I need help, my car had trim all the way down the side, i dont want the trim so theres about a dozen are more holes where the trim fastened. I want to weld them up, whats the best way? Do you stick something in the holes and spot weld? I want to do this myself so i could shure use some suggestions. If anyone had a pic. on how it would shure help. Thanks.
The best way is to put something up behind the hole that the weld won't stick too. Br*** or Graphite workls best. Then weld up the hole as usual being careful not to heat the **** out the area and warp the panel. Another way to do it is to cut a small patch that will fit inside the trim hold and weld that up. Less welding, less grinding, less heat. There was a tech on here not long ago, try a search.
Thanks, seems like i've seen a show on tv where they stuck a rivet or somthing in the hole and then spot welded it, anyone ever heard of that?
This has come up on occasion. One guy posted his remedy, use welding rod as the "filler." You can hold it as you tack it, cut it as close to flush, weld it, grind it. Tah dah! Reverend Jake
I like to take a step drill and drill the hole out so its round and has enough area to make a a small patch by holding sheet metal to the back and scribing the hole on there then cut out and grind to size fot the patches on 1/4 or larger holes and gas weld them in using mig wire as filler, if its small enough you could hold a copper backing to it and fill the hole from outside in. either way you will produce enough heat that it will shrink so hammer and dolly back to shape and do only one at a time. Jesse
Do you think the heat is going to make the body wavy down the side? Other than the trim holes its pretty darn sraight, id shure hate to mess it up or ruin it.
what ever procedure you decide to use, as long as you make sure to take a small break between each spot weld to let it cool it wont warp at all, just take your time and dont try to weld the entire area in one p*** and when it comes time to grind the welds down you have to make sure to also only grind for a few seconds then wait and grind again its better if you use a paddle wheel on your grinder because they disapate heat better than a regular style wheel
Skip around the car and work alittle on each hole on different pannels from side to side... this way you can keep working but wont heat up and warp the panel, do the same when you grind. I've taken a peice of copper pipe and hamered the end flat. Then held it behind the hole and welded on the front side. The weld wont stick to the pipe and you wont have globs of weld and wire inside the hole.
Thanks, this great info, i'm kinda worried but i'm determined to do this. So are ya saying that if i hold the copper behind the hole the mig wire will fill up the hole? I dont need anything else in there?
Yea, the wire from the MIG won't stick to the copper so you should end up with a solid fill that you'll just have to grind down flush. These other guys gave you some great tips, definitely go for the paddle wheel, they're a bit nicer to work with.
I agree with the copper pipe and a mig, definateley don't use br***. the paint does not like to stick for long periods of time to br***.
I jump two holes every weld to space out the heat. Depending on how big the holes are. Don't feel you have to fill the hole on the first p***. You can go back two three times, jumping holes as you go. I grind all my welds with 36 grit green corps discs from 3m. Easy fix, but don't rush it and you will be fine.
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