Body Pads in or out?

[viiking]

I have to complete welding in my heater channels and then make the final door gap alignment before solidly welding the B pillar.

Do you put the body back on with or without the rubber pads to do this?

I have seen comments advocating both methods. Leaving them off seems to ensure that degree of compression of the rubber does not interfere with the body refit as a base line. Once welded when all the door gaps are correct, the pads are returned into position and the final finessing by tightening the body pads at different points provides a degree of flexibility.

Anyone have comments either way? I'm leaning towards leaving the pads out.
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1968 1500 RHD Lotus White Beetle since birth. In the hospital for major surgery
1966 Lancia Flavia Pininfarina Coupe - in the waiting room
Discharged: 1983 Vanagon, 1974 1800 Microbus,1968 Low Light,1968 Type 3

[Timscc]

I'm doing the same thing to my bug. I'm not using the body pads because I also do not have the pan gasket on. Once all the welding and painting is done I will final install with the gasket and body pads.

[beetlenut]

I think the door gaps and how square the door fits into the opening are more critical than worrying about how the body sits on the pan. I did my channels and one "B" pillar with the body on sawhorses. You can adjust how square the body sits on the pan as you bolt it down to the pan.
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scrapyards are for quitters
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[RLFD213]

The pan gasket isn’t to important but the Jody lands are. There is a sequence for torquing down the body and that is how to adjust door gaps also. The pads are pretty thick so that body will flex a lot

[VW_Jimbo]

I bolt the body down at all points to the correct torque. Works like a charm!

I also use all new gaskets and pads. And I use them all. You will need to install the front beam, too!

Once everything is set, start tacking into place. It is amazing how much the body can flex! You can pull it front to back or side to side by 1mm increments with washers on the pads, if needed to. But if you bolt it all down and then start racking, your chances for good alignment go up greatly! We as rebuilders do not have the body jigs that VW had, so you need to do something to make it happen!

Good luck!
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Jimbo

There is never enough time to do it right the first time, but all the time necessary the second time!

[bomberbob]

I welded my heater channels in with the body sitting on the pan, not bolted down. I did not have the rubber pads in, or the body gasket. I also replaced the firewall, both A pillars with the lower hinge assembly, and the entire left forward quarter from the bumper all the way to the pinch weld.
Getting door alignment has proven to be a challenge. I finally got the passenger side fixed, drivers door refuses to align. I find that if I put the two rubber pads in the front under the gas tank, that it screws up my alignment. I probably should have installed the pads before I welded. You probably already know but there are different thicknesses of pads so you can dial in your adjustments. I think there was a hot VWs article available online that seemed to show them measuring the thickness they needed, and then making their own metal shims.
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1968 Beetle (storage)
1990 Jetta GLI megasquirted, burning E85 (currently in heavy maintenance)
2004 Jetta turbo GLI
Marion, Iowa