I Damaged My Sill....

[Doo]

I am fixing friends Limo and there is a building site next door. The usual road was blocked, so I took a slight detour, there was a massive boulder hidden under many inches of snow

So now I have a MASSIVE cave in in the passenger side sill

However, I have a hydraulic kit for such problems and just got a plasma cutter (a good one, not a Chinese copy. Can cut up to 20mm steel). So I plan to get her up on the ramps and cut the dented section out and see if I can either beat it back to flat or make a new sill. Either way, I'm not fussed.

But, the question is, does anyone know if there are any wires or pipes that run inside the outer sill? I really don't imagine there will be, but with it being French, there might be old tunnels or secret rooms

The thing that gets me is the plastic sill cover is undamaged other than a slight scratch! I fully expected it to be splintered!

Anyone tackled a sill on these before? I've mended hundreds of sills over the years, but this is the 1st time I've had to do my own due to ineptnessessess

[Paul-R]

Is it not possible to spot weld some studs on pull the dent out? Cutting is such a drastic move.

[wheeler]

Or slide hammer??

[Dormouse]

I used to use the stubs from stick welding as dent pullers long ago. I used the stick welder to adhere them to the panel and a pair of mole grips and a padded flat bar to prise creases and dents out. For some unknown reason, I still have my stick welder - it is both single and triple phase. Nobody wanted it but it is a superb welder.

[Dormouse]

Took a while, and I still don't have the exact video I really wanted, but here is the modern version of what I did.

[Doo]

Is it not possible to spot weld some studs on pull the dent out? Cutting is such a drastic move.

I did think that, but the dent is so bad it will need 39 tons (only a slight exaggeration) of body filler

I have eyelets and could weld on nuts, but it such a deep and complicated dent that the door seals are compromised. It isn't letting in water, but I can get the wiff of fumes from the exhaust.

I will need to open up and cut the baffles & re-weld them so I can pull the inner sill straight too.

[Doo]

Took a while, and I still don't have the exact video I really wanted, but here is the modern version of what I did.

I bought a hand held spot welder, but it wasn't working, so gave it to a mate to give to a mate who gave it to a mate who I assume fixed it because I never heard from the guy

I am planning an arc welder when they come back into Lidl. They are very small, but ideal for the likes of gates and whatnot. Gas is expensive so cheaper using an arc welder.

[Dormouse]

Another trick I used to pull sills down was to place a steel angle under 2 trolley jacks either side of the bit of sill I needed to pull down with a Dozer chain round it and attached an Edge Puller Clamp (or stout Molegrips if you don't have an Edge Clamp ) to the sill flange. You could choose decent places to spread the trolley jack loads with timber and adjust each jack to give an even, secure pull on the ground without a Dozer frame. Place the angle near the front wheels directly under the pads and the weight of the car then anchors everything. No Porta Powers needed, just a strong chain to a decent clamp.

[Doo]

Another trick I used to pull sills down was to place a steel angle under 2 trolley jacks either side of the bit of sill I needed to pull down with a Dozer chain round it and attached an Edge Puller Clamp (or stout Molegrips if you don't have an Edge Clamp ) to the sill flange. You could choose decent places to spread the trolley jack loads with timber and adjust each jack to give an even, secure pull on the ground without a Dozer frame. Place the angle near the front wheels directly under the pads and the weight of the car then anchors everything. No Porta Powers needed, just a strong chain to a decent clamp.

I have a matching pair of pneumatic jacks that might do the trick. I could use Vise grips (I bought a pair of good ones) or, as I've done in the past, open a hatch on the sill and either insert a big washer & a nut to screw eyelets in or slide in a thick bit of flat beam chain & anchor to a bit of box section....

[Dormouse]

Worth a try. Also, being able to panel beat the inners and outers under different tensions can aid getting the metal to the shape you want.

Been massaging metal since I was a teenager and have had to invent a lot of fixes especially when rally servicing.

[Dormouse]

In this weather use a fair bit of heat on the paint to stop it cracking if it is in sound condition.

[Doo]

Worth a try. Also, being able to panel beat the inners and outers under different tensions can aid getting the metal to the shape you want.

Been massaging metal since I was a teenager and have had to invent a lot of fixes especially when rally servicing.

I just had to buy another self igniting gas hand torch because my very expensive Rothenberger went missing The torch alone is £95 before the gas. I use it to heat metal to allow bending without stretching or creasing. I also use the hot air gun on painted surfaces if taking a shallow dent out on door skin or plastic bumpers.

My XK8 has a plethora of tiny dents and I think I'll be calling in the local dent devil bloke because there a few on the curve on the boot-lid where it goes round from the deck to the number plate light plastic strip. The consequences of reversing into a very short garage with a very long low sports coupe

It's all fun and games.....until it isn't