[AJ]

On my Saxo, there is a hole in the wheel arch/engine bay which is apparently very common on these.

If I were to weld it, what sort of metal would I need?

Could I use the outer metal case from an old PC tower for example, or would I need something stronger?

Also, would I cut the metal to overlap the hole by about an inch, or would I need it to sit flush inside the hole?

I would like to try doing this myself so trying to find all the help/advice I can as I only have an arc welder and smallest electrodes I have are 1.6mm which seem to work on the PC tower case without too much problem

I will try and upload pictures in a moment if I can.

 

[taurus]

A local factors will sell 0.8mm steel which isn't expensive. Not sure about the pc case, you could cut piece out and try it. If you can get at the back of the panel cut a piece slightly larger and joggle a lip on it.

 

[AJ]

A local factors will sell 0.8mm steel which isn't expensive. Not sure about the pc case, you could cut piece out and try it. If you can get at the back of the panel cut a piece slightly larger and joggle a lip on it.

Thats the only bit I didnt understand

The electrodes I have say that I shouldnt use anything smaller than 1.5mm but I have no idea how thick the pc case is as I dont have my micrometer to hand.

To be fair it will probably work because I thought it might need something like 2-3mm steel or similar to prevent it bending ect

 

[taurus]

tbh I'd use MIG on bodywork - not that it would be a pretty job if I was let loose on it.

Imagine you cut a repair patch just a bit bigger then the hole, set it behind the wing and weld around the overlap and the repair would sit lower than the wing (which you could skim over of course) - but if you make a lip around the patch it allows the patch to sit flush with the surface of the wing. For your purposes you could just weld a patch and skim it - it's not like it's a concours vehicle I guess.

 

[gb33]

Thats the only bit I didnt understand

The electrodes I have say that I shouldnt use anything smaller than 1.5mm but I have no idea how thick the pc case is as I dont have my micrometer to hand.

To be fair it will probably work because I thought it might need something like 2-3mm steel or similar to prevent it bending ect

To give you an idea, a 20p coin is 1.70mm thick, so you can estimate the thickness that way.

 

[AJ]

So probably about .8mm then

 

[ix will]

not really related but I would check the rear arches and the boot floor on the inside of the arches also I hear there common to rust

 

[Walksall]

As said, it would be better to use MIG, but if all that you have is MMA and you have already had a practice run on the old PC case and found it OK, then that will work fine.

The reason that you are told not to use electrodes below 1.5 mm, is that your equipment won't allow you to turn the welding current down far enough and might well result in a glowing electrode and possibly a damaged electrode holder.

People tell me that there is no need to do this, but I still feel that I am (hopefully) protecting the vehicle electronics by disconnecting the battery before carrying out any electric welding - I'm just not brave enough to try it without!

Regards.

 

[AJ]

It's not electrodes below 1.5mm it says I shouldn't use, it's the electrode that say not to use metal below 1.5mm thickness

 

[dragon2309]

Just buy some smaller ones?

 

[AJ]

1.6mm is hard enough to weld with - you have to keep the electrode off the metal approx the same distance as the electrode diameter

 

[dragon2309]

Ah I see... Buy a mig lol