Filling Trim holes

[R8rPhan]

What's the best way to fill trim mounting holes on body panels?

Do I just slap some bondo on there, sand, and not worry about it?

Or is it better, or worth the trouble to try to fill them in with my wirefeed welder? Never really tried to weld on body panels before (don't have TIG at this time, but I might later the summer, only have MIG for now), and I'm not sure how easily the metal would distort if I tried to fill them in with metal...

 

[Georgeb]

Welding would be best that way they dont crack out but you can also dimple that spot a bit and use some fiber filler pushed throught the hole and then use filler over it.

 

[smoothandlow84]

Mig weld it...if you use bondo it will fall out and or heat setting and feed. Weld in the holes starting from the outside of the hole to the center until solid filled. Over weld the holes , then gring down flush to the panel using a 60 grit flap disc. Use body filler to skim coat the welds.


I filled all of the trim holes, stake pockets, and badging holes using my mig.

 

[R8rPhan]

Mig weld it...if you use bondo it will fall out and or heat setting and feed. Weld in the holes starting from the outside of the hole to the center until solid filled. Over weld the holes , then gring down flush to the panel using a 60 grit flap disc. Use body filler to skim coat the welds.


I filled all of the trim holes, stake pockets, and badging holes using my mig.

Okay great.. That's how I 'want' to o it anyways, I just wasn't sure if it required any special skills or whatever, seeing as heat can cause things to warp/shrink/expand..

But that's true, I can always just grind it all down...

 

[smoothandlow84]

Spot welds with mig can be done without worry of warping....unless you perform continuous seam welds on the panels without cool down periods. I used a mig for my entire build on my panels. I had to patch in my passenger side fuel door, taking it off of the longbed and grafting it to my now shortbed (my truck was a longbed originally, then I z cut the frame and made it a shortbed).

 

[Supersoaker]

I was just going to ask the same thing

not trying to steal post

thinking of doing the seam where the roof and back of cab join .
what's the opinion on doing this ????

 

[Old77]

I was just going to ask the same thing

not trying to steal post

thinking of doing the seam where the roof and back of cab join .
what's the opinion on doing this ????

The best way to do that is via weld, as well, or if you know how to do body work with lead like they used to do back in that day that'd be even better.

 

[RADustin]

get a thick piece of copper or aluminum and hold it behind the holes, and MIG weld over the top. Fills it right in and the backer material doesn't stick to steel.

MIG warps way less than TIG. Don't let TV sway your thoughts.

Some people use TIG only because the weld is softer since it is heated and cooled slower. So it can be worked a little more with a dolley and hammer. But MIG welds are just fine. I've welded literally over a 100 feet of thin gauge sheet metal with a MIG, one spot at a time until it was a continue bead.

 

[Honky Kong jr]

Brass works the best for backing it takes heat better then aluminum

 

[RThiel]

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I welded the seam on the back of my cab when I installed a 3rd brake light. If I ever did it again I think I would actually cut the seam out and weld a strip in place of it, but since I got started, I went ahead and finished it. The problem is that it's full of seam sealer, that bubbles and catches fire, smokes and makes it a pain in the ass to weld. I had a lot of pinholes to weld back over after I ground the weld back down. I probably went over the seam three times to get them all. It's also the reason why old school leading won't work, you can never get the metal clean enough for body solder to stick. I wouldn't just mud over it with filler either, as it's spot welded, and will flex and crack. It can be done this way, as I obviously did it, but I think it would have been faster and easier to cut it out. Cut it out in short sections, 5-6" at a time to prevent the cab from flexing, and you should be good.

 

[R8rPhan]

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I welded the seam on the back of my cab when I installed a 3rd brake light. If I ever did it again I think I would actually cut the seam out and weld a strip in place of it, but since I got started, I went ahead and finished it. The problem is that it's full of seam sealer, that bubbles and catches fire, smokes and makes it a pain in the ass to weld. I had a lot of pinholes to weld back over after I ground the weld back down. I probably went over the seam three times to get them all. It's also the reason why old school leading won't work, you can never get the metal clean enough for body solder to stick. I wouldn't just mud over it with filler either, as it's spot welded, and will flex and crack. It can be done this way, as I obviously did it, but I think it would have been faster and easier to cut it out. Cut it out in short sections, 5-6" at a time to prevent the cab from flexing, and you should be good.

What about just running the edge of a cutting disc along the valley where the two pieces meet to get the filler out?


Interesting tips about using a backing material... and welding the seams is something I had not even thought of... Doubt I'll get that into it, but it's something to keep in mind...

I guess to do the ones on the side of the bed where they are over the gas tank, I'll have to remove the bed to do it, as I don't want sparks and molten metal falling on the tank or hoses..

Was thinking of removing the bed when I install the other tanks and the selector valves and cross tubing.. Make the whole process much easier...

Might as well remove it when I do the tranny conversion, as it will probably make that somewhat easier too.. Do it all at once.. Tranny conversion, tank install, and fill the holes...

 

[smoothandlow84]

I welded and smoothed over the seams that on the roof just above doors, but opted to keep the seam that runs along the entire back of the cab above the back window. Prior to paint...clean up and re seal the seam smoothly with sealant. If you don't you run the risk of cracks forming jn the sealant. Grinding out the seam filler...been there and tried that...as well as filling in the seam with weld.

 

[Supersoaker]

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I welded the seam on the back of my cab when I installed a 3rd brake light. If I ever did it again I think I would actually cut the seam out and weld a strip in place of it, but since I got started, I went ahead and finished it. The problem is that it's full of seam sealer, that bubbles and catches fire, smokes and makes it a pain in the ass to weld. I had a lot of pinholes to weld back over after I ground the weld back down. I probably went over the seam three times to get them all. It's also the reason why old school leading won't work, you can never get the metal clean enough for body solder to stick. I wouldn't just mud over it with filler either, as it's spot welded, and will flex and crack. It can be done this way, as I obviously did it, but I think it would have been faster and easier to cut it out. Cut it out in short sections, 5-6" at a time to prevent the cab from flexing, and you should be good.

think I may stay with seam seal

 

[smoothandlow84]

think I may stay with seam seal

I did...the seam is more of a p.i.t.a to conceal than leave as is.