95 Jeep cheroke Sport rotted rocker panel
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95 Jeep cheroke Sport rotted rocker panel
My 95 Jeep has a rotted rocker panel (passanger side rear). Is this expensive to repair? Looks like the replacement needs to be welded in and I am not equiped to do this. I don't want to aprt with this Jeep. 97,000 miles but rusty.
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Year: 1996
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0L, CAI, Edelbrock Breather, Optima Yellowtop
Since you said you can't take the welding route, you can take plan B.
Get these tools/materials
- Tin Snips
- Rivet Puller Gun Ball Peen Hammer
- Grinder with Cutoff Wheels
- Drill
- Sanding Discs
- 60 Grit Sandpaper
- 800 Grit Sandpaper
- 1000 Grit Sandpaper
- Rivets
- Sheet Metal (can either be aluminum or steel; aluminum is perferred)
- A Small tub of Bondo
- Paint to match rocker panel
- Clear Coat
- Rustoleum Automotive Primer
- Use the Grinder to cut away all of the bad/rusty metal
- Measure out the exact peice of metal you will need to fill in the cut away area on the rocker panel.
- Cut the measured sheet metal/aluminum with tin snips
- Lay the peice of sheet metal over the rocker panel and form it to shape using the ball peen hammer
- Drill pilot holes through the sheet metal and the rocker for the rivets
- Spray the Automotive Primer on the exposed metal on the rocker (where the cuts were, and where holes were drilled to keep it from rusting)
- Once the primer areas dry, rivet the sheet metal to the rocker
- Take the 60 grit sandpaper and rough up both the rocker and the sheet metal
- Apply bondo over the seams of the sheet metal and the rocker to smooth it out
- Apply bondo over the rivets
- Let bondo dry overnight
- Sand bondo using the sanding discs on your drill, 60 grit will get the most done, then move up to 800 grit to make it smooth.
- Spray the Automotive Primer over the bondo
- After the primer dries, sand it a little with the 800 grit
- Spray your matching Automotive paint over the primer and use about 3-5 coats
- Let the paint dry for 12 hours, then wetsand it with the 1000 grit to smooth it out and feather it in
- Let the wetsanded paint sit overnight, then apply 4 coats of clear and you're done!
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Year: 1987
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
aluminum causes more rust.
if you can't weld it, cut it out, prep the pieces to fit, rivet the new rocker panel in with a few rivets, and take it to a body shop to have them spot weld it in for you.
if you can't weld it, cut it out, prep the pieces to fit, rivet the new rocker panel in with a few rivets, and take it to a body shop to have them spot weld it in for you.
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Thanks for the help here. Is it worth the money to buy a small arc welder from Home Depot? notjust for this job, but I'll bet it would come in handy for other things.
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Year: 1987
Model: Cherokee
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no. you're better off getting a 120 mig welder from harbor freight.
or look for a working 120 mig off craigslist.
just be aware they can't weld anything too thick. they're better for sheet metal and tac-welding larger things.
or look for a working 120 mig off craigslist.
just be aware they can't weld anything too thick. they're better for sheet metal and tac-welding larger things.
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Year: 1996
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0L, CAI, Edelbrock Breather, Optima Yellowtop
I'm giving him directions based on what I did with my '92 XJ. It was the same concept, only I did it on the lower quarter and not the rocker panel. It has held up past my expectations, You can't tell the body work was ever done to it, and it hasn't rusted at all. I'd go with a welder if I had one, but if he's trying to do the bodywork on a budget without the equipment, that's the best way to do it.
Last edited by 1996XJSport; 01-30-2011 at 10:36 PM.
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Year: 1987
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
no *****, Sherlock.
last time I checked, XJ's are made of sheet steel...the surface between the aluminum and the sheet steel will become rusty, as aluminum against steel promotes corrosion.
using aluminum is a stupid idea. get some proper gauged sheet metal, or a pre-formed rocker panel. and use steel rivets if you must rivet it...because aluminum rivets will cause the steel they're riveted into to rust.
last time I checked, XJ's are made of sheet steel...the surface between the aluminum and the sheet steel will become rusty, as aluminum against steel promotes corrosion.
using aluminum is a stupid idea. get some proper gauged sheet metal, or a pre-formed rocker panel. and use steel rivets if you must rivet it...because aluminum rivets will cause the steel they're riveted into to rust.
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Year: 1996
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0L, CAI, Edelbrock Breather, Optima Yellowtop
Originally Posted by JeepCoMJ
no *****, Sherlock.
last time I checked, XJ's are made of sheet steel...the surface between the aluminum and the sheet steel will become rusty, as aluminum against steel promotes corrosion.
using aluminum is a stupid idea. get some proper gauged sheet metal, or a pre-formed rocker panel. and use steel rivets if you must rivet it...because aluminum rivets will cause the steel they're riveted into to rust.
Calm down, we're both trying to help a fellow XJ owner out. We clearly have opposing opinions but that does not mean we need to argue.
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Year: 1987
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I'm on the side where redneck repairs are nothing more than garbage. Using aluminum will cause the rust to come back, worse than before. It may not be visible for a year , maybe two....but it will confer back worse than before and by the time you see it it is to late.
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I think your right about aluminum on steel causing more rust.
I also saw those welders on that web site that someone mentioned. Looks like a must have new toy that I need (and deserve). I haven't welded anything in about 40 years. I took a welding course at Wentworth when I was a kid and didn't do very well with electric arc welding. You need protective eyewhere and gloves, right? Not sure where I would get that stuff... maybe home depot?
I also saw those welders on that web site that someone mentioned. Looks like a must have new toy that I need (and deserve). I haven't welded anything in about 40 years. I took a welding course at Wentworth when I was a kid and didn't do very well with electric arc welding. You need protective eyewhere and gloves, right? Not sure where I would get that stuff... maybe home depot?
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Model: Cherokee
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I think your right about aluminum on steel causing more rust.
I also saw those welders on that web site that someone mentioned. Looks like a must have new toy that I need (and deserve). I haven't welded anything in about 40 years. I took a welding course at Wentworth when I was a kid and didn't do very well with electric arc welding. You need protective eyewhere and gloves, right? Not sure where I would get that stuff... maybe home depot?
I also saw those welders on that web site that someone mentioned. Looks like a must have new toy that I need (and deserve). I haven't welded anything in about 40 years. I took a welding course at Wentworth when I was a kid and didn't do very well with electric arc welding. You need protective eyewhere and gloves, right? Not sure where I would get that stuff... maybe home depot?
Lincoln welder ~$400
Shielding gas cost depends on where you buy ~100
Auto-dark helmet ~$100
Cart for welder $0 - $75 (Many build thier own cart)
Wire brushes, angle grinders, sheet metal cutters, clamps....
~$700 so far, I love my little mig welder (Clarke 130e) but like anything, you gotta pay to play.
Last edited by DaddyCat; 01-31-2011 at 05:43 PM.
#12
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Dissimilar metals in contact with each other will certainly cause a situation in which corrosion is likely to appear regardless of how you prep the surfaces. Aluminum does not rust, but it does corrode. Trust me, I've had to treat plenty of it.
OP: Buy a wire fed welder and patch panel and learn away. I taught myself to weld. It's not that hard. The key is to really clean/cut away all the rusty metal that you can.
OP: Buy a wire fed welder and patch panel and learn away. I taught myself to weld. It's not that hard. The key is to really clean/cut away all the rusty metal that you can.
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