $$, get the individual parts without the air panel flanger and have at it! No welder or welding involved...

 

[BLennon]

Thanks for the quick responses guys! Once I get it all done I'll post some before and after pics... it's gonna be a few weeks though.

Bobby

 

[BLennon]

How about the frame? What type of metal would be best for patching that? Thanks for the help

 

[mylittlecj5]

3/16" cold rolled bar would work good for that. But a welder is a definite need there. Preferably a nice 220Vac MIG (yes you can use a stick or a 110Vac mig or a TIG or heck even a oxy-acetylene torch, But IMHO a 220Vac MIG would work the best and be easiest to locate/easiest on your wallet.)

 

[Jroch]

I think the body is 20 gauge steel, stay away from galvanized. I would recommend a braze rather than a weld I think a novice will have better luck with brazing. You will need an Oxy-Acetylene torch and a good fire extinguisher on hand. I have not looked but I would think there are a lot of sites that will tell you the basics of brazing.
One thing to remember; a good fit will make a bad welder look a lot better than he is.

Brazing is good, I live by 15/5 rod, but you still have to be very careful as the torch will melt the edges pretty quick, on body panels I prefer to tig, better heat control and less warpage, I did my floor pans with the old faithfull 110v mig but I was also just spot welding in several spots

 

[IOPort51]

I think you will find that 3/16 hot rolled will work well and be a bunch less expensive than cold rolled.


Let’s not forget stick welding. the equipment is a lot less expensive and it is not that much more difficult. You just have to know which rod to use.

 

[Jroch]

I think you will find that 3/16 hot rolled will work well and be a bunch less expensive than cold rolled.


Let’s not forget stick welding. the equipment is a lot less expensive and it is not that much more difficult. You just have to know which rod to use.

Oh oh oh PICK ME PICK ME "hand in the air" I know this one........ 6011 the ol' farmers rod when in doubt use a 6011 LMAO

 

[BajaEdition]

Brazing is good, I live by 15/5 rod, but you still have to be very careful as the torch will melt the edges pretty quick, on body panels I prefer to tig, better heat control and less warpage, I did my floor pans with the old faithfull 110v mig but I was also just spot welding in several spots

Man were you brave. I really prefer gas on Sheet metal, way to easy to warp with mig.

 

[Jroch]

Man were you brave. I really prefer gas on Sheet metal, way to easy to warp with mig.

If it had been anything other then the pans I would have tig'd it, on the pans the mig was a better application IMO, all I was doing was spot welding in several areas, wasn't running a solid bead all the way around. On thin metal, what I do is use a thick piece of metal 1/2" atleast as a backing plate to absorb the heat and will help prevent warpage, and with the Tig I can really dial the heat down. What are you using to weld with Baja?

 

[mylittlecj5]

I think you will find that 3/16 hot rolled will work well and be a bunch less expensive than cold rolled.


Let’s not forget stick welding. the equipment is a lot less expensive and it is not that much more difficult. You just have to know which rod to use.

Yea thats what I meant to type...really! :laugh:

The reason I said MIG was the ease of making a pretty weld with little effort compared to stick, especially in a vertical or overhead position. But yes, arc will work. too!

 

[IOPort51]

E6011 is an old pipeliners rod, it has its place, I think I may have a pound or two in my shop for working with drill stem and such. E7014 on the other hand is as close to an all position drag rod as you will find. 3/32 works well on 10 guage and up to 3/32", I wouldn't recomend anything lighter with a stick although I have been impressed with those little auto body "stitch welders" with a 1/16 e7014. I am like you I have a first preference for the TIG machine. I bought one of those cute 115 volt flux core machines to put the new floor boards in my J-10 and then gave it to a friend who thought it was cooler than I did. The frame repair would be an exelent place for a stick welder. I would grind and brush the frame to totaly clean and bright and run a 1/8" e7014, skip weld 1/2" weld 1" void. don't solid weld cause it will warp like a old two by four in the rain.

I was pretty sure you had ment hot rolled, I just didn't want the boy to freak when he found out a 3/16" X4" X10 foot cold rolled bar was going to take most of his paycheck

 

[BLennon]

Yea some of this is over my head, but hey you gotta learn somewhere. I'm just taking it all in. I was planning on having someone else do the welding, but I just wanted to get some ideas about what the best way to do it. Thanks for all the input.

 

[BajaEdition]

Yea some of this is over my head, but hey you gotta learn somewhere. I'm just taking it all in. I was planning on having someone else do the welding, but I just wanted to get some ideas about what the best way to do it. Thanks for all the input.

Welding is not that hard to learn, but getting confidence in your welds does take a bit. I started welding stuff and took the guy who showed me advice, he told me to start welding
some plate together look the weld over on both sides, and then take a sledge to it. I learned real quick what a good weld looked like and how it held up. I also learned that while pretty puddles look really good, they may not be the best weld out there. Sure a professional can make a weld look good every time but a hobbiest may take a practice welds to get up to speed and hid main concern may be a good weld not the perfect looking weld.

 

[Petescj]

When I went to a shop to get a quote about the front floor boards on my CJ8 and he came back with $500 plus materials I about . I cut them out myself and put an ad on Craigslist for a welding job for $AMC 150 . Guys are looking for odd jobs right now in this economy especially. The guy brought a portable up and welded in replacements I got from Quadratec. The Quadratec ones definately need some trimming and massging but classicent.com has higher quality ones for a bit more $$.

Yea some of this is over my head, but hey you gotta learn somewhere. I'm just taking it all in. I was planning on having someone else do the welding, but I just wanted to get some ideas about what the best way to do it. Thanks for all the input.

 

[Jroch]

Welding is not that hard to learn, but getting confidence in your welds does take a bit. I started welding stuff and took the guy who showed me advice, he told me to start welding
some plate together look the weld over on both sides, and then take a sledge to it. I learned real quick what a good weld looked like and how it held up. I also learned that while pretty puddles look really good, they may not be the best weld out there. Sure a professional can make a weld look good every time but a hobbiest may take a practice welds to get up to speed and hid main concern may be a good weld not the perfect looking weld.

Baja hit, all you need to do is pick up a welder and practice, there are also some good books out there to get you started. A mig is really forgiving and a great welder to start with, heat selection and wire speed is pretty simple to figure out and from threre it's just pull the trigger see waht you got until you find the correct heat and speed. As you work with it, that will become second nature. Definately start on thicker metal scraps befire trying weld thin floor plans, my pans were galvenized which is a hole nother challenge, makes the metal soft and very easy to blow through. Nice thing about welding if you don't like the look grind it down not sure about penetration run another. but don't be intimidated, find a someone that knows a little about them get the basics and run with it.

 

[CJ]

Just a small - but cautious interjection...

MIGs are also very good at making a bad weld look good. Welds that have no actual penetration can look really, really good but have very bad structural strength are easily made by modern MIG welders.

If your welding sheet metal - the material is so thin that the circumstance I described are mostly not a problem. Higher thickness metals can be troublesome though.

Twenty years ago I took several courses at a VoTec school that really enlightened me to welding! Started with stick (best learning I ever had!), then MIG and the TIG. The courses were only two hours every other night for a week or two but WOW! Was it worth the time and the (very little) money...

If you have access to some sort of instruction such as that - I highly recommend it! Having a professional give real time feed back can make your welding be professional...