Rusty Bulkhead, Fixed. (Pics)

Someone pointed out a bit of bubbling of paint on the bulkhead.
I hadnt noticed it because of the snorkel being in the way.

So with the weather being so good this weekend i stripped her down, took snorkel off etc and started poking at first it didnt seem to bad, however it eventually ended up like this.



So i cut the worst patch out with 1mm cutting disc, and drilled the rest to remove the rust, back to good metal.



Then i managed to cut a shape a piece of steel and slid it in behind, tried to weld this in place and kept blowing holes in the bulkhead.
My welder doesnt have a low enough setting for such thin steel.

But eventually managed to get a good bit of weld on it.

Gave it three thick coats of Vatacan Rust Convertor
VACTAN RUST CONVERTER AND PRIMER 1LITRE RUST TREATMENT | eBay



I then filled it to level it and filled the other holes.





and then two coats of primer, and two coats of blue.
I think its ok not 100% but It is a defender after all not a show car.
Hopefully it will last a while.

Good work - also being where it is with lots of contours and your snorkel etc. no one will spot a slight paint colour difference.

What sort of welder did you use?

Gasless MIG. But has very coarse settings the lowest is i think 60A, the others 80A, 100A, 120A, 135A. I believe.

Its a cheap jobby from toolstation as it was cheaper do buy it and reapid the chassis myself than to pay someone to do it for the MOT 2 years ago.

I will upgrade when I need somthing decent

I never could get on with the gas less MIGs. My Sealy MIG (uses cheap pub gas) is adjustable from about 40A to 120A and with practice I can get a reasonable weld going.

Got my eye on one of them fancy TIG jobbies but cant really justify the outlay.

Still it dont look like a bad job you've done there. Well done for having a go as its the only way to learn and you save a few pennies along the way.

Cheers shifty.

As i say when i have a job that warrents it i will invest in something a bit better but for now this does the job.

I emptied a whole can of waxoyl into the bulkhead while i could so hopefully shouldn't have to do this again anytime soon.

BearDy89 said:

Cheers shifty.
I emptied a whole can of waxoyl into the bulkhead while i could so hopefully shouldn't have to do this again anytime soon.

Click to expand...

After welding I hope or things could have got a tad toasty

Ummmm.............. Yeh we will ignore that for now.





















I will know for next time to do it afterwards lets put it that way!!!!

looks like a good job. how long would a plate fix like that last and what it effect the strenth of said area?

I dont think strength is and issue, the area that the screen bolts to is a solid piece,
and the area where the door bolts is not rusty at all.

Im im hoping it lasts a few years, I did my best to cut a drill out all the rust and coated it a fair few layers of rust convertor as well. But who knows.....