Thread: DIY rusted strut tower fix for dummies(Ive never done this before)

So I've been looking everywhere for help trying to fix my rear strut tower's and there's not much out there. So I'd like to add my experience to the internet and hopefully it will help somebody who's having similar problems. Im not done yet but and any help or idea's would be greatly appreciated here's a look at the progress so far and a look at what I'm using I am but no means a professional I'm a DIYer that wants to learn how to fix everything that breaks I spent some money on this project but mostly I'm using cheap tools and I make do with what I got. I don't even have air tools (yet) my budget most included buying the welder for this project.


Tools used:
lincoln 180 mig welder 220v (running flux core)
electric angle grinder (cutting/cleaning)
wire brushes
18v electric drill
about 3'sq of 1/8 steel
80 grit sandpaper and block
pry bar (pipe in my case)
Socket set
Adjustable wrench
rust pentertor like luquid wrench (a must for any rusty vechile)


Ok so get your strut tower out of there I left my wheel bearing brakes and everything alone just hanging there after they were unbolted from the strut tower assembly. After you remove the 2 bottom bolts. And the connector arm above it. You can unbolt the 3 in the trunk I left my one jack stand sitting under the strut tower to hold it up when the bolts let go. Do some manhandling and it should come out fairly easy just push down and then out watch you don't get stuck on your wheel hub. And were left with this
[IMG][/IMG]

So I got my angle grinder which kind sucked to work with in this situation if you have air tools that would make it alot easy to cut as the electric grinder is pretty bulky and made it hard to reach some spots. But anyways I cut out all the lose bad steel I could reach which I think I got most of it wish I could of got abit more on the right side of the picture but Couldnt get my blade in there without making a mess. But I tried to leave about an inch of metal along the edge opposite of the mount in order for it to be guide for were the new patch should be.
[IMG][/IMG]
Then I got my pry bar which is acctualy a pipe. I used it to bend the mount back down into its original position eyed it up though but from what I read it shouldn't make be a huge deal if it's off slightly. But I do think I got it pretty close to dead on that picture doesnt show the end result to well Ill put a better updated picture within next couple days with more progress.
[IMG][/IMG]

So yeh next update I'll have it all cleaned up and how I did with cheap electric tools you probably already have around the house and hopfully by the end of this we have a fixed car( for now) The main plan is to weld a patch of 1/8s steel around the edge of the mount onto the edge on the car runs along side the mount.I've done alot research from the bits I can find hopfully this keep's the car solid for a couple years.

Also would anybody recommend getting a used strut tower from the scrap yard or is that part that's better to buy new as I think there like 80 bucks new?

If you have time and want to do a little more thorough job, find the spot welds on the strut plate and drill them out. The big plate will fall off and you will be able to work directly with the rusted metal. Align the plate back up and weld the holes up where you drilled out.

My driver side was ****ed so I had to give it new metal behind the plate, my passenger side was way better off so it got patched. Just a few pics for the driver side I did last year
112fe2adb7ed17bedbce882b0d29f80f by smetters20, on Flickr
7c076258cef436156fc7cb59f3a52175 by smetters20, on Flickr
8866061c2fe13a0b28bc5874d249e804 by smetters20, on Flickr
f6ba by smetters20, on Flickr
7d5195562aaf46067fabb52a7bf321ad by smetters20, on Flickr

those pictures a pretty helpful thanks man. the work you did looks nice did you just use a hole saw to cut the big hole for the compression bolt? I like the way you did it but I really wanna get my car back on the road asap that said I'd hate to have this break out in a couple month. I have a rust hole in my strut mount similar to the one in your picture you think I should be worried about that breaking out is that why you put the plate behinde it? Also did you use a spot weld cutter for your spot welds?

Couple months ha, I did both rockers, both strut towers, undercarriage,full exhaust, prepped and did my oil rust proof paint a few hours a day only took a month (not 7 days a week)

Actually the hole was done with a grinder/air cutoff, If I remember correctly the hole isnt round, but egg. Didnt want to cut a circle and go to mount everything and find out why egg was better. When I had the main plate off I just traced the hole best I could onto the new metal you see in the truck.

I put the plate behind the bigger plate because I had no factory metal left. I never took a during pic with it completely gone (I beat the **** out of it and dont want to remember that part). Thus why I brought up taking the plate off and fixing what is behind it, then putting the plate back on. Passenger side patch, I just cut out the little metal so there was a 2x6" hole, cut new metal to replace it and welded it back up

Thats the best after I have after it was all fixed
518306d24c13fab3795b318eaf8c8b2c by smetters20, on Flickr

Passenger side before, that got a patch
3rck by smetters20, on Flickr

One patch is always best. Hard to imagine what your talking about, but if they are welded all around they should be sound regardless.

If its easiest to make the second patch with the first one tacked in, thats fine. Personally, I don't overlap anything and my new piece butts exactly onto where the old was. Best bet against rust. But since you are overlapping in an area that will never really be seen, you can patch it up however you like. I prefer to join all my patches off the vehicle. Meaning tack all pieces together with it fitted on the car, then remove the multi-patch and weld it into one. Then take that to the car and attach it.

Notice on the other example shown, how the new metal rests against the old when the weight of the car is on it. If you do your patch from inside the trunk, the car's weight pulls on your welds. Make your patch fit the inside of the tower, not the outside. Its a safer bet. I can clearly see the spot welds in your pics, Matt. You need to cut those out and drop that mount plate so you can do a better fix. Spotweld cutter-$20. As far as the grinder not reaching... yep you really don't have what you need to do a nice job there. Don't know what to tell you that I already haven't, about that.

Best of luck to you, and continue to work safely.

If you remove the brace, the mount holes (and the spot weld holes) will guide you back to the exact position where it attaches to the tower top. Nothing says your patch has to be as big as ITHURTZ's. So no need to cut all the holes and everything away on yours. You could scribe or draw an outline, too. The point really is just that the overlapped replacement metal should go on from the bottom for best structural integrity. If the GM part for this is $80 thats what I would want, to save time / labor even if all I did was to cut a patch from it. As you see, it isn't easy to match that shape. Welding inside the right rear strut tower from the wheel side is safer in terms of distance from potential spark damage / hazard, than welding inside the trunk. So plan that way if possible.

I've done mucho welding in these type situations. You have little to worry about from gas fumes. If you small gas, don't weld. Otherwise, proceed with due caution. Welding fumes cause Parkinson's disease so adequate ventilation is a must. My main concern would be personal injury from overhead welding. I always have an air hose handy when welding, to blow out little paint fires at the hot spot. Find something you can fan out little flames with and never assume that the backside is not on fire after you zap a weld. Always check immediately. Backward ball cap to keep slag out of the back of your shirt, leather top shoes, etc.

Looks like you got charged extra for the cheapo cutter. Thats exactly what happens if you don't buy the Blair brand. The teeth break easily if you get the thing in a bind. Start cutting slowly for less breakage. No way to avoid all of it. See pic below for comparison, AES (top) vs Blair. Of course there are more expensive brands. You have another cutting edge on that one, just unscrew the toothy part and turn it over. Replacement cutters are available. Looks like you're doing the right thing with the drill from what I can see. Its normal to have to pry and maybe chisel the two pieces apart after drilling, especially on big structural welds. See vid below the pic for a demo of using the Blair cutter.

More visuals-

I love the rust smiley in the one pic of Corey's. Lmao

It was just saying HELLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLO ford

I didnt use a spot weld cutter for my rockers or struts, just 1 cobalt drill bit. Cost $10 but that ***** kept drilling all day long with some oil

Originally Posted by ITHURTZ

It was just saying HELLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLO ford

I didnt use a spot weld cutter for my rockers or struts, just 1 cobalt drill bit. Cost $10 but that ***** kept drilling all day long with some oil

The flat nose bits (like the cobalt or hi-speed kind) that I have used are yep awful expensive. Think I may have put a pic of that on his other thread. You only get one cutting surface for the $. I have like a hundred dull ones.

Another thing I use to remove welds is a 3" air cutoff tool. You just grind away the top layer of metal over the weld. But thats just for worst-case scenarios because it removes so much metal. Not what you want if you're welding the same part back on.

I see the smiley now, lol.

I forgot to mention that when removing a spot welded part, to go ahead and cut all the welds before starting to pry the part loose.

Yeah Matt.. you did put up pics