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Pinch weld plastic cover
http://www.lostjeeps.com/forum/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=59&t=7690
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Author:  Tokyojoe [ Sun Apr 16, 2006 11:23 am ]
Post subject:  Pinch weld plastic cover

Okay,

I decided to post this here so others may think about doing this instead of just cutting the plastic completely off. More work but it looks better overall and protects your pinch weld and tires better.

* When you are ready to upgrade to a larger tire (31" or larger) you will need to hammer the pinch weld in.

TOOLS NEEDED:

A. Dremel or some other cutting type of tool
B. Heat Gun (no, not your wife's hair dryer - or for the ladies on here, not
yours) :lol:
C. Heavy hammer (not the standard - you can buy one cheap at
Autozone or Checker Auto)
D. Primer - spray can, black
E. Jack Stands[b]
F. [b]Jack
(floor jack best choice)
G. Lug wrench
H. Torque wrench
I. Sharp Knife
J. Thick leather gloves - must be thick leather, trust me.


Now for the work:

1. Complete the basic steps to remove your front tires/wheels and then
place your KJ on Jack stands

2. Use a dremel to cut the plastic.
a. cut straight up on both sides of the weld. Not up the curved parts.
b. do not cut the flap off

3. Lighlty, heat the flap with a heatgun to soften the flap and bend it
upwards.
a. Use duct tape to hold the flap up and out of the way
b. May need to let flap cool

4. Take the heavy hammer and just pound the pinch weld flat.

5. Spray the pinch weld with black primer and let dry.

6. Use a heat gun to soften the flap and flatten it out.
a. wearing the leather gloves, use your hands to flatten the plastic. The
flap will be very hot.
b. Make it as flat as possible so you may have to reheat and keep
working it.

7. Cut the plastic flap so it is the size of the cut out area (after flattening),
either with the Dremel or the sharp knife (Dremel is best choice).

8. Heat the flap so it lays flat against the cut out area.

9. Use some thin plastic strips and heatgun the strips to the flap and inner
wheel well liner.
a. Strips come from the cutoff plastic from the flap
b. Make them about the size of a Tootsie Pop stick
c. heatgun the strips prior to placing them against the flap and liner so
they are ready to melt into place.
* Sorta like welding it in place. The strips melt and you slowly slide the
strip down the flap and seals it in place.

Replace tires/wheels as usual and take off jack stands. You are done.


Pictures:

Image

Image

Author:  RespectMyLibertay [ Tue Apr 18, 2006 12:54 am ]
Post subject: 

I applaud you on this excellent addition to the fabrication section. This is on my immediate to-do list for my KJ, along with fixing some other rubbing spots (dare I say another bumper surgery? :twisted: ). How much was the heat gun?

Author:  phxtoad [ Tue Apr 18, 2006 11:09 am ]
Post subject:  Enjoyment

Don't forget the shear joy of bashing on your new rig with a sledgehammer. I had the neighbors very confused. You might be nervous at first, but then in a sick way it becomes fun. Good luck!

Author:  Tokyojoe [ Tue Apr 18, 2006 3:16 pm ]
Post subject: 

Heat guns vary but they aren't expensive. $19 to $35.

Author:  Liberty & Justice 4x4 [ Wed Apr 19, 2006 4:36 pm ]
Post subject:  31x10.50x16

After you do this modification, do you still need to add a lift to run 31x 10.50x16or will this give you room to just mount 31x10.50x16 and drive away?

Author:  Tokyojoe [ Wed Apr 19, 2006 7:32 pm ]
Post subject: 

Lift

Author:  RespectMyLibertay [ Thu Apr 20, 2006 12:39 am ]
Post subject: 

Do even worry about tires, much less bigger ones, until you get a lift...unless that's far off and you want good tires in the mean time.

Author:  Big D [ Sun Jul 09, 2006 10:13 pm ]
Post subject: 

Just curios, does anyone know what the actual purpose of that pinch weld is?

Author:  Tokyojoe [ Sun Jul 09, 2006 11:25 pm ]
Post subject: 

To annoy the heck out of us.....or to help break off the mud from our tires :lol: :lol: :lol:

Author:  EOD-KJ [ Thu Jan 18, 2007 1:33 am ]
Post subject: 

so i just finished this, and well, it didnt turn out so pretty like yours


the top of the "flap" wound up breaking on both the sides so now its just a mashed down pinch weld and no cover...

i did use rust stopper paint and some primer to seal it up

is the point of the flap just cosmetics i assume?

Author:  Tokyojoe [ Thu Jan 18, 2007 9:44 am ]
Post subject: 

Yes...Looks better in my opinion.....but I also see it keeping the water, mud, snow from spraying from the tires to the weld. Of course, it will just get wet from under the well cover

Author:  bmg9b [ Thu Jan 18, 2007 11:09 am ]
Post subject: 

I was thinking it would be cool for a company to manufacture a replacement plastic inner fender that did not have the plastic protrusion (so that we could achieve a nice, factory look).

Author:  EOD-KJ [ Fri Jan 19, 2007 4:42 am ]
Post subject: 

bmg9b wrote:
I was thinking it would be cool for a company to manufacture a replacement plastic inner fender that did not have the plastic protrusion (so that we could achieve a nice, factory look).



here here...but that would be rather expensive, for what would be rather "unneeded"

cool idea though

Author:  corwyyn [ Fri Jan 19, 2007 5:42 am ]
Post subject: 

Big D wrote:
Just curios, does anyone know what the actual purpose of that pinch weld is?

Simple answer = annoyance :P

Longer answer = those are where the different sections of the vehicle body are joined together to form a complete shell. The bent edges on the sections line up and allow the robotic welders to reach them. The robot arm ends in a variation of a spot welder where two prongs contact the metal from either side and a current is run between them to create the weld. The arm moves down the bent edges making a series of welds to complete the assembly. In particular that specific weld is where the engine compartment/wheel well section is joined to the side of the vehicle, and it runs all the way back to the rear of the vehicle, providing a convenient point to drill and mount rock sliders 8) That is my understanding anyway, if anyone has better/more accurate info please feel free to knock me upside my skull and call me 'knucklehead' :wink:

Author:  EOD-KJ [ Fri Jan 19, 2007 5:45 am ]
Post subject: 

corwyyn wrote:
Big D wrote:
Just curios, does anyone know what the actual purpose of that pinch weld is?

Simple answer = annoyance :P

Longer answer = those are where the different sections of the vehicle body are joined together to form a complete shell. The bent edges on the sections line up and allow the robotic welders to reach them. The robot arm ends in a variation of a spot welder where two prongs contact the metal from either side and a current is run between them to create the weld. The arm moves down the bent edges making a series of welds to complete the assembly. that is my understanding anyway, if anyone has better/more accurate info please feel free to knock me upside my skull and call me 'knucklehead' :wink:


that makes sense.... what DOESNT though , is why does it not just stop at the bottom of the car on the jack point area like every other vehicle ive seen.....why does the KJ have it extend up into the wheel well....and they even had to design the fender lining with a bump for it

just seems like it doesnt need to be there

Author:  corwyyn [ Fri Jan 19, 2007 5:50 am ]
Post subject: 

EOD-KJ wrote:
that makes sense.... what DOESNT though , is why does it not just stop at the bottom of the car on the jack point area like every other vehicle ive seen.....why does the KJ have it extend up into the wheel well....and they even had to design the fender lining with a bump for it

just seems like it doesnt need to be there

That would be the $64,000 question, and if you ever find a good answer for it you will at last know true enlightenment 8)

Author:  EOD-KJ [ Fri Jan 19, 2007 5:51 am ]
Post subject: 

corwyyn wrote:
EOD-KJ wrote:
that makes sense.... what DOESNT though , is why does it not just stop at the bottom of the car on the jack point area like every other vehicle ive seen.....why does the KJ have it extend up into the wheel well....and they even had to design the fender lining with a bump for it

just seems like it doesnt need to be there

That would be the $64,000 question, and if you ever find a good answer for it you will at last know true enlightenment 8)


enlightenment? id rather the 64k.....

Author:  mapco [ Wed Feb 07, 2007 7:52 pm ]
Post subject: 

Helpful topic.

Author:  Troysterr [ Thu Apr 12, 2007 9:10 pm ]
Post subject: 

Well, Dave, I followed your example (or tried to) and "welded" plastic over my pounded pinch welds, but the plastic "covers" were totally ripped off the first day in Moab.

I probably did it wrong, but I'll be interested to see how others who have tried this make out on a really technical trail like Golden Spike or Kane Creek.

Author:  Tokyojoe [ Thu Apr 12, 2007 10:42 pm ]
Post subject: 

Troy,

Not saying mine are great, but they held up last year at Moab. It wasn't a planned thing. Just happened as I did the pinch weld. Mine isn't even completely flat. I'd have to see how you did yours to compare.

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