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A-arm rust repair; Need help repairing rusted A-arms without welding.
Topic Started: Nov 6 2010, 08:30 PM (4,565 Views)
mcmancuso
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I think the tire rods can just be wired up out of the way, should be fine. I'm going to be looking at apartments next saturday, so probably some afternoon during the following week. It shouldn't take more than an hour or so once we're set up. Do you have any sheet metal? I can probably bring some if you need it.
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Rooy


That's some pretty good rot. Did this car spend its whole life in Texas?

Welding would definitely be the way to go.
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todaugen


As for JB Weld and filling holes: I did just that. I went through the engine bay of my 99 Metro and filled in all the un-necessary screw/bolt holes that would in any way allow water/salt water into the inside of the unibody. I especially paid attention to filling all the holes around the horns that the a-arms are attached to.

Why?

Not only did I have a 95 Metro--that was white!--that had rotten horns, I just recently had my 2000 Toyota Tacoma 4x4 SR5 TRD--also white!--bought back from me by Toyota due to rust issues. At the dealer I was inquisitive. They said that water got inside the framing and rotted the frames from inside out. Thay seemed to think that dipping the frame would have prevented the rust because the corrosion inhibitors sprayed on the exterior of the frame did what they were supposed to do.

So...cover all the holes you can find on your Metro. And be sure to put something over the rear wheel wells to prevent water/salt water from getting in and rusting out the floor pan (see Little Red with a Heart and study what snowfish has done [his project is about as thorough as any that have been posted]).

Keeping winter water out is important. And white cars and trucks are the sweet.
Edited by todaugen, Nov 7 2010, 04:39 PM.
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nerys
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Grr

its less important to keep water out (you WILL fail) and more important to make sure the water can GET BACK OUT.

its not water in the frame that rots them. its water STAYING in the frame that rots them :-)
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Ryan
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Ryan

nerys
Nov 7 2010, 05:03 PM
its less important to keep water out (you WILL fail) and more important to make sure the water can GET BACK OUT.

its not water in the frame that rots them. its water STAYING in the frame that rots them :-)
:gp
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Metro3.0
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Hub time
[ *  * ]
mcmancuso, I know nothing about welding. I do want to do the right thing on this repair and not have this problem again. If you can do it next week sometime that would be awesome. I can get the sheet metal but I don't know what kind. Let me know what else you'll need and I'll do my best to get it. If you need help finding an apartment I can help. I did the whole apt search thing last year and can tell you where to go and where not to go.
----------------------------------------------
I already JB Welded all the little cracks and holes underneath, esp. @ the a-arms, filled all the holes too...and painted the undercarriage with Rustoleum. All this is a bit much now that I'm in Texas but the car spent most of it's life in rural PA and in the Metro-hating NE New Jersey area.
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mcmancuso
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I don't know the gauge of metal that would be appropriate for the repair, maybe the johnny :mullet will chime in with what he used. Getting out of the rust belt is the best method for prolonging the life of a metro :D
Edited by mcmancuso, Nov 8 2010, 09:24 PM.
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Rooy


The metal that makes up the frame horn is thicker than most of the steel on the rest of the car. I just measured a piece I had cut out at .053", which puts it between 16 and 18 gauge. Either would be fine, or using something a little thicker or thinner shouldn't be a big deal since it's just a patch.
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Metro3.0
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When do you think you can make it? I am using my roommate's
side of the garage and he comes back Friday. He will let me use
his side an extra week I'm sure but I would like to get the 'lil Geo
fixed before it rains--I'm riding a motorcycle to work now.
I will get the metal if you're coming by for sure. I don't have
any welding equipment though. I need to needle some grease into
the new control arm/ball joint boots if anyone has any advice on that I'm
all ears. The new ones are shipped with almost no grease inside.
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mcmancuso
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I can take care of it sometime next week, I'm not sure what day exactly, but definitely before friday. I've got all the equipment. You can install grease fittings into the ball joints, just drill an appropriate size hole in the bottom, then screw some universal fittings in.
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Metro3.0
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I need to put the car back together. I don't think the control arms will be in the way anyhow. It's going to rain and I can't ride the motorcycle in the rain. I'll just have to jack the car back up again when you get here, no problem.
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mcmancuso
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OK :) I'm packing now, headed out Thursday afternoon. Going to visit family on Friday in Houston, then Austin on Saturday. See you soon!
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Metro3.0
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call me when you get into town:

Edited by Bad Bent, Nov 11 2010, 09:38 PM.
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nerys
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Grr

yeah unless you really don't care you should remove that number before the google spiders get it and send it via PM :-)
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mcmancuso
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I've got the number in my email, so he can delete it, may not be a good idea to post the number publicly.
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