PSA Those of us in the snowy north. Time to rustproof the foot wells.

Midwestdrifter

Engineer In Residence
If you have access, you can use polyurethane adhesive, and thin aluminum sheet (or galvanized steel). Sandwich both sides to encapsulate after using a rust neutralizer. Any phosphoric acid product will work.
 

JoeyB

Active member
Whoa there JoeyB, another horror show, that looks so familiar.

I didn't grind, just scraped and beat with a ball peen hammer until I got to solid stuff.
I really liked the stick of the epoxy resin and Kevlar but what will happen with the rust entombment is an unknown. Months or years? Here's what I used plus the Kevlar. 5:1 epoxy. Takes 24 hours to get real solid at 40-60 degrees F. Much faster at higher temps.

https://www.jamestowndistributors.c...ilyName=TotalBoat+High+Performance+Epoxy+Kits

I thought about using expanding foam but backed off so that I can monitor better.

How did yo patch the holes?

bill
I used POR15 (an epoxy based paint) and fiberglass cloth. After grinding it down I put a rust converter on it (phosphoric acid based) and then rinsed it. After that I painted the hole and exposed metal with POR15. I cut patches of fiberglass cloth that were 2-3 inches bigger than the hole and brushed the POR15 into the fiberglass cloth until it was saturated. I put on a thicker layer of POR15 on the edges of the hole just to ensure it sealed decently. I put the POR15-soaked fiberglass patch over the hole and brushed some more POR15 over the whole patch and applied pressure on the edges. I did this until I had 2-3 layers and then got under the van to clean it up from the bottom and apply more POR15 to the edges on the bottom to give it a better seal.

This is actually how I patched my foot well holes as well.

It's held up for almost a year now, we are going to put foam board over the floor soon and put the mat back in covering it which should help displace pressure from being put directly over the hole.

Here is how it looked after the patch (excuse the mess! its looking much better now hahaha):

 
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billintomahawk

Guest
Rust never sleeps.
Stay up late.

https://www.forconstructionpros.com...1/treating-rust-in-asphalt-before-sealcoating

http://www.differencebetween.net/science/chemistry-science/differences-between-epoxy-and-urethane/

Will epoxy inhibit and seal??

And neoprene.
https://www.rustoleum.com/~/media/D...leum_Neoprene_Rubber_Flashing_Cement_TDS.ashx

One thing for sure, the undercoating MB uses is tough stuff and for the most part pretty darn effective.

On the sound deadening front, putting reflectrix bubble wrap in the foot wells made the van wheel noise way quieter. I would not have thought it would amount to much but it did. Quieter at 60-65 mph on the highway.


bill
 
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endgame

New member
Wow. I feel like someone just pushed me out of the way of a moving train.

I had no idea about this design flaw. My 2004 has low miles and is otherwise relatively rust free.

Looks like my weekend is booked.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk
 
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billintomahawk

Guest
Got back form a Lake superior Steel head fishing run on the Brule River.
It rained for three days but my foot wells ran dry. And quieter.

BUT!

I have a leak into the top of the floor area between the seats, more to the passengers side.
At first I thought windshield, and it might be that but I suspect the drain for the gutter under the wipers on the passengers side. It is leaking rain water down the inside of the fenderwall and firewall. Strange, but there is a gap in the gutter that allows water to escape inside the engine compartment before exiting to a drain at the end of the gutter run as is the situation on the driver's side above the battery.

I have to investigate further and post some pictures, and probably pull out the floor mat and sound deadening mat.
There was a thread on that recently so I'll search it out and post it if I can find it.

Rained all day today.
Rainpocalypse in Wisconsin, Lake Superior is very high.

The mouth of the Brule River.



bill
 
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billintomahawk

Guest
More digging.
Do I have a leaking windshield? My floor mat is wet. So I decided to take up the floor mat, not exactly straight forward.
Remove the center consul, separate the foam under mat from the rubber mat, roll the sections of mats between the seats forward and slide out sideways. Separate them, the foam mat is fragile and stuck to the floor.

To help make this less difficult I cut the rear portion of the mat that fits behind the seats free from the front section. My outside temps are 40 degrees F(4 C.). The rubber mat is one stiff bugger when it is cold.

I didn't know this was a heating/cooling vent.















Found another hole! Hope this is the problem.



The rubber mat. If you look closely you can see the rear section I cut free to simplify removal.



The foam mat. Drying out.



Looks like the wetness was all from the hole not a leaky windshield.



I need more epoxy and cloth.
It is raining today so if my windshield is leaking to the inside I will know for sure.

FWIW I scrubbed the rubber mat, it looks new.
bill
 
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billintomahawk

Guest
More rust holes stuffed with 50 acorns, bigger traps and another quart of epoxy plus a fresh bundle of fiberglass cloth.

Possibly this is getting old.





Putting out a little heat to fire off the center consul hole.





I tried my best to mold a new lip for the door gasket.



That's not a mouse trap, going for bigger game.



Gotta form a corner lip next maybe somehow..

bill
 
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white whale

Active member
Hawk, that is some nasty doo doo. just for all the pics you deserve a thanks. I will be redoing my three spots with the POR treatment for a one and done final treatment.
The screw plugs are tough to remove, and then to reuse. Any tricks for these? Last wrecker visit I tried to carefully remove some extras for future use. The dealer would consider these sacrificial parts I assume - once they come out they are tossed.
 
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billintomahawk

Guest
Hawk, that is some nasty doo doo. just for all the pics you deserve a thanks. I will be redoing my three spots with the POR treatment for a one and done final treatment.
The screw plugs are tough to remove, and then to reuse. Any tricks for these? Last wrecker visit I tried to carefully remove some extras for future use. The dealer would consider these sacrificial parts I assume - once they come out they are tossed.
Mine were so far gone they are now locator pins for my drop in footwells. They work great for that, the slots are elongated by the rust and are now provide 'quick release.

More work...wasn't really sure what to do in the corner lip being eaten by rust so I got desperately crafty with a piece of roofing aluminum I had laying around.

















So that's what I came up with, I'll post some assembled pictures when I get the floor mat back in. Around 40F today(4C) so I continued to use an electric heater to get the epoxy to go. The bumps are easy to sculpt with the angle grinder.
That's it for me and fighting rust this year.
Will it hold up, I honestly don't know? I feel like I made some progress.

Everything happens at once, my buddy stuck a deer at dark that ran so I'm out in the woods at daylight and hope we find it.

bill
 
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Sprinter2go

Sprinter 2 Go
Driver's Side Footwell and Passenger Side Footwells Roted through.

Used Wire wheel on 5" Grinder to clean area as best as possible.
Put RustCheck Rust Converter on the Rusted Metal.
Then put 2 layers of fibreglass and Resin on the Foot Well.
On the Driver's side the Lip for the Weather Stripping was rotted clear through.
There appears to be a puddle every time it rains.
I cleaned the Drain holes in the Upper gutters below the Hood. That is getting pretty rusty in there.


The Under Flooring below the Mats in front of the Seats Appears Solid. The Rear Door Sill that is for another Post. Completed rotted out...
 

Sprinter2go

Sprinter 2 Go
Reparing the Rear Door Sill Area of the Sprinter 2005 T1N

The Rear Panel Bumper Area is completely rotted under the plastic bumper. Yikes!


Pulled plastic bumper covers off. EEK!


to metal slow down the rusting process.

I rebuilt the Door sill edge using 4" Aluminum Plate 3/32" thickness for the Sill, and a 3/4" 3/32 for Channel to hold the Weather Stripping.


Next Step I cut out as must of the Rot area on the Door sill edge so I could fit in a new door Sill edge.



I rebuilt the Door sill edge using 4" Aluminum Plate 3/32" thickness for the Sill, and a 3/4" 3/32 for Channel to hold the Weather Stripping.


Several Layers of Fibreglass to Seal the Rear Door Sill Area from the Rot. cover the Rear External Panel that is below the Bumper Cover with several layers of Fibre Glass. I Prefer spun Stranded glass as it works well for applying on horizontal surfaces. I will use small rare earth magnets to hold the glass in place while applying it. I coat the area with resin using a 1.5" brush then I apply the Glass over it. I put a few magnets in place to hold the glass in place and paint the Resin in until it is well soaked. (Magnets are like 1mm thick x 5mm. I leave them on.

The Next Step is to place the new aluminum plate. Mark out hole for Drive Side Door Stake pocket and the Spare Tire Access Hole. Cut the Holes. I used a Drill Bill 1/8" and an old wood chisel and cust the Stake pocket hole, and a 1" Hole saw to cut the spare tire hole. Fasten the Plate with sheet metal screw counters sunk.





The repair works well and the doors seal tight against the weather stripping.
 

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