boxburn

You are certainly right about welding first, you'll just contaminate the weld and probably breathe in a lot of bad fumes if the sealer was applied in the gap first.

I weld, seam seal, let it dry then paint/under seal. I do it that way as I trust the bond between seam sealer and metal more than metal to paint to seam sealer. Don't forget the seal both the inner and outer.

country2

yes, paint then seamsealer

BlackXJay

Thank you guys! One more thing as a very very inexperienced welder would it be okay to lap the new metal over the hole instead of butt welding? I know butt welding looks cleaner and is probably the right way to do it, but I think I'd feel more comfortable cutting a larger piece and tacking it in. I just dont want to trap moisture on the underside.

boxburn

I always overlap weld by approximately 10mm on each edge, as long as the overlapping metal has been sprayed with weld thru there shouldn't be any issues with corrosion forming in the gap provided it has been sealed after welding.

You don't need to seam weld a piece like this in but I would say make your spots close together so in the end there is a spot sized gap between each spot weld. I personally would also go underneath and put a few about an inch apart just to hold together the metal on that side.

Butt welding on thin sheet steel can be a pain and end up creating gaps that need to be chased. I only do this on chassis work where the metal is thicker and another panel such as an outrigger needs to go flush against it to fit correctly, or on a body panel where there is no other option.

BlackXJay

Thank you so much. Now I'm just trying to figure out how to mock the ribs in the patch section but I think I have it figured out with a socket and a press. Also weld thru primer is not easily found. Checked a few auto shops and home depot but no luck. They did have a zinc cold galvanizing primer that I've heard of people using, but I'll wait til my local auto body supplier is open tomorrow and give them a try.

country2

I got my weld thru primer from Amazon and Napa. I was told years ago to apply seam sealer after primer or primer/paint but never use seam sealer on bare metal..maybe differs from brand to brand or times has changed since then? This was back in the late 80's when I was redoing my 67 mustange.

4x4jeepmanthing

Leave your carpet out for a while, it's great your fixing it, but you need to find where water is entering or you'll be repeating this!

Good work so far

BlackXJay

BlackXJay

Back to square one. As I peeled back getting ready to weld I noticed the pitting went alot further up then I first realized. Guess my best option would just to order the whole pan and get it over with.

BlackXJay

Theres still clean metal to work with to patch it. But I would probably have to cut out and good piece and probably order a pan anyway.

boxburn

If a new pan is easy enough to get hold of and the job is starting to get sizeable, it's worth getting the new panel.

Now I may sound like a hypocrite but when I did mine, I didn't know if I'd be able to afford to run the Jeep, I was just getting it roadworthy so done a lot of patch work. Here's an example of one of my foot wells:

BlackXJay

You know what I think I'm over thinking this hahaha, the perfectionist in me. I've decided to just por15 what's there to keep the metal strong and from rusting and pop rivet (stainless) the patch in with seam sealer for the winter. Next spring I'm gonna order a pan a weld it up.

BlackXJay

Would be nice to weld through the por15 but I'm sure the smoke would be some poisonous stuff

BlackXJay

Well my conscience got the best of me and I tried to do it the right way. Here's the outcome.

Cut out more

Test fit and clean metal for weld


Weld thru primer

Crappy *** welds (first job)

BlackXJay

Finished product. Of course my phone was dying so no flash