When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Rebuilding front suspension, wheel wells look odd...Is this normal? (Pics inside)
Hey all so im rebuilding my front suspension, just got dont disassembling everything and im looking at my front wheel wells and they just look all cracked and messed up... Not sure how bad it was back in 88 but is this normal? See all the large lines that are very similar on both sides.
Re: Rebuilding front suspension, wheel wells look odd...Is this normal? (Pics inside)
Sheet Dog. If you like that, than you'd LOVE to see the 1/4" and wider gaps between the panels that stuff is covering up. It's as though the patchwork quilt of panels didn't quite fit right, but hey it's under a fender, so just GLOB some of that crap on there and call it good.
Most of the time, the stuff is so dried out at this point that it's actually pulling (shrinking) away from one side of the joint or the other. So instead of keeping the water out, it gives it more places to get trapped behind the seams. Seems as though capillary action causes water's surface tension to actually wick the water into the fine cracks. So then you get water against steel that isn't protected by paint, and rust takes hold... Someone cue the horror movie/dramatic music.
Re: Rebuilding front suspension, wheel wells look odd...Is this normal? (Pics inside)
Get a quality 3M Seam Sealer - in two separate tubes or syringes to mix as needed.
Flake all that stuff off. Wire brush all around.
I even did this on the pinch welds and where the SFC's were close to body panels. It helps cover up blank spots where salt and grime can collect and eat away/start rot.
Re: Rebuilding front suspension, wheel wells look odd...Is this normal? (Pics inside)
That's how it begins... You might consider knocking off the bulk of the loose chunks and pick up some seam sealer from the local parts store, and goober it back up. It's too late for me, but you can still save yourself.
Re: Rebuilding front suspension, wheel wells look odd...Is this normal? (Pics inside)
Originally Posted by Drew
Most of the time, the stuff is so dried out at this point that it's actually pulling (shrinking) away from one side of the joint or the other. So instead of keeping the water out, it gives it more places to get trapped behind the seams. Seems as though capillary action causes water's surface tension to actually wick the water into the fine cracks. So then you get water against steel that isn't protected by paint, and rust takes hold... Someone cue the horror movie/dramatic music.
I guess I'm lucky. 20 years in MN and a couple in WI. Before I finally repainted, this was the condition. Of course, I stored Thanksgiving till Spring Break every year.
Re: Rebuilding front suspension, wheel wells look odd...Is this normal? (Pics inside)
Not too much work to clean it off and put new sealer on. You might want to have at the whole wheel well and clean off the old undercoating and spray on some new stuff as well. Your wheel wells look relatively clean so I don't think you will get too many rust surprises when you get the old sealer off.
On my 91 S-10 I had to re do the joints in the back of the cab because the joints cracked and pulled. I went to NAPA and got 3M pn 08374 and everything is all dry now.
Give that a try. It has a screw on tip so I left the tip alone after I was done and it allowed me to use it in a few other places I found that needed attn.
Re: Rebuilding front suspension, wheel wells look odd...Is this normal? (Pics inside)
the autozone brand seem sealer really isn't bad at all, its grey in color and comes in a black/red tube. I was pleasantly surprised when my 3m sealer dried out and I picked that stuff up in a hurry.
08-24-2017, 03:31 PM
