4 replies to this topic

[antcole]

Hello folks,
My mini project has well and truly begun, its just a rolling shell now and the front panels are almost ready to go on.
Tons of rot dealt with and im almost ready to drop the subframes and mount it on the spit....

So, what would you experienced mini fanatics recommend for repair etc on the bulkhead cross member..... usual story, years of brake fluid and poor quality steel have resulted in this - pictures below -







Any advice is very welcome.

Thanks in advance.

[donjarr]

One of the joys of using silicon brake fluid, doesn't damge the paint work

Personally I would shot blast that whole area to see what's rot and not, then cut out and patch any small holes in the thinner metal. As for round the tower bolt providing the underside is not super rusty, as this is what takes all the weight, if that is only surface rust dimples, me being old fashioned when blasted clean would just lead that to flat it over.

It's one of those things it's hard to tell till it's all clean metal, but doesn't look that bad to some I have seen.

[Ryang556]

One of the joys of using silicon brake fluid, doesn't damge the paint work

Personally I would shot blast that whole area to see what's rot and not, then cut out and patch any small holes in the thinner metal. As for round the tower bolt providing the underside is not super rusty, as this is what takes all the weight, if that is only surface rust dimples, me being old fashioned when blasted clean would just lead that to flat it over.

It's one of those things it's hard to tell till it's all clean metal, but doesn't look that bad to some I have seen.

Silicon brake fluid...?

I thought brake fluid was brake fluid!
Apart from the different Dot's of course

[sonikk4]

Been there with this very problem and ended up doing this. To remove all of the affected areas i used a right angle die grinder with a rotary burr along with a twisted wire cup on an angle grinder.

[sonikk4]

The triangular gusset / reinforcing bracket is looking crust so you may need to think about either replacing the whole thing or do a repair like this




This was the other side with the gusset removed and a new section welded in place. The old section is next to it. and this was the damage behind all cleaned up ready for a new section to be welded in place. The cross member is 1.2mm thick by the way