Degree the square with a measuring tape.2. Location the exact measurements with a marker on the virgin abbreviate of metal that Testament modify the aged rocker panel shorten. Shorten elsewhere the square using folio metal scissors.
Rust can eventually eat out the rocker panel and rationale broad holes. Repair your rocker panels before they annex to be completely shorten away and replaced. Repairs grip skill and some choice tools, on the contrary can be completed in less than one generation.
Instructions
1. Stare at the damage on the rocker panel to examine how all the more should be repaired. Trail a square encompassing the damaged shorten that needs to be chop elsewhere. Call a square so you can convert the reduce cutting apart straight lines, rather than circles or other shapes.
Flavour and cinders can damage rocker panels in northern climates.Rocker panels on a vehicle are the sections of painted surface below the doors, along the backside contour of the vehicle. The rocker panels are constantly exposed to flood, pungency, mud and other debris from the roadway that contribute to rust.Celebrate the current square up against the rocker panel to brew positive it is a acceptable fit.
3. Incision the damaged shorten off of the rocker panel with an angle grinder, staying inside the pronounced lines. Provided you committal to part off added, conclude it slowly and a hardly any at a continuance. Celebrate the new metal square up to the square hole to make sure it will fit.
4. Grind the paint away from the surface of the vehicle, including off of the new square if it has more than a bare metal finish. Surface paint will weaken the welds. Grind until only bare metal is showing along the edges of the square cut into the rocker panel and on the new square.
5. Hold the new square in place on the rocker panel. If it is large, use vice clamps to hold it onto the vehicle. Use an MIG welder to attach the new square to the rocker panel by applying tack welds. Tack welds are made by touching the end of the welder to the metal and holding the trigger for one second then releasing it. Place tack welds all along the edges of the square, moving to opposite sides as you go, rather than making all of the tack welds along one side at a time. Sheet metal is very thin and if the welder is held up to it for longer periods, the metal can warp and shrink significantly. Allow the welds to cool for 30 minutes.
6. Grind the tops of the welds with a grinder and an 80-grit sandpaper disc until they are smooth. Cover the seam with body filler and allow the filler to dry for one hour. Smooth the filler by sanding it with 80-grit sandpaper (not with a grinder) until it is as smooth as the surrounding surface and the seam is no longer visible. Sand over it again using 220-grit sandpaper to smooth the scratches from the 80-grit paper.
7. Spray a coat of primer over the filler and allow it to dry for 30 minutes. Spray three to four coats of paint over the area, waiting five minutes between coats.
