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Mine was marginally rusty.
After I dug out the old sealer, I hit it with the sandblaster. Revealed more pinholes that I first thought.
Patched the pinholes with JB Weld then painted with two part epoxy primer. Then slathered in a SEM branded two part Seam Seal that I bought for the gutters. Pretty sure it'll outlast me.
I will check that out! Thanks! Have you or anyone you know used 3m for cowl repair and it hold up alright?
Yes, as I said above. My local body shop owed me a favor. I asked them about solutions for a leak in the trench. They suggested using structural adhesive. The condition of my trench was pretty good. Not much rust. But the adhesive doesn't require a lot of prep. Mechanical removal of any rust is good, wire brush, sand paper. Then they applied structural adhesive to all the joints. Then primered it and top coated it. That was about 5 or 6 years ago.
For maintenance I now keep the trench clean and apply Fluid-Film to the entire trench and cowl...and really my whole truck. Stops any corrosion cold. In the trench I've applied Fluid-Film once every 3 or 4 years. It stays put well but I don't mind overkill in the trench.
I don't know if they used 3m structural adhesive or another brand. But they recommended structural adhesive and they gave me an excellent deal. As I mentioned they owed me a favor. But I'd say check out structural adhesive and see if it meets your requirements and budget. I'm not poo pooing roofing tar. That is a wonderful cheap hillbilly solution which I can totally respect for a work truck.
One thing that helped me keep on top of leaks to the cab in my truck is the carpet on the floor. It lets you know if you have any leaks because it's wet to the touch. You can see and feel any issues that arise. If you have the rubber mat then moisture can hide from you and you won't know you have a problem till it's too late.
Yes, as I said above. My local body shop owed me a favor. I asked them about solutions for a leak in the trench. They suggested using structural adhesive. The condition of my trench was pretty good. Not much rust. But the adhesive doesn't require a lot of prep. Mechanical removal of any rust is good, wire brush, sand paper. Then they applied structural adhesive to all the joints. Then primered it and top coated it. That was about 5 or 6 years ago.
For maintenance I now keep the trench clean and apply Fluid-Film to the entire trench and cowl...and really my whole truck. Stops any corrosion cold. In the trench I've applied Fluid-Film once every 3 or 4 years. It stays put well but I don't mind overkill in the trench.
I don't know if they used 3m structural adhesive or another brand. But they recommended structural adhesive and they gave me an excellent deal. As I mentioned they owed me a favor. But I'd say check out structural adhesive and see if it meets your requirements and budget. I'm not poo pooing roofing tar. That is a wonderful cheap hillbilly solution which I can totally respect for a work truck.
My budget is pretty open… Just hoping to avoid a body shop.. Small town where I live and my Body Shop options are one you pay to f*** it up for you or the other shop that will want your arm, leg, and your life savings when they are done with it but you’ll be waiting a lonnnggg time to get it back…
Definitely looking up structural adhesive. 3M looks pretty good. Looks like they definitely have a lot of options. Gonna do some more reading on it!
That’s a good idea with the carpet it would tell me if somethings leaking. In a bad but good way the cowl leak ran onto the rubber mat… I had puddles in my floor boards after a rain. So I knew something was leaking, but I put it off for a bit. Stupid. I know. But I just can’t do carpet. Dirt roads, the damn mud hole I work in, and the sand hill I live on… It’ll look like pure hell. The rubber mat I can just sweep it our, all clean! 😝 but I ain’t above trying roofing tar. Hey, whatever works. 🤣 I got my fair share of redneck ingenuities.. A couple are zip tied in my dash.
Mine was marginally rusty.
After I dug out the old sealer, I hit it with the sandblaster. Revealed more pinholes that I first thought.
Patched the pinholes with JB Weld then painted with two part epoxy primer. Then slathered in a SEM branded two part Seam Seal that I bought for the gutters. Pretty sure it'll outlast me.
Damn, that looks good!! Wonder if sand blasting would open more holes than I want…. but I guess so would the wire brush im dreading on taking to the large spot of rust on the outside of the cowl! 🫣🫣 Lord… I don’t want to wire brush a big hole! Hahaha! Thanks for sharing! Good idea about the gutters to! my passenger side has some spots I need to fix. Nothing to concerning though!
If you are crafty I'm pretty sure you don't need a body shop for the trench work. Check out a few videos of structural adhesive being used. The body shop smoothed the adhesive nicely but since it's not visible it's not crucial. I used them because it was cheap.
I can relate about the mud on carpets. I use rubber mats that fit in well. Catches the mud and then pull em out, shake em, brush em and or spray em clean. Leave em out when taking a date out for dinner and enjoy the carpet...quiet too.
I have carpet with matching carpet mats and the mats do get dirty when I do my weekly trash run.
Last week it was raining so they got mudd on them
What I do before a show is use shop air, I pull the mats out and use 175+ psi and blow them clean.
I then blow the carpet, seat & dash clean. The shop air dose a pretty good job.
Oh the carpet dose cut the noise a lot.
Before the carpet I had 2 coats of bed liner top & bottom and anytime a stone would hit the floor it sounded like a gun went off!
Dave ----
ps no my truck is not a show truck I use it when it is not raining other than trash runs, it is 40 miles each way to / from work.
If you are crafty I'm pretty sure you don't need a body shop for the trench work. Check out a few videos of structural adhesive being used. The body shop smoothed the adhesive nicely but since it's not visible it's not crucial. I used them because it was cheap.
I can relate about the mud on carpets. I use rubber mats that fit in well. Catches the mud and then pull em out, shake em, brush em and or spray em clean. Leave em out when taking a date out for dinner and enjoy the carpet...quiet too.
Defiantly going to watch some videos, I’m still deciding what will work best, haven’t gotten inside the cowl room much to sand but I took a wire brush on a drill and cleaned the outside of the cowl. Yeah that’s true about rubber mats for the carpet. I’ll have to look into it never looked at how much it would be to replace the rubber mat It didn’t fall apart like I was expecting! Haha
I have carpet with matching carpet mats and the mats do get dirty when I do my weekly trash run.
Last week it was raining so they got mudd on them
What I do before a show is use shop air, I pull the mats out and use 175+ psi and blow them clean.
I then blow the carpet, seat & dash clean. The shop air dose a pretty good job.
Oh the carpet dose cut the noise a lot.
Before the carpet I had 2 coats of bed liner top & bottom and anytime a stone would hit the floor it sounded like a gun went off!
Dave ----
ps no my truck is not a show truck I use it when it is not raining other than trash runs, it is 40 miles each way to / from work.
ah man I was like a show truck!! I gotta see this truck! 😂🤣 I could only imagine the dirt that would fly out if I took a air compressor to that truck! Cut the noise, you mean like make it quieter? Hahaha idk why but the roads where I work are limestone and damn those rocks flying are so damn loud sounds like something fell out from under the truck!
In newer cars and trucks, body metal is getting really thin and/or aluminum. Makes welding panels much more difficult. Body shops are switching to adhesives. My paint guru who owns a local paint supply house talked me into using adhesive on my truck's rusted out wheel arches. First attempt and so far couldn't be happier with the results.
ah man I was like a show truck!! I gotta see this truck! 😂🤣 I could only imagine the dirt that would fly out if I took a air compressor to that truck! Cut the noise, you mean like make it quieter? Hahaha idk why but the roads where I work are limestone and damn those rocks flying are so damn loud sounds like something fell out from under the truck!
It went from this
To this in 4 years with a cab off frame rebuild and a few custom touches added (dual tanks, custom bumpers and added factory AC to a non-factory truck).
I did add the FORD letters to the tail gate.
Seeing the pictures might give the little kick someone needs to get going on their project.
Dave ----
It went from this
To this in 4 years with a cab off frame rebuild and a few custom touches added (dual tanks, custom bumpers and added factory AC to a non-factory truck).
I did add the FORD letters to the tail gate.
Seeing the pictures might give the little kick someone needs to get going on their project.
Dave ----
Wow, Looks great!! Love the tailgate! Hahaha yeah gives me the kick I need to go ahead and decide on the structural adhesive I need to get 😩 before the rain come back! 🤣
Rezvani's Latest Post-Apocalyptic Monster Is a Ford F-150 Raptor Underneath
Slideshow: Called the Fortress, the 850-horsepower pickup combines Raptor underpinnings with military-inspired features, survival equipment, and a starting price of $285,000.
