Body Work, Replacing Raditor Support

[xintersecty]

I have been trying to remove my radiator support from the deer crash last January. So I finally got it through my thick head, it's spot welded. I have a new one ready to go and pre-painted.

1) How does one remove such. There has to be a technique for popping the spot welds loose.
2) Once removed, I just spot weld it back?

[petrified.rabbit]

you have to drill out each weld. 3/8 spot weld hole saw is preferred. but just a drill bit works.

I cannot say how many welds there will be, but if you are doing the entire rad support, then you can clamp and use a structural adhesive (3m 8115) to put most of it back together. But you should plug weld everywhere there were spot welds originally unless you have a resistance spot welder.

[xintersecty]

you have to drill out each weld. 3/8 spot weld hole saw is preferred. but just a drill bit works.

I cannot say how many welds there will be, but if you are doing the entire rad support, then you can clamp and use a structural adhesive (3m 8115) to put most of it back together. But you should plug weld everywhere there were spot welds originally unless you have a resistance spot welder.

Rabbit, Thank you so much for you advice. If was not for your advice, most of us would have not modded our cars or even maintained them. I will be buying one of those drill bits today when I run errands. I did watch a bunch of video watching on panel removal.

This was very helpful:

[petrified.rabbit]

thats an ok explanation of how to do it, same thing with the 1/8th bit for the hole saw. But that guy destroyed that wheel house.\

If you chose to weld it back together or clamp it on, make sure it is clamped tight either way.

[xintersecty]

So I have been making progress on removing the radiator support. I am down to a few welds that are pain around the bottom. I may have to remove the radiator to be able to drill those out. So the next step is to weld the new one into the car. I am planning to buy a welder in the first place.

So should I go get a cheap spot welder from harbor freight or buy a mig welder and use an a spot weld adapter?

[xintersecty]

I found a good video on plug welding. This may have answered my own question. As I will need to back fill from the inside to the outside which will be the support.

[petrified.rabbit]

plug weld is the way i do it. make sure you clean the metal and clamp them tight.

[06T200]

A mig welder with argon gas setup should be the ticket. You could use your old rad support to practice and get a feel for penetration, should not need a whole lot of amps for thin sheet metal.

[MobileMedics]

So I have been making progress on removing the radiator support. I am down to a few welds that are pain around the bottom. I may have to remove the radiator to be able to drill those out. So the next step is to weld the new one into the car. I am planning to buy a welder in the first place.

So should I go get a cheap spot welder from harbor freight or buy a mig welder and use an a spot weld adapter?

Did you ever successfully complete this job? I hit a deer in my 07.

[xintersecty]

I did complete the job. The car is down due to a head issue. I had only one slight issue in putting on the left fender. Otherwise it was great.