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jmunster
Samba Member
Joined: November 10, 2014
Posts: 7
Location: Dillingham, AK
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 Posted: Thu Nov 27, 2014 10:41 am Post subject: Deluxe trim holes in rocker panels |
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| Anyone have any tips for repairing trim mounting holes that are slightly enlarged by rust? The rockers are in excellent shape with no visable cancer. Just enough rust around the holes to have thinned them out. |
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Breckskier
Samba Member
Joined: December 16, 2002
Posts: 239
Location: Grand Rapids, MI
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| Posted: Thu Nov 27, 2014 7:18 pm Post subject: Re: Deluxe trim holes in rocker panels |
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| jmunster wrote: |
| Anyone have any tips for repairing trim mounting holes that are slightly enlarged by rust? The rockers are in excellent shape with no visable cancer. Just enough rust around the holes to have thinned them out. |
I'm not an expert on this. I would think a couple coats or dabs of POR15 on it might make the holes tighter to hold screws or else use larger screws.
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BreckSkier
67 13w Deluxe-"St. Pete" the Airport Jet Bus
65 13w Deluxe-"St. Nikolas"
67 912(911.5 Outlaw build spring 2015), 90 C4Cab. Formerly: 59 DD, 78 SuperB, 81 911Cab, 82Vanagon, 81Vana & other German / US stuff.. |
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thom
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Joined: October 12, 2000
Posts: 6171
Location: Sacramento
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| Posted: Thu Nov 27, 2014 7:48 pm Post subject: |
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Rockers rust from the inside out. If the screw holes have been compromised due to rust, then you have a bigger problem than you think you do.
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1956 Single Cab
1957 Porsche 356A Sunroof
1957 23-Window Deluxe
1957 Mercedes Westfalia single cab
1963 Unimog 404
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EmpiGT
Samba Member
Joined: January 27, 2005
Posts: 2597
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| Posted: Thu Nov 27, 2014 8:21 pm Post subject: |
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| I agree with Thom, what you should try is mig weld the holes with a low voltage setting, if it is so thin by rust you keep chasing the hole even low heat, you need to do a rocker replacement. If it takes a good weld you have new metal to put skrews into, but even doing than try to cavity wax the inside of the rockers to slow down the rust if the weld method works. |
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Breckskier
Samba Member
Joined: December 16, 2002
Posts: 239
Location: Grand Rapids, MI
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| Posted: Fri Nov 28, 2014 7:11 am Post subject: |
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| EmpiGT wrote: |
| ry to cavity wax the inside of the rockers to slow down the rust. |
Cavity wax?
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BreckSkier
67 13w Deluxe-"St. Pete" the Airport Jet Bus
65 13w Deluxe-"St. Nikolas"
67 912(911.5 Outlaw build spring 2015), 90 C4Cab. Formerly: 59 DD, 78 SuperB, 81 911Cab, 82Vanagon, 81Vana & other German / US stuff.. |
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kenshapiro2002
Samba Member
Joined: April 26, 2013
Posts: 1826
Location: Bawlmer Hon
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| Posted: Fri Nov 28, 2014 9:17 am Post subject: Re: Deluxe trim holes in rocker panels |
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| Breckskier wrote: |
| jmunster wrote: |
| Anyone have any tips for repairing trim mounting holes that are slightly enlarged by rust? The rockers are in excellent shape with no visable cancer. Just enough rust around the holes to have thinned them out. |
I'm not an expert on this. I would think a couple coats or dabs of POR15 on it might make the holes tighter to hold screws or else use larger screws. |
POR15 makes a GREAT product called POR Patch™. It's POR15 in a paste that sets up like steel. I use it in many applications.
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olliehank47
Samba Member
Joined: May 04, 2011
Posts: 1198
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| Posted: Fri Nov 28, 2014 9:34 am Post subject: |
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| thom wrote: |
| Rockers rust from the inside out. If the screw holes have been compromised due to rust, then you have a bigger problem than you think you do. |
In general, I would agree with this.^^
However, we don't know exactly your situation. It is quite possible the rust is simply limited to the holes for the mounting of the rocker trim as moisture can enter from behind the trim and wick/settle into the holes where the screws are. Unless your entire rocker has been compromised by holes in the wheel well openings, for example, it is quite likely the screw holes are the only problem area. Only you can make that determination.
With the above in mind, you haven't let us know if you plan to remount rocker trim. If you do plan to mount trim, larger screws are out as the holes in the trim will limit the diameter of the head unless you drill out each mounting point. You will need to repair each rusted hole area and, ideally, that would mean eliminating all the rust, closing the hole, and re-drill each hole. Depending on the extent of the rust around each hole, you could grind away the rust and braze each hole with brass, cover with epoxy primer, paint, and drill each hole (regular paint doesn't adhere well to brass.) You could spot weld each hole closed, grind flush, and repaint and re-drill. Or, depending on the extent of rust around each hole, you can take the POR-15 suggestion, following all pre-application directions.
Whatever you choose to do, it will be tedious and you should eliminate all rust in the area of each hole--that means sanding down to bare metal around each area to find the extent of the rust. |
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jmunster
Samba Member
Joined: November 10, 2014
Posts: 7
Location: Dillingham, AK
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| Posted: Fri Nov 28, 2014 10:42 am Post subject: |
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| OK, so 20 years ago I stripped and blasted the exterior, washed with acid and DP40. I agree I have no idea what's going on inside the rocker without cutting a hole, which I don't want. The rockers are solid, no rust except for loss of metal around 1/3 of the holes. I was hoping I could weld grind and redrill but I do worry about inside. If I globbed por15 on the hole would it hold up to the mounting of the trim? Thanks for the help. |
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BarryL 
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Joined: November 01, 2004
Posts: 15231
Location: Casa de Oro, California
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| Posted: Fri Nov 28, 2014 10:54 am Post subject: |
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| Poke an awl into few holes and see if it hits into decent steel. If so, there are specialty fastener places that sell same size head but larger screw screws. Then drill your spears' holes a smidge bigger. Use some epoxy on each thread as you set them to ward off invasion and help the faster stay. |
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cru62
Samba Member
Joined: December 31, 2002
Posts: 4121
Location: Margaritaville.....24/7
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| Posted: Fri Nov 28, 2014 11:01 am Post subject: |
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You could use NutSerts in the same hole. It would need a slightly larger diameter hole to install. But it would be less dicey than welding or glopping filler of some sort in the hole which may or may not hold.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sz2yZNqGNqo
I usually use a step drill if there is an existing hole. Works much better on sheet metal than a regular drill bit.
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olliehank47
Samba Member
Joined: May 04, 2011
Posts: 1198
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| Posted: Fri Nov 28, 2014 11:35 am Post subject: |
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| jmunster wrote: |
| OK, so 20 years ago I stripped and blasted the exterior, washed with acid and DP40. I agree I have no idea what's going on inside the rocker without cutting a hole, which I don't want. The rockers are solid, no rust except for loss of metal around 1/3 of the holes. I was hoping I could weld grind and redrill but I do worry about inside. If I globbed por15 on the hole would it hold up to the mounting of the trim? Thanks for the help. |
It really sounds like the rust is limited to the holes, from the outside. Regardless, you should eliminate all rust in the area and that means grinding away around the holes until the metal is clean and bright. Then, and only then, should you try a permanent repair, IMO.
Since not all the holes are rusty and the spears are solely decorative, there is no reason why the POR-15 solution wouldn't work as long as you prep the areas properly. If the metal around the holes is thin, you can even soak fiberglass bits in POR-15 and that will strengthen the thinned area and bond solidly to the surrounding metal. This type of repair should be long lasting but I, personally, would not consider it a permanent repair.
Using inserts to repair the holes will leave a gap between the head of the insert and the back of the trim piece as the inserts will not be flush with the sheet metal of the rocker.
Last edited by olliehank47 on Fri Nov 28, 2014 9:46 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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EmpiGT
Samba Member
Joined: January 27, 2005
Posts: 2597
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| Posted: Fri Nov 28, 2014 6:58 pm Post subject: |
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| Breckskier wrote: |
| EmpiGT wrote: |
| ry to cavity wax the inside of the rockers to slow down the rust. |
Cavity wax? |
Check this out
http://www.goferauto.com/ruforinpacaw.html |
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Breckskier
Samba Member
Joined: December 16, 2002
Posts: 239
Location: Grand Rapids, MI
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| Posted: Fri Nov 28, 2014 10:00 pm Post subject: |
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Good to know. Thanks
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BreckSkier
67 13w Deluxe-"St. Pete" the Airport Jet Bus
65 13w Deluxe-"St. Nikolas"
67 912(911.5 Outlaw build spring 2015), 90 C4Cab. Formerly: 59 DD, 78 SuperB, 81 911Cab, 82Vanagon, 81Vana & other German / US stuff.. |
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