How To Fix Rust Holes...

[kornsined]

I have discovered a hole in the drivers floor board and under the rear seat. Obviously due to the exhaust system since I can see the muffler under the rear seat. How would I go about fixing this?

[Simon]

A couple different ways. Either way starts like this....

 

Cut away any rotted steel, and leave yourself a square-ish area to patch....

 

either A) Weld in new steel, or Rivet in new steel

 

If A) cut the new piece to fit within the hole, tightly. Weld away, and fill with some automotive seam sealer.

 

if Cut the new piece a bit larger than the hole, and drill holes, and rivet the new piece in. Then fill with automotive seam sealer.

[GrimGreg]

Be sure to somehow smoothe out the transition btween the patch ad the edge of the hole on the underside. If you patch from the top and leave gaps below, you'll just have he same problem all over again. Iused self tapping screws in place of rivits on some and welded others when I fixed my 88. If you want, pics are here: http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y143/grim...8%20Pathfinder/

[denisb]

If you use rivets, you can also use a realy thick pitch tar like roof cement in between the floor and the patch to seal all bare metal(the one that comes in a caulking type tube). This will prevent water from geting in and will slow if not stop rust.

 

Denis

[rustyole88pathy]

When I first bought my Pathy a few years ago I discovered a gaped hole under the rear seats as well. I fixed the problem by forming a piece of steel to the underbody and then welding/bolting it up. Welding proved impossible all the way round because of obstacles...and anyway I wouldn't trust my welding skills , so I feel the bolts were the best approach for me. I then sealed it up really well, and sprayed a rubberized coating all over the new metal and surrounding areas. Since that quick and easy fix I have yet to see the new rust down there.

 

Hope that helps!

[k9sar]

I used a baking sheet, a tube of silicone caulking and a couple of silicone hot-pads. It even passed inspection.

 

95 pathy exposed to lots of water and such over the years.

Pulling boat up long hill (5 miles or so)

Engine didn't overheat but the exhaust certainly got too hot.

 

smoke filled inside truck, floormats melting under my feet.

Got the 'fire' put out with my big-gulp and pulled up the carpet to find that there was a big hole in the floor right over the exhaust pipe. All insulation under the carpeting was black ash. Plastic in carpet and bottom of floormat melted. Truck stinks now.

 

I pulled into a walmart pk lot in Mt. Pocono to put it out and see what I could do to get the family, truck and boat the rest of the way home.

 

Clearance stainless steel baking pan... $2.00

Clearance silicone hot pads... $5.00 for 2

Clearance avation snips... $7.00

Tube of 100% silicone bathtub caulk ... $2.79

Cheap-ass caulking gun... $1.78

 

Many years of watching Macgyver... priceless.

[kornsined]

I used a baking sheet, a tube of silicone caulking and a couple of silicone hot-pads. It even passed inspection.

 

Nice! What are the silicone pads for? I was thinking of putting some type of under coat/rubber spray underneath after too. Good tips guys.

[k9sar]

Nice! What are the silicone pads for? I was thinking of putting some type of under coat/rubber spray underneath after too. Good tips guys.

insulation between the baking pan and the carpet (and my feet) since the original paddign had burnt away