Traveller welding...

[Arthurdaily]

Hi, quick bit of advice - in front of the rear arches, on both sides of my traveller, where the wood rests on a sort of sill under the car... well the metal it rests on there is rusty and weak - can that plate be welded back on, or rather new metal welded over it / instead of it with the wood in place?

[bmcecosse]

These plates are just protective covers - held to the timber with a few screws! And yes - at my first MOT the garage wanted me to weld them on - to the wood.......!! So - remove them, and fit new ones. Take the chance to clean all behind - and soak the timber with WD40 before fitting the new plates.

[Arthurdaily]

Thanks BMC

[chickenjohn]

I wouldn't use wd-40!!!

Apply wood hardener of any wood is soft then Cuprinol 5- star. These panels are part of the structure of the car as the wood bottom rail is secured to the floor pan of the car via these small panels. Weld them to the sill structure, after cutting all rust out . I would then regularly soak the whole area in rust proofing wax to protect it!

[bmcecosse]

The plates were not originally welded to the sills - they really are just cover plates to keep wet and mud off the timber. I dunno why I put WD40 - twas late at night - I meant Waxoyl!!