Beating your pinch weld flat with a sledge hammer. --Let's discuss!

What you do? Just hammer away? i need to do that too.

 

Sorry to revive an old post! Just thought I’d give my two cents after reading through all these pages and completing this project. From start to finish it took me under two hours. Most of that time was letting the Rust-oleum Leak Seal dry. It’s a pretty simple job to do. Remove 4 retainer clips and bungee the wheel well liner out of the way. I used a 5 lbs hammer that made easy work of smashing the welds in. I kept my fender liners to keep mud and snow out of my door hinges. A heat gun to warm the plastic up and some manipulation and the wheel well liner can be pushed back further. I hope my pictures will help the next guy complete this job.

 

Just did mine on my ‘01 with 285/75/16 wildpeaks after months of putting it off. Took a bit longer since I removed a skid plate and both wheels but overall a straightforward job for someone like me who isn’t very experienced with diy truck projects. I figure there’re enough guides on it but some tips from my experience:

- Doable without removing the fender flare. For 2001-2004 trucks this means not breaking all the clips holding the flare on and therefore much less hassle. Just pull the liner clips where you need and peel the liner back. I removed the flare on one side and didn’t on the other and the results were the same, just a little more room to work if you take it off but I don’t think it’s worth the hassle

- 100% do heat vs cutting. I used a cheap heat gun and an insulated work glove and got the liner to conform where I wanted. It doesn’t look the cleanest due to the folds in the plastic but I think I gained 1.5” of clearance on the main rubbing spot since the plastic was floating a decent amount off the pinch weld to begin with

- I notched the metal at the top of where I wanted to bend the weld using some aviation cutters to help with a cleaner fold but I didn’t go very deep at all. We’ll see if I have any leak issues - sprayed the area down with two coats of undercoating

- It helped to start the fold by using an adjustable wrench or vise grips, then hammer away

So far I’m not hearing any rubbing while reversing or hitting bumps with the wheels turned, but need more testing. I definitely still have minor frame rub at full lock and noticed a few other spots but I think the pinch weld was the main culprit so I’m excited to have it taken care of

 

What’s the best way to do this?

want to know if my game plan draft is right. Seeing a lot of different options in this thread

-clean the hell out of the area, how?
based on the fact I tried cleaning my frame with a DIY car wash bay once or twice and it barely did anything, I don’t think that’ll work.

-I already have some paint scraped off there (metal exposed) that I may need to deal with first

step 2. Hammer outward

step 3. Paint

regarding paint, why all the different products? Why not just get a can or two of rubberized undercoating from Harbor Freight and call it a day?


Old shop had a great setup for cleaning. Drain grates in the floor. Optional steam sprayer. Drain buckets. Theoretically would be possible to lift the truck, wheels off, spray a bunch of chemical, agitate and rinse off.
But who knows if just one round of that would actually fully clean it.

I’m assuming cleaning is required as that’s pretty standard any time painting on a vehicle for it to adhere.

at 10yr/100k mi+ whatever dirt is built up there has to be an insane amount. A lot of it and probably stuck on there good and stubborn.

 

I didn’t clean anything lol. Dirt and debris fell out as I removed the liners for the first time, then more fell out when I began hammering the pinch weld lol.

Just have some seam sealer available in case cracks form. Then paint after

 

honestly might try DIY car wash bay again but also bringing spray bottle of something like Castrol super clean and toilet brush to agitate, spray soak brush then rinse

 

Is it really needed to blow $50 on a can of brushable seam sealer

was thinking to just hammer it wrapped in shirt and tape

rub $10 tube on with gloved hand
spray rubberized undercoat
Without the brushable can step

 

I never spent that much. I smashed my pinch weld in, did a quick rusolium paint job with a can of spray paint I had kicking around then coated with $20 spray sealer. Been almost a year now with no issues

 

Exactly what I did

 

might need to go back again get the bottom part more flat

 

Well well well

 

Alignment specs?

 

Time to break out the hammer again

 

you know man, I shoot for 0 camber +1 caster 0 toe
But left wheel is farther back than right
So I’m gonna throw another alignment at it

tbis happened when I made the trade off get 1.25” spacers to stop tire rubbing my frame

maybe yeah. Abrade the sealant off I guess.

last time doing the hammering I felt give in the metal
Hit it until it maxed out and felt like no more give. Hoped that was the right way to do it.

only next possible hammer would be a bigger hammer with zero regard to how it feels or gives.
Not easy swinging small 3-4lb accurately with the wrong hand scrunched in the wheel well.

or take off the spacers…

 

Ah, the wheel spacers might have something to do with it as well. Is that pic you took at full lock? If so, BORA 0.75” could possibly give enough clearance. Increasing the caster would help too. Is there noticeably more space between the tire and front wheel well/fender?

 

Heard spacers are needed for rear shock relocate figured I’d get the spacers done first.

pic was taken during a flex test
Found a loading ramp to drive up and 3 wheel the truck basically
Try and simulate off roading
Or cycling without having to take suspension apart.

Pulled ebrake keep the truck there
Got out turned steering wheel while watching the tire. To see what the closest point looks like.
Which was that. Regarding outer corner slightly rubbing the flattened pinch.

I think the front clearing isn’t a concern until 37 or bigger and generally always has more room than the rear.

going to mess with alignment and spring height adjust then re evaluate. As that’s easier and truck could use it anyway.

 

@Road_Warrior in case you need this thread

 

Thanks man!