FFR Posted September 21, 2012 Share Posted September 21, 2012 Hi all, I would like to know if the steel frame can be separated from the aluminium skin, as the glue that hold them together is gone and the frame is getting some rust I want to stop. There are some rivets to remove but I still have no clear if the frame can be slided out of the skin, as it seems that is "wraped around" the frame at the front end. Thank you, Carlos Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulnb57 Posted September 21, 2012 Share Posted September 21, 2012 I am just starting a rebuild and have also wondered the same thing, as the frame is only a bit rusty and the ally skin is good, I would just like to treat and repaint the whole thing........my gut feeling is that when the rivets are removed the skin will come away with a bit of persuasion.......... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oneandtwo Posted September 21, 2012 Share Posted September 21, 2012 Drill the rivets out, you will also need a very thin blade as the steel ribs are bonded to the alloy frame although with age and use it often comes unstuck anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FFR Posted September 21, 2012 Author Share Posted September 21, 2012 Thank you, I will try this weekend ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulnb57 Posted September 22, 2012 Share Posted September 22, 2012 FFR I would appreciate it if you could post on here how you get on.... Cheers Paul Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FFR Posted September 24, 2012 Author Share Posted September 24, 2012 Hi, I removed all the rivets, as well as the spare wheel mount. Found some galvanic corrosion in the aluminium, as the spare wheel plate is hold with steel fasteners and they touch the alu skin. Need to fix that. Unfortunately, I got stuck with the glue. I was using the sharp paint scraper approach, but it gets jammed with the glue. Then I tried to help with the heat gun, it helps a bit... but the alu can be easily distorted. So I will make a tool, a thin stainless steel blade with a sharp hook in one end to remove the glue, chunk by chunk. As mentioned before, a normal blade/scraper gets jammed between the frame and the skin. A different tool is needed to actually remove the glue from the equation. Photos will follow soon. Carlos Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FFR Posted September 24, 2012 Author Share Posted September 24, 2012 Done. I used a 0.5 mm stainless steel plate with some cuts on it (like a homebrew saw) but the idea of a sharp paint scrapper helped with a hammer is also valid, but the alu skin might be dented from the underside if this is not done carefully. Frame can be removed from the skin (it is a bit tricky) and restoring the glue is going to be tricky too, as the frame has to be slided into its final place, so any glue/gap filler will be oddily spreaded over the alu surface. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gazzar Posted September 25, 2012 Share Posted September 25, 2012 Suggest you get it zinc sprayed or similar - you' don't want ot be doing it twice! Also, when reassembling use some DPC or other physical barrier to prevent the galvanic corrosion next time. Maybe a super thin skim of tiger seal followed by a layer of DPC on the skin and then use tiger seal to stick the frame together. G. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.