7 replies to this topic

[grahama]

Hi,

just before I plug weld the A panels in place I thought I would check something.



I am planning to use two plugs top and bottom as shown above.

Is this enough or should I plug weld all the way down ??

Many thanks,

Graham

[Artful Dodger]

i would go all the way down, and leave a 5 cm gap between each. water could get inbetween the panels were you have not welded them together:)

[minimuk]

I would not plug-weld at all!!!,..... weld bottom on sill and top on door post, use sealer on inside lip before bending aroud the flitch end lip. Honestly it will never move.

[kcchan]

They were never welded on at the seam anyway. That would be more than enough. I personally wouldn't have thought any would be necessary.

[Tupers]

I've never seen A panels welded like that, mostly they're just peened over with a couple small tacks in the back of the peened lip,

[tiger99]

My Minis always had 3 or 4 spots on that edge, one near each end and either one in the middle, or two equally spaced, so I would be inclined to do at least as much, whether spots or plugs. There was also a braze at the top. You will not want to pay a small fortune for a reel of MIG brazing wire, so it is really a TIG or gas job,if you want to do it as per original, but I would suggest that a small MIG tack would suffice.

You can't do structural adhesive bonding of a car at home, because it has to be designed to be built that way, and the process needs to be very closely controlled. However, you can bond some joints to seal then and add extra strength, provided the main welding etc is to the usual MOT standard. It has its attractions here.

I saw some suitable adhesive recently, which was definitely not ok for structural bonds, but would be very good here, because it had weld-through capability, so you could fill the joint with adhesive, fold the edge over, and then spot or plug weld. The extra strength from the adhesive would be relatively unimportant, but having that particular joint tightly filled with strong adhesive would, I think, be very useful for discouraging corrosion.

http://www.nortonaut...dgrip-auto.aspx Grade 06420 would seem to be the best here, and there are a few other places on a Mini where it would be useful, instead of seam sealer. There is also another grade specifically for door skins, which might end the problem of those seams rusting.

The reason I would keep the welds is that part of the dynamic load from the front subframme teardrop mounts is reacted through the wing and A panel (some through the inner wing), and it is always a good idea to keep things rigid. Any fleximg might let water into the seams.

[grahama]

Ok, thanks for the replies,

Now I have drilled then I suppose I have to fill them back up so will fill as plug welds, but keep them at two each end. Sealant down the inside of the pressed over section round the A post.

Thanks again,

Graham

[minidaves]

just put another plug in the middle of the panel sorted