2G Strut tower rust [Merged]

[steve]

This is what's going to kill most 2G's because it looks like a generic problem and the expense to correctly repair.

It seems worst on the '95's but that may just be because their oldest.

Steve

 

[chico904]

Post some pics, I highly doubt the towers are that bad, if so, do it yourself and save a couple grand.

 

[ricktb]

I swear the rust wasn't that bad, like surface rust I swear.. I will take a trip down to snap some shots maybe I can fix myself (fingers crossed) anyone have similar experience? man Im wasted

 

[Grimis]

my 95 has rust like that but not as bad as the pics on page to (red engine bay) local body shop here gave me a $200 est and thats with me taken the fenders off for him and he'll weld/shape 2 plates, upper and lower.. it sucks, chrysler should do something about it, mine has 120k on it.

 

[XdsmdemonXRS]

Hey, I have pretty bad rust on my drivers side strut tower, and i was just wondering how easy it would be to fix that. Would you just grind off the rust and weld in new metal? Its pretty bad, but it hasn't spread to the whole tower yet, but I can see through it enough to worry me. Thanks

If you have done any kind of body work and are skilled at welding it should not be too much of a problem to fix this problem. Usually the rusted area is between the strut and the where the fender bolts on in the flat area. It will involve removing your fender to do the job properly. #1 you must first cruise the salvage yards for a rustfree donor, on the 2G cars this donor can be from an Avenger, Sebring Eclipse or Talon, and just have them cut you the whole strut area out with the cut off tool and you can trim it down later to the size of the piece you will need for your car. 2 since this area that rusts out is NOT a load bearing area, so to speak for the strut tower itself it is simply a procedure of triminng out the rotted area completely and with some degree of precision fitting in the new piece and migging it in place butt weld style not overlap, and the using a small disc grinder grind down the weld smooth and refinish. the structure will be sound and if your good at body work and refinish the area even you will never know it was repaired. 3 there should be no need to cut into the upper strut mounting immediate area, if yours is rusted that badly you may have a much bigger problem and in more places that just this area. 4 The reason these rust here is that underneath inside the boxed structure is a triangular boxed bracing area, that extended from the outer edge of the strut area to the edge of the outer rail(where the fender bolts onto) and water dirt and mositure collects there and begins to rust and eventually thru. 5 when you beginning to repair this area you should use a small cut off wheel and spot weld removal tool and cut out about an 8 inch area in the outer rail box area so you can get into the triangular area and trim out the rotted area, save the piece you cut out of the rail as you will reweld it back into place and again trim it for a nice clean butt weld and grind down and refinish. While this may sound like a lot of work and it does involve some time and patience and skill it will save your car, and does not have any effect on the strut tower itself,nor any alignment issues with the front suspension, nor safety. The strut tower is mainly anchored in place at the frame rail itself and from the firewall structure between the tower and firewall, the area that usually rusts thru is the area between the fender and the top of the tower and is mainly connecting it the the upper fender mounting rail. I have learned this thru experience helping my friend who has helped a few of his friends in repairing this problem with their 2g's. Hope this may help.

 

[gotgrip666]

i checked out the car this weekend there was just 1 or twi small spots of suface rust, about maybe a little smaller than a dime

 

[ricktb]

Thank you DSMdemon your explaination has boosted my confidence in doing this repair myself. Obviously you've been through this before heh. Oh and heres a picture of the worst area.

http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/showthread.php?t=262726

and here is the I-CAR method for safe installation of a strut tower and apron assembly.

http://i-car.com/pdf/upcr/procedures/sp/sp05s.pdf

 

[thekellbeast]

This doesnt look as bad as some of the other stuff that people posted up, but I was wondering what the chances are of this being rusted all the way through.

Im thinking about grinding this down today with a heavy wire wheel, but I dont want to start something thats gonna end up with a hole in my fender. Id rather tackle that another day.

Oh, and sorry about not using apostrophes, when I hit the button it pops open a window in Firefox. I dont know how to get around it.

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[Grimis]

your one of the lucky ones, that looks easy to fix , surface rust looks like, might get lucky, but it could be a hold under neath. Does it feel soft? if it does then if you dont have the time to takle a hole, id wait. but get to it before it gets bad.. I'm going to fix mine my self as the shop that qouted me 150/200 doest want to come and get it now, and upped the price.....

 

[thekellbeast]

Yeah, it feels a little bit soft on the passenger's side. The driver's side doesn't feel soft, but I can feel rust on the underneath too. Looks like I'll just be doing some heavy wire wheeling and then get my buddy to weld in some sheet steel.

 

[ricktb]

though I'd post my rust repair photos here, tho I've never attempted anything like this before so I think I did pretty good.

Shop wanted between $3500 to $5000 to replace 2 whole tower mounts..

sheet metal - $25
mig welder and accessories $1000
bondo, primer, paint, undercoating $50
dremel cutting disks (50 pack) $25
plus about 12-15 hours labour
experience and skills learned priceless

ps the dremel died by the time I painted, heh so another $100

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[Grimis]

wow, kick A$$ job

tobad your way up north, id have you come and redo mine

 

[ricktb]

ya my welds could have been a lot neater, tho this was my first time with a mig on this small gauge metal. Bondo fixed that right up. I also sprayed 2 coats of rubberized undercoating in the wheel well to keep the water out.

 

[jwcardy]

wow, kick ass job...ive got some rust repair work to do to the 95gst i just bought....
-wes

 

[Rx3]

Good job Ricktb. I will be doing a very similar thing this winter (as soon as I find another vehicle so I can take my GSX off the road to do some mods).

 

[ricktb]

ty, good luck with your project

 

[sprocket2005]

I need help, i have a 1997 talon Tsi awd, and the driverside front strut tower is rotting away, does anyone know where i could find another strut tower that may have been cut out of another '97 talon? I have checked my local junkyards and stuff and cannot find any, but need one ASAP. Please pm me with any suggestions

 

[cruisintalonawd]

a fwd one would work too.Do you need the the body peice of it or that upper strut tower part

 

[germanlookk72]

my 95 had the same problem. i just welded a piece of 14g from the bottom then duraglassed the top(engine bay side) and the rubberrized the wheel well side. after a few more coats and some matched paint she looks good as new.

 

[2gntrbo]

if you have the skill and or tools you could weld in patch panel piece, thats what i did on my 95 gst, but that depends on how bad it is rotted out. any way good luck

 

[2gntrbo]

you beat me too it

 

[2gntrbo]

got me i have seen alot of 2gs like that. dsm

 

[cruisintalonawd]

at least they dont rust like hondas do. usually the only good thing about a honda is the motor. and even that is debatable.

Depend on alot of stuff my 88 Crx only had a little spot of rust the size of about 3 quarter

after you weld that in i would put undercoating to prevent it from ever rusting again

 

[thesmartestyet]

i have some rust on both of my strut towers one side is very bad but the other is getting there i am thinking about cuting the rust out and replacing it my freinds dad is very good at welding and can get any size sheet metal i would need any tips before i attempt this?

 

[meliketoball]

Damn I am lucky I don't live in the east coast where it snows hell.

Rx3: Nice 2g. Looks like mine.

ricktb: Professional!