i'm doing a backyard repair on the floorboard of my aerostar. i'll be pop-riveting a piece of sheet metal on the floor over the rust spot/hole,after i've cleaned it up the best i can. anyway i can seal it up so water and fumes don't get in? this spot is right next to the exhaust pipe and heat shield, so it gets very hot. i'm not even sure i can paint it ,it gets soo hot ... i was thinking that form a gasket stuff might work...?. any ideas.?? rick

91 aerostar xl,ext 4.0 litre. aka "the green bean"
199,254. miles and going............................

 

i would cut out all rust first with a airhammer and weld the new sheet back with a mig, and use a high temp paint on both sides, but as for a sealant try j.b. weld but rough up the surfaces on both sides

 

i'm just a weekend warrior mechanic with the usual allotment of tools, small hammer, big hammer, lots of screwdrivers. lol but no mig welder, no airhammer. i'm trimming out the rust by hands,chisel,hammer tin snips, etc. i will get most of the rust i can, then cut the sheet metal to fit with 1 to 2 inch overlap . i plan on pop riveting (got that tool) then trying to seal it up. thanks for the help! rick

 

Not sure how much of an area you are referring to. If recall there was a member who posted topic in this forum asking how to remove a simular substance because he had problem with it not setting up. Described as an unpleasant experience. Something may want to consider.

Have seen heat resistant sealers on the market, may want to go to Por's, or Eastwood's online catalog and see if they have what you are looking for.

Had an urge to chime in and add my $.02.
Good luck,
dave

 

I always cover the bottom the the panal with a thick coat of tar before I rivit it on. Works great, trust me.

 

That's what I did on my truck when I did the floor. Works so far. Just get a roofing tar or something from the local Hardware store.

-Matt

 

ahhhh rivets, I just got off a 8 hour shift replacing rivets on an f-16, to bad you don't have the sealent that we have :-P Figured I'd let you know that I hate pop rivets, they're not exactly the most reliable thing in the world and they're a pain to seal. if you have a hammer and a chunk of metal with a somewhat smooth face on it then you can shoot solid rivets, which would seal alot better and will definitely hold up won't vibrate out or anything like that. the roofing tar sounds like it would work some of that on the overlap part then a dollup over the head of the rivet.
just my opinion.

 

what about the smell from the tar? that area of the floor stays hot on long drives. any chance it will do me in as i drive along? rick

 

You should be fine, just don't breathe! But, seriously you will be fine. You could probably use caulking if you wanted to as well. But, not 100% sure. I used tar.

-Matt

 

thanks for the input guys. it took me all weekend to get the front bucket seats out. the bolts were rusted. i broke four of them off. even tried an "easy-out" to remove the broken bolts, but i broke that too. they were virtually welded together after 13 yrs. i have the panels ready to put in the floor tomorrow. i guess i'll pop rivet them at the flatest areas. i have some sheet metal screws from a awning i took down last year. i could use some of those as well on the more iregular spots. now i just gotta find a drill bit thats not broken!!
ford used some sort of tar like substance on the floor also. seems more like part plastic, part rubber? wonder what that stuff was. seemed to be poured on the floor. wish i had some of that. lots of rust on the under-side of the van. i treated most of it with some extend rust killing paint. then top coated it with high temp paint like the patches i'll be putting in. i'll check at the hardware store for some tar patch stuff. thanks! rick

hey stang! keep em flyin !!!