Fixing pinchwelds?
#1
Full Member
Thread Starter
Fixing pinchwelds?
I'm doing a full restoration on my 1988 FC and like many others I'm sure, my pinchwelds are smashed in and would ideally like to have them back. I'm not sure how to go about it, can I just pull them back out? Or do I cut and weld new pinchwelds in? Any advice is greatly appreciated
#2
Moderator
iTrader: (3)
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: https://www2.mazda.com/en/100th/
Posts: 30,826
Received 2,593 Likes
on
1,842 Posts
its kind of a pain, but you want to pull them back out.
i use a screw driver to get it bent out enough i can use pliers or something.
also you might want like a yardstick just so you have something to see how straight it is
i use a screw driver to get it bent out enough i can use pliers or something.
also you might want like a yardstick just so you have something to see how straight it is
#3
Full Member
I am in the middle of doing this as well, I use duckbilled vice grips to bend them back into place, I am going to be grinding and building them back up with weld, as they are the only rust bit as the paint as scraped off when previous owner tried to jack the car up. I try to only lift by the engine cross member or rear diff, so front or rear only, not use the sides
#4
Rotary Enthusiast
I am in the middle of doing this as well, I use duckbilled vice grips to bend them back into place, I am going to be grinding and building them back up with weld, as they are the only rust bit as the paint as scraped off when previous owner tried to jack the car up. I try to only lift by the engine cross member or rear diff, so front or rear only, not use the sides
#6
Full Member
Thread Starter
I am in the middle of doing this as well, I use duckbilled vice grips to bend them back into place, I am going to be grinding and building them back up with weld, as they are the only rust bit as the paint as scraped off when previous owner tried to jack the car up. I try to only lift by the engine cross member or rear diff, so front or rear only, not use the sides
#7
Full Member
Thread Starter
iffy, some spots are pretty bad but its unevenly smashed, so hard to tell how bad it is overall
Trending Topics
#8
Moderator
iTrader: (3)
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: https://www2.mazda.com/en/100th/
Posts: 30,826
Received 2,593 Likes
on
1,842 Posts
i used a yardstick to get an idea of what straight would be, its hard to tell when you're upside down.
i took the rubber plugs out, and then used some hook type tool to pull it straight. think of it like paintless dent repair.
this is the best pic ive got, i did what i could buts its not perfect
i took the rubber plugs out, and then used some hook type tool to pull it straight. think of it like paintless dent repair.
this is the best pic ive got, i did what i could buts its not perfect
#9
GSSL-SE
iTrader: (1)
Once upon a time I took a length of 1.5" x 1/8" steel angle and cut it into an L shape that "capped" the stock pinch weld. I swiss cheesed it and used the holes to weld it to the existing pinch before grinding it flat.
It was a lot of work but turned out great! You could pick the car up anywhere on the new strip. I owned the car for a number of years afterwards and it always looked perfect.
-Alex
It was a lot of work but turned out great! You could pick the car up anywhere on the new strip. I owned the car for a number of years afterwards and it always looked perfect.
-Alex
#10
Full Member
Thread Starter
Once upon a time I took a length of 1.5" x 1/8" steel angle and cut it into an L shape that "capped" the stock pinch weld. I swiss cheesed it and used the holes to weld it to the existing pinch before grinding it flat.
It was a lot of work but turned out great! You could pick the car up anywhere on the new strip. I owned the car for a number of years afterwards and it always looked perfect.
-Alex
It was a lot of work but turned out great! You could pick the car up anywhere on the new strip. I owned the car for a number of years afterwards and it always looked perfect.
-Alex
#11
Full Member
Thread Starter
i used a yardstick to get an idea of what straight would be, its hard to tell when you're upside down.
i took the rubber plugs out, and then used some hook type tool to pull it straight. think of it like paintless dent repair.
this is the best pic ive got, i did what i could buts its not perfect
i took the rubber plugs out, and then used some hook type tool to pull it straight. think of it like paintless dent repair.
this is the best pic ive got, i did what i could buts its not perfect
The following users liked this post:
j9fd3s (02-22-24)
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
philiptompkins
2nd Generation Non-Technical and pictures
46
09-12-08 02:45 AM