Large Rust areas, will they ever be water tight?

Well I am about to pull the trigger on an Otter, but there is a huge amount of rust on the vehicle. If I sandblast this it looks like some of it will go straight through. What would be the best way of fixing this stuff? Will I ever have it water tight?

I dont plan on spending all of my time in a lake, but I would like to maybe once a year or so.

Welding in new metal is always the best repair. Cut out the rusted areas to good metal, and use a flanger to create a depressed area to put the repair plate. Tack the plate into the flange in a few places, and then do a good weld all the way around the plate. Grind it down flush.

You can make it not leak, but you are going to have to do a good job welding.

As an alternative, you can do the same cut and flange operation, but use a urethane adhesive such as PL or Sika to glue the plate into the flange.

-Chuck

Just what stump said. You need to take your time welding. Make random very short welds. try to keep the metal from getting any heat. Heat will distort your panel quickly. If you can get to the back of the repair, you can use seam sealer to make sure it is water tight. I would not recommend sandblasting on sheet metal. The heat will distort your panel.

Yeah, guys do this with DUKWs. They tend to have serious rust problems because the same thing that keeps water out when the hull is intact keeps water in when the truck is sitting.

I agree with replacing all rusted metal with clean metal welded in. When the welds have been tested leakproof, thouroughly clean and dry and coat them with some type of epoxy paint. If applied to manufacturers specs, epoxy paints will seal for a lifetime, but it cannot have any inclusions or thin spots that will let in oxygen.....thats what makes rust happen.
Bill

Otters are aluminum. May not be worth messing with.

BRDM2nco said:

there is a huge amount of rust on the vehicle.

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NDT said:

Otters are aluminum.

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These two comments don't go together. While I don't know anything about otters I do know that AL doesn't rust. It can still corrode though.

AL is just as easy to patch a steel. It just takes a little different equipment. A TIG machine or a MIG with a spoolgun should work.