Best how-tos for panel replacement

[Tj04]

Only TJ Jeeps please
Good job on your build though.

As it’s my thread I’m ok with the non tj He’s helping and I really appreciate it. Gotta learn somehow whether it’s a tj or not.

 

[Tj04]

you may also need a spot weld drilling tool much easier then trying to grind any spot welds

Definitely will buy one of these. Happen to have a good link to one on amazon?

 

[mike d]

So I forgot I have a crushed rocker from a huge rock under my slider. Now I’m debating on if I’m going to cut out the section and weld in some sheet 18g Steel or if I should cut the entire rocker out and weld a new one in.

And my floor pans are fine it is the YJ that needs new floor pans.

My tj needs new floor pan supports. The back section is getting bad and I don’t like it.

Jeep tubs are 18g steel correct?

Any reason to use 16g since it will be a little bit harder to burn and warp?

I’m going to buy a bunch of sheet metal and practice welding them first. Again I have some experience welding solely on a structural basis in college but not a professional or a seasoned welder by any means.

starting out with sheet metal will be hard, it burns thru very easy and warps quick, best bet if your starting out would be 3/16 metal. either l shape, i shape, square , whatever the shape start with 3/16 metal. that way it will be easier to get the heat settings and wire speed correct. when you get it right , it will sound like bacon cooking. but no matter what your settings are , skill level is, if the metal isn't ground down to clean bare metal, nothing will work! once you get a feel for wire speed and heat settings, then go on to sheet metal and readjust your settings so it sounds like bacon. the thinner the metal its best to do short 1"pass, move on to another area, then go back ,another 1" pass and so on. more than the 1", it will warp the metal or burn thru. trigger control on thinner material is important .

 

[mike d]

Can someone tell me what a mig welder with shielding gas (argon) can do over one that has no shielding gas capability? The HF ones do not have it but found a used one on CL that comes with it?

the gas cleans what impurities may be left behind, to make a better , secure weld. the gas less leaves a lot of impurities behind, making weld over weld harder, needs a lot more cleaning up. gas would be the way to go , especially if your first starting out

 

[Tj04]

starting out with sheet metal will be hard, it burns thru very easy and warps quick, best bet if your starting out would be 3/16 metal. either l shape, i shape, square , whatever the shape start with 3/16 metal. that way it will be easier to get the heat settings and wire speed correct. when you get it right , it will sound like bacon cooking. but no matter what your settings are , skill level is, if the metal isn't ground down to clean bare metal, nothing will work! once you get a feel for wire speed and heat settings, then go on to sheet metal and readjust your settings so it sounds like bacon. the thinner the metal its best to do short 1"pass, move on to another area, then go back ,another 1" pass and so on. more than the 1", it will warp the metal or burn thru. trigger control on thinner material is important .

Useful information. Are you suggesting using 3/16 steel for the tub of the Jeep? That seems really thick.

 

[mike d]

Useful information. Are you suggesting using 3/16 steel for the tub of the Jeep? That seems really thick.

no not suggesting that, i think you said you were getting a bunch of sheet metal to practice. im suggestion that you practice with 3/16, it will be easier to learn on , then go to sheet metal once you have a feel for it. if you start practice with sheet metal, you will be frustrated right away, burning holes thru it, just my opinion

 

[Tj04]

no not suggesting that, i think you said you were getting a bunch of sheet metal to practice. im suggestion that you practice with 3/16, it will be easier to learn on , then go to sheet metal once you have a feel for it. if you start practice with sheet metal, you will be frustrated right away, burning holes thru it, just my opinion

Oh ok. I’ll get both!

 

[C.J. Roberts]

Do yourself another favor; find your local Praxair welding store. They can tell you pretty much anything you need to know.
If you're doing a lot of welding, a number of "cheap" welders won't use common consumable parts, like tips and such.
I'm not familiar with Eastwood welders, but I do know that a lot of guys with Harbor Freight welders find this out the hard way.

 

[cr0sh]

Regarding gas for welders: If you have any kind of wind going on, the gas can be easily "blown away" eliminating the shielding and making the welding terrible. It's one of the downsides of MIG vs flux-core, but when you don't have that issue - MIG beats flux-core any day. I usually use my friend's shop for welding, as he has a much better setup than what I have at home; at home I just have a couple of el-cheapo 110V welders - an old Sears stick buzz-box (though I wish I had some carbon rods and holder for it - I did change it over to an actual stinger and better ground clamp, and that made it much better to work with), and one of the $89.00 HF flux-core wire feed welders (which are actually pretty nice; they weld sheet metal pretty good, provided you hop around and don't apply the heat too much in one area).