Jeep Cherokee Forum - bondo or metal patch

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Rust hole and how to fix it?

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Quote:

Originally Posted by xjwanted (Post 455186)

alright so decided to stop whining about it and deal with it i am fixing a rust hole about the size of a quarter , rusted through, was wondering if i should use bondo or jb weld/metal patch combo

if you want it done right i would weld in a patch...other wise bondo risks cracking and chipping out. i have a hole about the size of a golf ball i will need to fix very soon and i plan on welding in a new rocker panel

Ive heard that bondo absorbs water and will cause more rust (Ive seen lots of cars with bondo rust out around it)
I would use JB weld If thats your only other option

haha crud guys looks like between a rock and a hard spot what gauge metal is the floor of an xj then? and where can i find the metal. i prefer not to weld b/c the gas tank is right there.

oh and how do i get out the panels that have the rear seat belts going through them off, then how do i get the carpet over those ties downs? have to tear the back side of the jeep apart tommrow afternoon and start the prep work

It is absolutely imperative to first remove all the rust; not just at the hole, but under where the patch will fit. Rust is the natural state of iron, and iron will alawys seek to return to it. You must cut out all rust, and then patch, and then seal the patch on all sides some moisture cannot get in.
Best way is weld in new metal.
Everything elese is, at best, a compromise. If I was afraid of the gas tank, and didn't want to remove it, I'd use POR-15. But how can you apply POR-15, or any sealant to the bottom, if the tank is in the way?

Do it right---do it once.

That one inch hole is just the tip of the ice berg. Be prepared for much more rust.

Quote:

Originally Posted by robertj (Post 455574)

That one inch hole is just the tip of the ice berg. Be prepared for much more rust.

wow yeah you were right i mean its just the metal int hat arear was in prety bad shape i pulled the carpet after school today i know for sure that now i will oonly sepnd the moeny to fix the rust hole and no more on anything else such as a lift kit or what not. i got my shopvac and vaccumed up the loose pieces of rust sanded it alittle but that didnt help then i realized that i would have to cut out a 4 inch by 4 inch hole, im going to sit down and figure out my plan of attack later tonight with my dad if we can find a shop to do it at a reasonable price i will go that route otherwise my frined and i will be taking it haed on then i will remove all tha carpet from the jeep and bedline the entier thing on the inside. that is the only rust hole the rest of the floor in the trunk is in solid shape not even any rust spots haha i guees im kinda lucky but i will find out for sure when i get the rest of the carpet out!!!!! wish me luck???

Quote:

Originally Posted by robertj (Post 455574)

That one inch hole is just the tip of the ice berg. Be prepared for much more rust.

Ive never seen any vehicle that had just one rust whole in the floor, once it starts it spreads pretty fast. If you go to your local metal recycling yard you can find any kind of metal you will need and if you cant weld it I would recomend some good sealer and self tapping screws. On mine I ended up just removing the whole floor wich was an area much larger than the gas tank and welded it in. I hope your one of those lucky few with just a small pach but I wonder, have you checked the passenger area yet?

Quote:

Originally Posted by xjwanted (Post 456457)

do you mean from teh inside or from underneath underneath everything is solid and the only reason this rust hole is there is beacsuaew the p.o that stupid dumbass mofo drilled through the fckin floor to mount a 10 disk cd changer if he hadn't done that i wouldn;t be in this mess im soo pissed off my dad is yelling at me that he will look at it tomoorow (hes a computer engineer) and he was agains tme buying this jeep in the first place, im just going to call it a lost cause and give up and just leave it be im pissed b/c the first jeep i saw the guy was asking $1000 non running perfect condition no rust, and on a rainy day i go to look at ths jeep which ha dspetn 6 monthes up north and 6 monthes in nc fro three years. i've spent $7000 which includes
1. pull engine replace engine, and the cost of the pull from the donor vehcile
2. tires- $450
3. shocks - $500
and some other misc fixes

at $7000 i have no lift and now i am completely agree with my dads with not doing a single mod to this jeep at all now and on craigslist guess what i find, a lifted jeep with everything i wanted fro mine and for how much....... $5000 FML im kicking my self other teens on here listen to your parents dont go this bulls*** route of buying a nonrunnign jeep and doign an engien swapo it will just cost you more!!!!! learn from my mistake now im stuck witha a jeep that has a tiny rust hole that is completely consuming my life, i now want out of the jeep life, i will probably neve buy a jeep again!!!

Dude you should have not spent that much to fix any used car. I mean I have gotten cars that were $5000 and looked and ran great 6 months later tranny was burnt. So you can not guarantee anything but you did not have to spend that money you chose too and one thing about becoming a man or even a adult is you have to live with the decisions you make and make the best of them.:yes: Look at it this way after you get done you will know that your Jeep is done right even if it takes a little longer and more money. I had several rusted out spots in the floors of my jeeps one ('92 YJ) that needed a whole floor pan. Just cut it out weld or rivit a peice back in and use seam sealer around the seams and them bed coat the whole floor and it will be tough as nails.:cool2:

Alright there's something you guys have to understand, I lose my patience easily, and sometimes over smalll things. My dad looked at the hole this morning and said it wasn't bad that when we go for the next oil change he will have the shop that swaped the engine see if they can cut it out and replace it (they build racing mustangs, and they welded my drivers seat back together when it broke). I like my Jeep, I really do, but sometimes its as if I inherited more of a problem than I wanted to which is true I did. If the shop can't fix it, then hopefully my friend will be onboard with helping me (he's currently building a cj-5). Then I am going to strip the rest of the carpet from the jeep and bedline the entire interior (to protect it). The rest of the floor in the trunk is great no rust spots and the same for the passenger and driver floorboards. I haven't yet pulled all the carpet only the carpet in the trunk. Needless to say I will not be lifting this jeep, i'm going to keep it stock and get BFG All Terrains when I need new tires.

Quote:

Originally Posted by MS Fowler (Post 455545)

this rust hole in not over the gas tank its oon the inner arear of the wheel well. My fear is that sparks from the welder may spatter and start a fire if they land on the gas tank

Quote:

Originally Posted by xjwanted (Post 456746)

this rust hole in not over the gas tank its oon the inner arear of the wheel well. My fear is that sparks from the welder may spatter and start a fire if they land on the gas tank

Well, they make welding blankets to provide the protection you need. However, if you are concerned about fire ) or worse), maybe its best to not do it.

best for me not to do it like you mean give it too a shop to do?