J240ZTurbo Posted March 25, 2013 Share Posted March 25, 2013 Getting ready to intalled new rocker panels on my 76 280z..anyone here knows an easy way to removed the old ones from the car? I know I have to removed the old spot welds, but its there an old trick to this, also what welder you guys recommend can I used a mig flux wire no gas welder?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tooquick260 Posted March 25, 2013 Share Posted March 25, 2013 Hey did you get another car? Couldnt stay away huh! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J240ZTurbo Posted March 25, 2013 Author Share Posted March 25, 2013 Got bored thru a few weeks vacation.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tecreatta Posted March 25, 2013 Share Posted March 25, 2013 Flux will probably blow through. If you decide to weld you'll want an argon mig setup. I know alot of people use 3m 8115 panel bonder for rocker panels. I've only used it for quarters panels and patching doors. That's my 2 cents. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seattlejester Posted March 25, 2013 Share Posted March 25, 2013 Mig and flux are kind of mutually exclusive. I suppose you can run flux through a mig welder, but I believe you have to change polarity and it would be fair bit of a downgrade. Unless you are limited by location (car does not move and is outside where it is windy all the time), I agree with the person above, with flux it will be fairly difficult not to blow thru, you will have a lot more splatter which means more cleanup. Buy/rent an argon/co2 mix mig setup with adjustable speed and amperage. Are you removing the whole rocker? Or just a portion of it? Recommendations: It is spot welded from the factory so a spotweld cutting bit is very helpful to cut through the welds. Alternatively you can use a cold chisel to rip out the surrounding material and grind the spot welds down. If you are just removing portions, a die grinder with a cutoff disk works fairly well, and if you lay the new rocker on the old and and cut at the same time, you will have a perfect patch panel (make it a little bigger so you have some overlap) Cut out all the cancer, remove until you get to clean unpitted metal. Clean painted surfaces down to the metal (both sides), remove anything flammable/valuable from the area. If you are removing the whole rocker, the car should probably be braced or on a jig or something, the rocker is a fairly large structural piece, without it the car can warp. If you just have a shell it would be better. Clamps, lots of clamps, use lots of clamps and vice grips to hold the new panel on. Couple on the bottom and couple on the top at the least. Alignment, take pictures and all the measurements you can to where the stock panel was. Weld as hot as you can go without blowing through. You want to make sure you have good penetration, but remember to skip around so you don't warp the panel. Depending on the maker of the replacement panel, you may need to drill holes yourself for the pseudo spot weld. The bottom and the middle portions of the rocker have seams, seal these up or you will get a rusty panel again. Rust inhibitor spray, eastwood sells a flexible spray nozzle you can use to spray the interior of the rocker once you replace it to keep the rocker from rusting again, alternatively you can use a full spray can and spray in the holes from the interior of the car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
morbias Posted March 25, 2013 Share Posted March 25, 2013 Also fit the door back on the car when you are getting the panel lined up and ready for welding, this way you can ensure it is in the correct position by lining up the front edge of the door with the step on the rocker. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meph Posted March 25, 2013 Share Posted March 25, 2013 Just a head up about the Flux welder. I have a 220v I run flux on because I dont have the tank or means to fill it right now. The welder has a low setting (so low that its 100% duty cycle) and its pretty good at not blowing though, though it does happen if you're not careful. I wouldn't hesitate to use it to weld on rockers, though I prefer gas, and with out it, the flux takes patience and practice. You might have to do a series of spot welds to make one large weld, but you do what you gotta do I guess. Good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J240ZTurbo Posted March 26, 2013 Author Share Posted March 26, 2013 Guys by your responses looks like 3m bonder anyone else here glued these on instead of welding? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scartail Posted March 26, 2013 Share Posted March 26, 2013 Spot weld cutter from harbor freight... I bought one a couple weeks, and it is awesome and cheap ($5) http://www.harborfreight.com/3-8-eighth-inch-double-sided-rotary-spot-weld-cutter-95343.html... I center-punch each spot weld, then went to town with the cutter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seattlejester Posted March 29, 2013 Share Posted March 29, 2013 The 3m bonder is stated for use with non-structural parts, the rocker is very structural in the 240's. Especially if the whole area is rusted causing you to replace it. Places suggested it not be used include unibody rocker panels. Jig/brace it then weld it. If you can't do it, pay someone else to do it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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