Stupid %$£*(% rust - sills and jacking point

Post by **Chris_C** » 13 Jun 2008 11:23 am

Right, having just spent a good 40mins searching this, I now know who has done this job, and will be ringing you if you don't reply :p

I slightly dislodged a tyre from my rim last night on the way home, wasn't a big deal, but I then ran into a problem.

I jacked the car up and removed flat wheel, then started to jack up more when the sill split from the floor pan. The jacking point is still on the floor pan, but folded under a bit, the sill from the outside looks fine.

Bottom diagram, the x x x 's along the bottom of the sill seem to have given up being x x x 's

Anyway, after searching, Shimon mentions Y sections lots, but I don't see how these fit into the game plan?
Do I need to take off the outer sill to fix this, as my outer sill looks good still?
I've known this has been going for a while, my MOT tester was happy it's not a structural part of the car so has passed it the last 2 times, but I won't trolley jack off it or put an axel stand there (tbh, I never do trust them enough), but when I saw drop I was glad it wasn't a stand with me under anyway!

Post by **shimon340** » 13 Jun 2008 01:28 pm

hi

Im at work at the mo so need to be fast. The Y section is for repairing the chassis leg join near the fuel tank. sounds like you are after a sill repair.

from what you describe is 99% the same problem (but further on) as michol's car and Dai and Dai's dad did a fab job welding that!

PS nice diagrams! Green book?

Post by **Chris_C** » 13 Jun 2008 03:11 pm

Cheers dude, I'll try and post some pics later, but does sound like what Michol had from the previous posts.

Diagrams are from the rustproofing book, I was going to scan mine last night, then I found Mac had made a post a while ago that had got lost in the depths, so I've rescued that to the how too guides at the same time!

Post by **trabitom99** » 13 Jun 2008 05:03 pm

I think all mac's topics should be moved to their own seperate section

I wish I'd had the rustproofing done when I bought the GLi 8 years ago. It would have paid for itself by now 10 times over

Tom

Post by **Bazboy** » 13 Jun 2008 11:45 pm

sorry to hear about your car man, if u need any help (someone to pass u beers while u work) or anything just gimme a yell and ill pop over, got no more uni now so im free for a while.

How much does rust proofing cost and what does it involve?

Dan

Post by **Jason B** » 14 Jun 2008 12:21 am

crap loads of dinitrol or waxoyl and a decent sprayer - sadly not helpful if a major chassis piece has already bitten the dust!!

, hopefully it'll be good news on closer inspection.

Post by **petefarrell360** » 14 Jun 2008 04:32 am

Chris, there are two possibilties, if the outer sill looks ok, and the inner one isn't merrily rotting away unseen, then it could just be the weak jacking point as it's not exactly supported that well. Otherwise it is a case of the whole are is rotting. In which case it's big work time to do it properly. I'd imagine it is more a case of localised rot or weakness, so pulling it back out, rewelding what has come apart, some extra bracing to the jacking point then lots of Dinitrol in there should work.

I can't remember exactly how they are attached, or if the front's differ from the rears, but I know they seem to put a lot of strain on one end, as IIRC they are attached on one end only, so due to the way the jack hooks in, and if you were on uneven ground, it naturally want to bend them inwards.

It is something to be aware of and keep an eye on, I always if I can stick the spare wheel under the sill on an unknown vehicle or suspect jacking point, that way there is a bit more of a chance of you surviving with all body parts uncrushed!

Pete

Post by **Chris_C** » 14 Jun 2008 01:43 pm

Right, I'm nicking Nick_C's internet's to post...

Went under it last night, and it has split from the rear arch to a couple of inches before the 'seam' in the sill. The outer sill looks fine but I think I'm going to cut up the sill, and across. That was I can get to the bit behind easier, and I can see further down the inside of the sill. Also I don't want to be wielding a torch near the front spring hanger for my first ever go at welding.

Looking under there, the other rear one is about to go too.

So, current plan.

I'm not that much of a retard when it comes to making stuff, I've done a fair amount of metalwork in the past. I have a mate with a mid range weldy thing (i.e. the one a couple of models up from the B&Q ones) that he's rebuilt a car with, that he is willing to lend me until I can find a good second hand one. Fake was always supposed to me a spare parts car, then a motorsport car, so it doesn't matter if I don't get it looking awesome first time as long as I get it strong. Kar is going to need some welding, so practise on this is only a good thing. Plus, luckily, I don't need a daily anymore, I cycle to work.

I'm going to cut the outer sill at the seam, after taking out the carpet and rear benches so I don't get sparks on them. Then, see what the game plan is, but I'd imagine I'll build a new jacking point off the car, then make a plate to go onto the floorpan after removing the old stuff, then attach the jacking point to plate, then plate to car, then outersill on.

The rear part of the sill (the bit behind the seam) does that come on a "sill" section or a "rear arch" section? I'm not convinced I'll be buying either, but it might be cheaper than smacking a bit of steel into the right shape tbh.

I had to learn welding sometime I guess... then once side A is done, I'll do the side that is about to go too. The rest of Fake is a good shell, I did chase up a £150 1.7 I got a tip off about this morning, but it had gone, and most likely would have been in a worse state. Right, see you all tomorrow I guess