Sat Apr 01, 2023 9:16 pm by mrjim2017
KB5 Grille Repairs - Part 1
The grille panel is in poor shape with much rust, holes, and pitting. Several of the grille ribs are rusted away and broken free. Previous owner made a few poor repairs to keep the ribs intact, but most of the grille ribs are beyond repair. Sandblasting them would have destroyed them due to their weakness and I did not want to use what I had only to have the grille/ribs deteriorate further. So a little background on my plan to repair the grille.
I decided that the ribs had to be replaced with new metal. My idea was to have a left and right panel, 18 Ga., fabricated. Using a laser cutter, a computer program could be made with the needed dimensions and then input those into the laser cutter and the laser would make the cuts in the metal to create the 16 ribs, and also cut out the smaller holes in each rib for the stainless steel trim attachment pins. Then each panel could be roll formed to the shape/contour of the grille, and I would weld tabs to each panel in its center and bolt the 2 halves together. I planned on coring the grille center section by cutting the rotted ribs free from the sides, top, and bottom of the main grille panel and weld the new laser cut panels onto the main grille section. Seemed like a sound plan.
Brought the grille section, my drawings showing the size of the panels needed, all the size & spacing dimensions of the ribs, the holes in the ribs for the trim,and where I had intended to weld the panels to the grille shell. I even marked the grille shell with a Sharpie showing where the outer panel would be welded onto each side. I then had 2 sheets of information with all the detailed dimensions which clearly noted that this was to be a left & right panel replacement. Dropped all my items at the fabrication shop last October 2021 and spoke with the man in charge and explained what I wanted - he understood. Said they were very busy and backed up with work, so I told him no rush as winter was here and I can't work outside on the truck, so use it as a fill in job.
I had to call the shop in late June 2022 and reminded them about my parts. They said 2 weeks. Did not hear from them after a month. Called again and was told 2 weeks and they would call. They called 2 weeks later and said your parts are ready, $142.00 for a collection of roll formed strips of steel. My heart sank when he said strips of steel - I wanted 2 laser cut panels roll formed. I picked up my "strips" and grille and was gracious about it, and it was not worth telling the same guy who I explained what I wanted that he did it wrong and I did not want to find another fabrication shop and wait for months.
Here is "Plan B" which I had also thought about doing, but the laser cut panels would have been much easier on me and far less work.
Pics #1- #2 - Looking at the grille you can see several bad ribs and a previous pop rivet repair made just to keep them together. Plenty of rust between the center where they join.
Pic #3 - This is a box of cut and roll formed 18 Ga. strips. More than I need but I did use most of them. Not sure how the shop figured the number I needed. The ribs strips have a flatter curve on one end than the other to match the factory grille rib shape and stainless trim that goes on top.
Pic #4 - I had to come up with a piece of angled steel to make an attachment point in the center for each of the rib strips. I was not going to use any part of the old rib section as I planned to "core" it out just as I would have using the 2 intended panels. I went to Home Depot and walked the aisles. The metal bin had angled steel, but the gauge was too heavy. Found a shelving track - the kind with slots in it that you insert a shelf bracket to make your shelves. The 68" Utility Track cost $8.98 and is U-shaped. My plan was to cut it right down the slotted track to make 2 smaller 90 degree angle pieces to attach my steel rib strips. In the photo is the shelving track of which I cut down to 24" and then split it down the middle to make 2 separate angled pieces.
Pic #5 - The split half shelving track fits perfect to the grille with the shorter flange going into the center with the wider flange to be used as the attachment point for each steel rib strip.
Pic #6 - I taped the left shelving track angle to the grille where I plan to fit it. I fit and cut one of the rib strips down so that it fit on top of the left side of the grille's rib where it will be attached, with the right end butted up against the angle. I then taped it in place. This will be my "base," or bottom half section, of a 2-piece rib strip used in making the new ribs.
Pics #7- #8 - I then took another steel rib and placed it on top of my "base" rib. It lines up even with the base steel rib at the left side, but then goes over the top of it on the right side and the end is cut at a point about even with the center angle's edge where it will be attached. I taped this in place and then laid a stainless steel trim pieces along the lower edge of steel rib to check the contour and fit. The fit of the trim was good and I now had a working plan.
Pic #9 - I did not want to use any heat to join my 2 steel rib pieces together (the bottom base and top rib) for fear of warping them. A spot welder would have been the perfect solution, but I don't have one and was not going to buy one for this small job. My alternative was to bond them together. I found a product at Home Depot called "Fuse-It Max" by Liquid Nails in a black/gold tube that said bonds metal. So for $11.74, I am game, and also bought 4 of the .98 cent spring clamps. I cleaned & sanded the 2 rib strip surfaces that were to be glued together, applied an even layer of the Fuse-It with my finger, and clamped them together to dry overnight.
Pic #10 - Clamps removed and the 2 pieces glued together to make 1 steel rib. This completed rib would act as my rib template for all the other ribs I made.
Pic #11 - Sadly, most of the roll forming was not consistent nor accurate as some had too much bend, others did not have enough, and a number were close. So my glued steel rib template was used to re-shape the strips as needed. First I had to mark & cut the base rib strip to size by marking a line with a fine point Sharpie then use my die grinder and cut-off wheel to cut the rib to match the template size.
The top strip shows the difference in the roll formed curvature when laid on top of the glued rib template below it. I flipped the rib strip from one side to the other to get the best curvature fit with the glued template rib and then reshaped as needed.
To reshape the rib, pictured is this home made tool I use to shape wire into "S" curves - it worked for the ribs. I placed the rib in the small cut-out you see between the tube and the welded-on flat stock. The flat stock holds the rib in place as you gently push down on the rib to "roll" it over the round stock. The steel rib at the bottom is one I adjusted.
Pic #12 - Photo shows how the tool works. Slip the rib strip in the slot under the flat stock and gently roll/bend it around the tubing as needed to adjust the shape. It takes very little pressure to add more curvature to the flat rib. I add more curvature at the points where you see the steel rib lift off the template and then test fit. Repeat as needed until the adjusted rib lays on top of the template rib without any gaps, or maybe a sliver of a gap. You get the hang of it pretty quick and know how/where to make your bends - takes very little pressure/effort to adjust the rib using this tool so you do not over bend. If you do, just flip your piece over in the tool and gently bend it back a bit. Using your hands/thumbs to do this makes a mess of the bends, but can be done.
Pic #13 - I painted the top rib strip I reshaped in red so you could clearly see how well it came out using my tool. It matches my glued rib template below it. I will do this for 16 bottom ribs for each side (total of 32 ribs), and then measure/cut/reshape my top rib strips. I found that I could glue a 2-piece rib together, lay them on wax paper, and stack 5 together like a sandwich making sure only to glue the 2-piece rib together, and then clamp them all with my clamps. Once cured, I used a file to sand the glue that squeezes out of the 2-piece rib sides and then separated each 2-piece rib from the others. Then I did another 5 ribs until I had all 32 ribs done.
