mjotrainbrain Posted December 30, 2017 Author Share Posted December 30, 2017 Still haven't dealt with the rust, but I have talked to a few shops. They either wanted an outrageous amount of money or were sketchy as all get-out, that is if they even were willing to do the work. I'm just going to hold out until my guy is available, I know he'll do it right. In the meantime I haven't stopped having fun with it, including a snow-wheeling trip just this last Thursday. It wasn't anything too crazy, but it was still fun to get out and do donuts and all that fun stuff. If my friend with the Go-Pro ever makes a video I'll drop a link here. Obligatory pictures: 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alexey_Maruschak Posted January 20, 2018 Share Posted January 20, 2018 Zdorova mjotrainbrain! I was helped by a friend with his welding semi-automatic to digest corrosion on the front spars. https://www.drive2.ru/l/462317702518669368/ But today one dude posted a photo of the fact that he made repairs using a conventional inverter welding machine. https://www.drive2.ru/l/493015517410362064/ You can, of course, zamorochitsya and digest the whole spar, but it's expensive and long in terms of finding a donor. And this option can only be passed by the master. https://www.drive2.ru/l/7019229/ The most important disadvantage of the third option is that the metal rusts in the places where there was welding. No master will be able to repeat welding with the use of sealant in joints of seams on metal. Therefore it is better, I believe, to do only work on the place where the through corrosion, and not cut off the whole spar. The more so that you can process the work places with a rust converter, acid primer, sealant and mastic there you can from both sides. Google normally copes with the translation? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjotrainbrain Posted January 20, 2018 Author Share Posted January 20, 2018 The translation is not perfect, but I understand what you said. Thank you! I'm definitely planning to have patches repaired, not to have whole sections replaced. That would require way too much fabrication and time. I liked seeing your pictures. My rust isn't that bad, so it gives me hope! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hawairish Posted January 20, 2018 Share Posted January 20, 2018 Zdorova mjotrainbrain! I was helped by a friend with his welding semi-automatic to digest corrosion on the front spars. https://www.drive2.ru/l/462317702518669368/ But today one dude posted a photo of the fact that he made repairs using a conventional inverter welding machine. https://www.drive2.ru/l/493015517410362064/ You can, of course, zamorochitsya and digest the whole spar, but it's expensive and long in terms of finding a donor. And this option can only be passed by the master. https://www.drive2.ru/l/7019229/ The most important disadvantage of the third option is that the metal rusts in the places where there was welding. No master will be able to repeat welding with the use of sealant in joints of seams on metal. Therefore it is better, I believe, to do only work on the place where the through corrosion, and not cut off the whole spar. The more so that you can process the work places with a rust converter, acid primer, sealant and mastic there you can from both sides. Google normally copes with the translation? Holy rust work! So glad I don't live in rust-prone environments! Though, I have to say that for a $400 USD panel available from Nissan, that's a very nice option. I didn't realize that was still available. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
01Pathmaker Posted January 22, 2018 Share Posted January 22, 2018 (edited) Ewww, I'm no stranger to rust and rot, here on Long Island we've got plenty of road salt in the winter and I spend as much time as possible out on the ocean beaches in the summer (salt water). I'm guessing you've never taken advantage of the strut tower recall? Nissan actually has gusset plates that they've made that add structural integrity to the area, after they tear down, clean and rust proof the entire area. I had it done years ago, still looks good in there. Wish I could say the same for the rear wheel wells... Almost forgot, one quick pic request, when you have a chance, could you please post up a pic, looking front the front, of your cv angle while on level ground? I'm trying to make a final decision on what my upcoming suspension overhaul will be. Thanks! Edited January 22, 2018 by 01Pathmaker 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjotrainbrain Posted January 22, 2018 Author Share Posted January 22, 2018 Ewww, I'm no stranger to rust and rot, here on Long Island we've got plenty of road salt in the winter and I spend as much time as possible out on the ocean beaches in the summer. I'm guessing you've never taken advantage of the strut tower recall? Nissan actually has gusset plates that they've made that add structural integrity to the area, after they tear down, clean and rust proof the entire area. I had it done years ago, still looks good in there. Wish I could say the same for the rear wheel wells... The other side is right in the recall area, but this side appears to be a little off to the side. I'm wary of going that route because I've heard of people having bad experiences with the recall repair. I don't doubt that your repair was done well at all, I'm just not sure I want to risk it with some of the things I've heard...going to have it looked at by the same guy who did my bumper hopefully on Friday, hope it's not too bad. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
01Pathmaker Posted January 22, 2018 Share Posted January 22, 2018 Gotcha, yeah, I've heard some horror stories too. A friend of mine actually brought his into a different dealership after I had mine done and they wouldn't let the truck leave! They told him it was beyond repair and was too much of liability to let him drive away! I'm pretty sure that they just wanted to sell him a new vehicle instead of doing the repair, it didn't seem that bad. P.S. I added a pic request to my previous post, probably while you were writing this. If you wouldn't mind, that pic would help me out a bunch. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjotrainbrain Posted January 22, 2018 Author Share Posted January 22, 2018 I've heard about that too! Almost makes me scared to being it in for seat belt or air bag replacement, in case they decide to peek in the wheel wells... I'll try to remember to take pics tomorrow for ya. They're actually not bad at all (although I'd like to get a 3" SFD to mimic hawairish's setup so it sits more level). 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slartibartfast Posted January 22, 2018 Share Posted January 22, 2018 If you're curious, here's Nissan's tech bulletin for identifying and... I can't bring myself to say repairing the strut towers, because I've read it. Bolts that are preferred but not required (see Figure RB27): • If these bolts do not have enough metal to support them (make them tight), use Lord Fusor® 108B to glue the bolts in the holes. The bulletin might give you some idea of what Nissan considers terminal, though, which could help you gauge how bad yours is and what areas you need to worry about as far as structure. Hopefully your fab guy can repair the damage properly. Good luck! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjotrainbrain Posted January 26, 2018 Author Share Posted January 26, 2018 If you're curious, here's Nissan's tech bulletin for identifying and... I can't bring myself to say repairing the strut towers, because I've read it. The bulletin might give you some idea of what Nissan considers terminal, though, which could help you gauge how bad yours is and what areas you need to worry about as far as structure. Hopefully your fab guy can repair the damage properly. Good luck! Finally had a chance to look over that tech bulletin. It's laughable how little rust damage there has to be for them to need to retain the vehicle...flaking metal in area 2? Really? In Michigan if you're vehicle doesn't have flaky metal on the surface within 10 years we consider it like-new/zero rust, lol...Sounds like I definitely don't want to take it to the dealer, if they do what they're supposed to by what that bulletin says I'll find myself without my R50... Going to see my guy tomorrow, I'm nervous, but more excited than anything. I really want this to be behind me, at least for the front 1/3 of the vehicle... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjotrainbrain Posted January 26, 2018 Author Share Posted January 26, 2018 Upon looking at the pictures in the bulletin, it looks like my truck is much better than the one pictured, at least in the area where the recall applies. My major damage is in a separate area. That being said, I still don't trust the dealer to do a good job, but I do like the look of those patches; higher quality parts than I had expected from what I'd heard. Anybody know of a way to order them? If so, I can see if my guy would like them as a starting point. The level two repair would make my passenger side like-new, and that with a bit of custom work would do the same for my driver's side. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjotrainbrain Posted January 26, 2018 Author Share Posted January 26, 2018 Found the entire inner wheel well still for sale new from Nissan. $400USD per side. It's a possible option for the driver's side since it's worse, anybody know if there's any structure behind there that would need to be replaced too? In the rust damage I have I can see horizontal strips of metal, but I can't tell if they're part of the wheel well or some other inner structure. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bax03SE Posted January 26, 2018 Share Posted January 26, 2018 Those patch panels are pretty cool if you could order them at a reasonable cost. I think the best repair would be to get those panels, then have them welded in instead of just bolted and glued like Nissan suggests. Using those as a starting point would give you a very strong repair, probably stronger than stock even if done right. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bax03SE Posted January 26, 2018 Share Posted January 26, 2018 I just plugged the part numbers from the bulletin into google, and those patch kits with the big brackets are available from Nissan parts direct for about $40 per side. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjotrainbrain Posted January 26, 2018 Author Share Posted January 26, 2018 I just plugged the part numbers from the bulletin into google, and those patch kits with the big brackets are available from Nissan parts direct for about $40 per side. I'm definitely going to look into that! That part (installed properly, with welds and stuff) would be perfect for my passenger side, and at that price I may as well toss it on the driver's side even though the rust there is virtually nothing so far. Can't say no to new metal that isn't very expensive, as long as I'm having some stuff done. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slartibartfast Posted January 27, 2018 Share Posted January 27, 2018 The factory towers would probably be the best replacement, but also a hell of a lot of work to get the old ones off and get the new ones lined up properly. The issue I see with Nissan's brace plates is that they go right over the perforated sheet metal, and trapping any mud or water that gets in through the holes in the tower. Trapped moisture festers and eats its way out. I'd cut around the rot until I found solid metal, cut metal patches to fit the holes, and then weld them in. Hiding rust under steel plates and fiberglass might buy time, but IMO it's just going to rust it out worse in the long run. Probably not a problem but worth noting: I don't know that the strut towers are mild steel. The WD21 body repair manual (I don't have one for R50s) says that some of the body structure is made from high-strength steel. It doesn't come out and say it's heat treated, but it says not to use a torch for body repairs because it "causes a decline in strength of areas surrounding the welded parts," which sounds like a heat-treat issue to me. Again, I have no R50 body manual, so I don't know what the towers are made from. I can't imagine it would be an issue on the parts of the tower Nissan considers non-essential, and I'm sure it would be stronger than the fiberglass bodge Nissan calls for. It might be something to consider before laying a hot bead from top to bottom along a brace plate, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjotrainbrain Posted January 27, 2018 Author Share Posted January 27, 2018 Thanks for that info, I'll definitely see if I can find anything about the strut tower materials! Maybe that's part of the reason why the official Nissan fix didn't involve welding... As far as the patches are concerned, I would have planned to use them like replacement panels, assuming they're thick enough. Tacking them over existing metal and rust would definitely just be a half-a+#ed bandaid at best. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjotrainbrain Posted February 20, 2018 Author Share Posted February 20, 2018 Went to the junkyard today to investigate a QX4 with a steel tube rear bumper and rock sliders. Wow, what a rusted heap, not to mention how terribly those mods were fabbed and mounted! It's too bad, because it's clear the PO cared, it had some quality parts on it, including a brand new Curt hitch that I removed for a fellow NPORA member. Also got another strut bolt so I can replace my one remaining camber bolt as well as the roof rack cross bars, since the pre-facelift bars are considerably lower-profile than mine. Can't wait to see how much lower the roof basket is going to sit when I get it put back on come spring! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
micahfelker Posted February 20, 2018 Share Posted February 20, 2018 Did you figure out if it had a lift or not? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjotrainbrain Posted February 20, 2018 Author Share Posted February 20, 2018 Did you figure out if it had a lift or not? It did not as far as I could tell, no spacers and the coils looked stock. No idea why it looked so tall in that picture. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
micahfelker Posted February 20, 2018 Share Posted February 20, 2018 Dang that's super weird... the tail lights looked almost completely even with yours in the pic you sent me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjotrainbrain Posted February 20, 2018 Author Share Posted February 20, 2018 Dang that's super weird... the tail lights looked almost completely even with yours in the pic you sent me Yeah, I don't get it at all, lol. On the topic of its tail lights, I wasn't a fan of the style so I wouldn't have grabbed them anyways, but they were soooo broken, it's sad how much stuff on this truck was broken. The rust hole in the driver's side fender was "fixed" with self tapping screws and some sheet metal, ultimate beater, haha. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjotrainbrain Posted February 20, 2018 Author Share Posted February 20, 2018 I feel like I need to get everybody in the loop on this thing, these pics are from when I saw it at Ace Hardware last October. As soon as I saw the pic of it from the front on the junkyard site I knew exactly which one it was and drove down the next day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
micahfelker Posted February 20, 2018 Share Posted February 20, 2018 Goodness gracious those tail lights are awful I guess I didn't notice in the small pics on my phone but seeing it bigger I can definitely say the rear end does not look good at all. The font looks nice besides the rust though. Where was that bar mounted? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjotrainbrain Posted February 20, 2018 Author Share Posted February 20, 2018 Not sure where it was mounted, I didn't look closely in October, and when I was at the yard it was already gone. I had thought it was just bolted to the bumper cover, but there were no holes in it, so maybe something more elaborate that reached back behind the grill? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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