trasit welding help needed

[weldingnovice]

Ford Transit MK3/4/5 1986-00 NEW Front Inner Wing c/w Suspension Top RH | Central Panels Auto Parts

www.centralpanels.co.uk

Looks to be what your after, have a mooch about their website.

Cheap when you consider making repair panel.

You'll probably be a valued customer by the end of it.

I have had transit stuff from them and was ok.

 

[weldingnovice]

Beat me to it

 

[tom 748]

strut out,not a hard job but will take time

 

[tom2207]

Ford Transit MK3/4/5 1986-00 NEW Front Inner Wing c/w Suspension Top RH | Central Panels Auto Parts

www.centralpanels.co.uk

Looks to be what your after, have a mooch about their website.

Cheap when you consider making repair panel.

You'll probably be a valued customer by the end of it.

I have had transit stuff from them and was ok.

handy panel , but looking at the op it really only needs a patch , if the ops not happy with patching skills yet chopping up panels and welding them up again is a few months away ,,, you could get a local welder to patch the strut top cheaper and still learn to patch on the easy stuff ,,, I still think that a bit of practice and the strut tops a diy job ,, I find folk amaze them selves with what they can actually do once they get started .
Its the getting started that takes all the effort.

 

[mechman]

Don't forget the CAD system ( Cardboard aided design). Use cardboard for templates then copy in metal.
Norm.

 

[tom2207]

Don't forget the CAD system ( Cardboard aided design). Use cardboard for templates then copy in metal.
Norm.

very outdated ,, and it takes three hands ,, Im on masking tape now instead ,,, make up the patch in masking tape , easy to add bits at edges etc and trim , it even holds its self in place , then peel the whole lot off , rub it in dust so the stick sort of halves , then bung it on new steel and either dust with paint and remove for a good outline , or draw round it ...
a low tech low expense of the flexible shape pattern idea ... give it a go , it may save a lot of frustration

 

[weldingnovice]

Didn't have too much of a look to see what is or isn't available for his van. Just a pointer as to what's available to him.

But looking at it, what he needs could be taken off that repair/replacement panel.

I would be extremely surprised if the extent of the corrosion is limited to that small area what he's looking at.

 

[Pigeon_Droppings2]

The Nissans I work on don't have many off the shelf panels...you can make a lot of repair patches with basic hand tools.

If hand forming then it's (a lot!) easier with thinner steel...the floor patches in the pic were all done with a block of wood which I carved out the pressing shape then just hammered....takes a little time but its doable (it did get fully welded in).

 

[Keithmac]

Seen a few people make wooden moulds for repair panels and they've all come out great as above.

 

[pedrobedro]

, I'm on masking tape now instead ,,, make up the patch in masking tape ,

What, on my pension ? Cardboard's free

 

[al1959]

thanks you all for the help, i will get back to you all later today, i have been going over other area`s of the front and yes there is more work than i expected but having sat back and looked at things i now realise that this project is something i am going to enjoy doing, i have found a lot more work this morning and have ordered my sheet metal, i will be starting this project at the end of the month so now is the time to get everything in place for the big start.
i will reply to the post that have gone up earlier tonight, central panels is book marked lol.

thanks everyone for taking the time to help me, stay with me as i will be leaning heavily on you in a few weeks time,
i will post a pic of my welding shortly, 2mm sheet butt joint, tell me what you think.

cheers

 

[al1959]

thanks you all for the help, i will get back to you all later today, i have been going over other area`s of the front and yes there is more work than i expected but having sat back and looked at things i now realise that this project is something i am going to enjoy doing, i have found a lot more work this morning and have ordered my sheet metal, i will be starting this project at the end of the month so now is the time to get everything in place for the big start.
i will reply to the post that have gone up earlier tonight, central panels is book marked lol.

thanks everyone for taking the time to help me, stay with me as i will be leaning heavily on you in a few weeks time,
i will post a pic of my welding shortly, 2mm sheet butt joint, tell me what you think.

cheers

 

[RWD3M]

View attachment 416158View attachment 416159

Ok, so not perfect, but I've seen a lot worse!

 

[al1959]

View attachment 416158View attachment 416159

so am i close to being good enough? 2mm sheet metal butt joint

 

[Pigeon_Droppings2]

Lot of splatter...is that gasless welding?

For my patches I use zintec ( lot of places sell it)...it's steel with a zinc coating...I prefer it to plain steel as it keeps well without getting flash rust.

 

[eddie49]

Lot of splatter...is that gasless welding?

Yes, see Posts #44 and 45.

 

[eddie49]

i will post a pic of my welding shortly, 2mm sheet butt joint, tell me what you think.

I think the metal needs to be shinier before you start - sanded clean and bright with a flap disc on an angle grinder - and we need to see the reverse side of the welds.

 

[Hopefuldave]

I think the metal needs to be shinier before you start - sanded clean and bright with a flap disc on an angle grinder - and we need to see the reverse side of the welds.

Yep, Preparation leads to Penetration,

Well, that's what the actress told the bishop.

 

[al1959]

thanks 8ob for the link, i can see a few items being bought from them.
i will weld another butt weld tomorrow and post it, i know what i did wrong with todays effort so that will be sorted tomorrow.

going back to original post of the turret, the top of it is ok and its only around the bottom edges where its welded to the arch that is rotten, whould i need to replace the top if its ok, clean it up to good metal and the same with the arch then cut and weld strips of sheet metal between the top and arch, i would still have to do the same if i bought the new suspension top ........or would i????. i will know better once my bits and pieces turn up from fleabay, i ordered some rust remover discs for my grinder, not the flap discs as they would make the metal thinner, ah remembered, poly strip rust removers, see im learning already lol but to be honest someone mentioed these type of discs in and earlier post, i also ordered 4 wire wheels also for the grinder.

i found more holes in the floor area today so more welding to do but you guys new this didn`t you lol, once i can get all the area`s back to clean metal thats when the photos will come thick and fast as i set about sorting them, as its only my time going into this project and a little on metal costs i will probably go that little bit further to sort areas out rather than come back in 2 or 3 years time welding another hole that has appeared next to what i am sorting now, i know the van will always have a weld to do every year but if i am going to do this i want it doing right and not cut corners.

going back to the butt weld, am i right in thinking a very slight gap between the two piesces to allow the weld to penetrate better?.

also back to an earlier question i asked, part of the floor will need welding but rather that doing little patches would i be better off making a larger plate for the floor which would deal with more rust holes and areas which are heavily pitted which would probably turn into a rusty hole 3 years down the line? next question same subject, the floow is not a flat floor it has like grooves or valleys so when i come to do it how do i get a sheet metal onto a floor which is not flat? or is this where fabrication comes in which means loads of little plates in different places, i would rather cover a larger area and just have it done with!

i think thats about it for tonight unless you guys come back with anything.

cheers

 

[Keithmac]

The shapes in the floor give it strength rather than a flat sheet.

You may be better getting a floor repair panel (if anyone makes one?). You could chop sections out to use or fit the lot.

My reasoning is if you think it's going to fail or rot in next 5 years chop it our and coat the whole lot in decent rust proof primer plus top coat.

At least then it's all done and no need to worry about it imho.