Flushed Tailgate Help

[Divaldo]

Help people, im wanting to flush my boot and every time i get close to having it done people say im having it done wrong!! give me some ideas!!

[epo]

for a start what are u doin wrong ?

r u weldin a plate in or is it supernovas flush pannel

[Divaldo]

Every time i get to welding the plate in place it buckles, i dont wanna use the supanova panel as i dont like them..

[epo]

nowt to do with the thickness of the plate ur weldin in place is it mate :?:

[Divaldo]

Why do i have to use a specific mm?

[Cheeze]

mine was the flushing panel, guy who fitted it said was better than welding one in, looks mint to

[-tucny-]

ur best off using the same guage metal as ur exsisting body panels. the reason the metals warping is because of the heat caused the way ur welding.

u want to cut ur panel so it fits a couple of mm below flush with a bend for the bottom bit. if u gonna have a couple of big subs in your boot ur best strengthening it too. do this by lining up the plate, drilling a couple of small holes (2.5 - 3.5mm) about 20cm apart in the middle and marking the recess behind with the drill bit. take off the plate n weld a couple of little brackets (use a couple off small bolts or similar). place your plate back in place n clamp it. the brackets you welded on should then be visable through the small holes you drilled. then tack weld the plate in place about every 4-5cm from the middle to eaither end. this will then hold it in place n not warp. weld the plate to the brackets throught the holes u drilled then start stitch welding around the plate. once youve stitched all the way around, go round again filling in the gaps between the stitches.

then get your grinder out a grind flat your welds (if needed) especially the two welds on the brackets. the plate will now be rock solid with minimum vibration. put a small skimming of filler over the top n flat then repeat till its flush.

do it this way n it will be sound.

if you do use a fibre glass flush panel, dont be shy when ur bonding it. as metal and glass fibre expand at different rates, in different temperatures so potentially it can crack around the edges ( as with bonnet vents) although not all the time.