I'm looking for as much advice as I can get regarding this subject. My Xj was an AZ vehicle but, MI does not take long to attack a victim.
I found this post very useful for Xj sheet metal:
http://naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=1097014
I did not know of the vendors listed in this post so, this is a big help.
My primary concern is with the area surrounding the front leaf spring mounting box. The seam between the floor pan and rear floor deck is beginning to get bad and has even recessed upward a little on the driver's side. Unfortunately, I do not have these fabrication skills (...yet) but, I am sure they will come with time (I'll be owning used vehicles for the majority of the rest of my life).
Should I request the body shops I talk to remove all the compromised sheet metal above the unibody channel and leaf spring box? For example, the cut out area may need to be 12" sq-in. However, in using this approach you also define new seams. Is this good or bad for the strength of the floor pan sheet metal. I do know overlapping sheet metal in this type of repair adds strength so, I am wondering if I should request the repair be performed in this manner.
What if the unibody channel or leaf spring box need to be patched or replaced? Neither of these appear to be a possibility but, this is like surgery...you never know what you have until you open it up.
Second, my passenger side rear wheel house is likely to need to be replaced if I want a long term solution. I think I could stop the rust with Chassis Saver or POR-15 but, the seam where the wheel house attaches to the rear deck (at the rear of the wheel house) is also showing rust. I do not this sealing this rust in the seas is a good idea.
Any suggestions?
I found this post very useful for Xj sheet metal:
http://naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=1097014
I did not know of the vendors listed in this post so, this is a big help.
My primary concern is with the area surrounding the front leaf spring mounting box. The seam between the floor pan and rear floor deck is beginning to get bad and has even recessed upward a little on the driver's side. Unfortunately, I do not have these fabrication skills (...yet) but, I am sure they will come with time (I'll be owning used vehicles for the majority of the rest of my life).
Should I request the body shops I talk to remove all the compromised sheet metal above the unibody channel and leaf spring box? For example, the cut out area may need to be 12" sq-in. However, in using this approach you also define new seams. Is this good or bad for the strength of the floor pan sheet metal. I do know overlapping sheet metal in this type of repair adds strength so, I am wondering if I should request the repair be performed in this manner.
What if the unibody channel or leaf spring box need to be patched or replaced? Neither of these appear to be a possibility but, this is like surgery...you never know what you have until you open it up.
Second, my passenger side rear wheel house is likely to need to be replaced if I want a long term solution. I think I could stop the rust with Chassis Saver or POR-15 but, the seam where the wheel house attaches to the rear deck (at the rear of the wheel house) is also showing rust. I do not this sealing this rust in the seas is a good idea.
Any suggestions?