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tvanwave · 09-23-2010, 04:06 PM

The pics below are from the street side, rear of my 1991 limited. The PO must have used the wrap between the bumper and the body to stand on because the sheet metal in bowed in and has created a gap of almost an inch at its widest point. It does not look like any H2O damage is involved with the flooring and I would like to fix/ repair this to keep it that way. I not a sheet metal worker so would have to buy a new piece or fix the one in place. Gettinig the current piece back to its original shape is not likely becasue the metal has been bent/ streached. A huge bead of vulkem is possible but ugly. What are other options? The curb side seems ok.

barts · 09-23-2010, 06:02 PM

Seems like a natural place to stand... are there supports underneath? If so, I'd be inclined to fit some aluminum diamond plate on top and pop rivet it to the existing surface. If you paint it to match, it will blend it pretty well.

- Bart

tvanwave · 09-23-2010, 07:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by barts

Seems like a natural place to stand... are there supports underneath? If so, I'd be inclined to fit some aluminum diamond plate on top and pop rivet it to the existing surface. If you paint it to match, it will blend it pretty well.

- Bart

Would you reccomend fitting the diamond plate to the body or sliding under the body (over the exisiting metal)? Caulk or not? Seems like a good solution

tvanwave · 09-23-2010, 07:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by barts

Seems like a natural place to stand... are there supports underneath? If so, I'd be inclined to fit some aluminum diamond plate on top and pop rivet it to the existing surface. If you paint it to match, it will blend it pretty well.

- Bart

Forgot to mention, no supports underneath - just hollow trim

barts · 09-24-2010, 08:48 AM

Hmmm... can you get at it from underneath?

- Bart

william Haym · 09-24-2010, 10:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tvanwave

The pics below are from the street side, rear of my 1991 limited. The PO must have used the wrap between the bumper and the body to stand on because the sheet metal in bowed in and has created a gap of almost an inch at its widest point. It does not look like any H2O damage is involved with the flooring and I would like to fix/ repair this to keep it that way. I not a sheet metal worker so would have to buy a new piece or fix the one in place. Gettinig the current piece back to its original shape is not likely becasue the metal has been bent/ streached. A huge bead of vulkem is possible but ugly. What are other options? The curb side seems ok.

In order to remove the wrap ,i'm quite sure I took the bumper off.
There are 4 philip head screws to remove.(2 on each side) one on top ,one on the bottom. After you take the bumper off ,the panel will be more visible.
If I remember correctly there are a few revits to drill out. After that on the bottom of belly pan!!
You should be able to bend that panel back to shape and reinstall it, as I did. It wasn't that big of a job.
Hope this helps!!!

tvanwave · 09-24-2010, 07:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by william Haym

In order to remove the wrap ,i'm quite sure I took the bumper off.
You should be able to bend that panel back to shape and reinstall it, as I did. It wasn't that big of a job.
Hope this helps!!!

I did take the bumper off, drilled out a few PO rivets and sheetmetal screws and pulled the wrap off. What I found inside was a bunch of yellow egg-crate stuffed in there, I assume to help hold the shape. I also found some heavy surface rust on the frame and 4 telephone-like wires going nowhere. Pics of all this is below. After pulling the other (curb side) wrap off I found the same egg-crate and surface rust; no phone wires. IS the egg crate something AS would have put in there?? It was dry inside and the floor above was OK except for a small soft spot next the the frame. I intend to reinforce the wrap from inside, paint frame, and extend a bracket on the frame to add more support to the top of the wrap. I dont think caulking the seam is a good idea because if the water gets in it will just go to the bottom of the wrap area and drain out. Ill take some more pics. SHOULD the egg crate go back in??

Aerowood · 09-25-2010, 11:27 AM

Leave the foam out, it is just a sponge to hold moisture, I would also seal the top edge to keep water out as much as possible but do not seal the bottom. Moisture will find it;s way in and not sealing the bottom will allow drainage and airflow.

tvanwave · 09-25-2010, 06:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aerowood

Leave the foam out, it is just a sponge to hold moisture, I would also seal the top edge to keep water out as much as possible but do not seal the bottom. Moisture will find it;s way in and not sealing the bottom will allow drainage and airflow.

That makes sense - foam is gone. I did finish the reinforcement of the wrap by riveting 1/8 X 2 AL flat stock to the back of the wrap. I also ran angle iron accross the bottom of the frame to extend that same feature by 16" more than AS installed. This made the whole bottom of the wrap more rigid. I also made a bracket to support the top of the wrap. The AL reinforcment bar now sits on top of the bracket which adds even more rigidity on the top. Now I will order and use some black vulkem to fill the smalll and now even gap between the top of the wrap and the bottom of the body.... unless ther is a better caulk?? Pics are below.