Door Panel Patch Tools?

[ol Curt]

I just bought one door patch panel for my truck and it looks like it will fit real good. Since it looks to be so close in fit, I'm considering using the whole panel although I would probably only need the corners of it. Can any of you tell me if special tool/s are needed to crimp the pieces over the door? Also, can you tell me if I need to do anything other than pry on the folds of the old one once a horizontal cut is made on the face of the panel?

[72lb4x4]

Be real careful welding on that long line or the skin will warp.

I think normally a flat faced body hammer and a flat dolly are used. Maybe the back of a heel dolly. I read once of someone using a rubber sanding block instead of a dolly. The rectangular kind where the part in your hand is curved.

The dolly goes on the outside of the door and the hammer hits the flange, folding it.

There are some welds on the inside where the flange meets the door.

Take your grinder and grind through the edge of the door skin. Think of the disc as the top of a T and the door skin as the vertical part. The door edge is where the two meet.

Then you can battle with getting the flange part off.

All this is hearsay, so wait for other opinions...

[LILRED66]

Bob:

I have done many door patch panels and I alway suggest removing the bad material and cutting the patch panel to match. If you use the entire bottom, outer, lower door skin, try using a flanging tool and flanging the leading edge, so you have a good surface to weld to. If you punch or drill 1/8" holes in the original door skin and back flange the patch panel, you can puddle weld the holes and minimize the heat.

I use a body hammer and body dolly to fold the seam and seat it. Also, I use a spot weld cutter on the factory spot welds on the inside of the outer door skin flange. After removing the piece, the remainder of the spot weld can be ground smooth and made ready for the new patch panel.

I have several photos of the process, if you are interested in seeing what has been successful for me.

[ol Curt]

Ok guys, I'm starting to see, said the blind man! I sanded the first door down, and now see why it didn't fit quite as good a the lower front as the back. It appears a body man put a patch on, riveted it and put filler and or fiberglass around it. The bad part was he put it on over the old metal and flanges. The back of the door just has rust at the corners.

I DID at least get my camera working. It was a short surgery.

Oh yeah, crap...no pics. THis has to be driving sheriff Joe crazy

http://memimage.cardomain.com/ride_i...0008_large.jpg
http://memimage.cardomain.com/ride_i...0009_large.jpg
http://memimage.cardomain.com/ride_i...0012_large.jpg

[ol Curt]

ttt

[Alan's Classic]

Tony and the others have some great advice. It's just one of those things you need to see done in person. I could write a long story explaining what works best for me and you's still have questions. The only advice I could give right now when folding over the flange is take your time. The flange is a 90* right now on the replacement patch. I generally work 6-10" at a time and the first stage I fold it over to about a 45* with the dolly flat on the face of the door directly under where you are hitting. The next round I roll the dolly up just a tad off the door, but on the edge then work the flange the rest of the way down. Working it in steps helps prevent distortion on the outer part of the skin. There is a special door skin hammer, but since your doing small patches it wouldn't be worth the invested IMO.

Might want to tack weld the patch in place to prevent it from moving while hammering.

[ol Curt]

I was reading a post about the PBR truck being sold and it made me think...somebody should make a tool something like a bottle opener but wider. That would work to fold those seams.

[ol Curt]

Hmmm...doesn't anyone agree/disagree, or did nobody take me seriously?

[Alan's Classic]

Originally Posted by ol Curt

I was reading a post about the PBR truck being sold and it made me think...somebody should make a tool something like a bottle opener but wider. That would work to fold those seams.

There are several different tools on the market to do door skin work. But they are not worth the expense if you only do one.

[1Bad62Pro/Street]

They are very expensive now.
My dad bought a kit years ago, and they were not that expensive.

http://www.eastwood.com/autobody/door-repair-tools.html