Deck sheet metal repair question....

[Docwheelhorse 2,660]

Hello All,

I got my hands on a 42" S/D that runs quiet as a church mouse... problem is it has numerous pin holes in the corners and such from leaving wet grass in it. I pressure washed the heck out of it and was thinking of just laying wet fiberglass patches into the corners and then a heavy coat of paint over everything. The deck is structurally sound.... So-----

 

Should I lay the fiberglass over the cleaned up rust or lay down a heavy coat of paint then fiberglass then more paint? Something is making me think the fiberglass over the cleaned up rust would "stick"

better (????)

 

Thoughts...

 

Tony

[Tankman 3,518]

Clean and perhaps the "numerous" pin holes would seal with JB Weld, then some undercoating.

 

Hard to tell without seeing ().

I've welded large holes, welded plates over badly damaged decks. PO's often sell damaged decks.

The attached pic, one step in a recent rehab. 14 ga galvanized steel bolted in place.

Then (not shown) stitch welded. After welding the deck was disassembled for cleaning, primed, undercoated, Rustoleum Regal Red on the outside.

Reassembly, new deck bumpers, stainless hardware and Never-Seez on all bolt threads, new Huskee Kevlar deck belt from TSC, and more.

 

After all that, maintain the deck properly.

 

Edited April 26, 2016 by Tankman

[ACman 7,618]

Wire wheel, clean all rust , prep metal with thinner ,fill holes JB weld , paint whole under side with por15 ( brush on small can goes long way ) , spray topcoat over that .

[pacer 3,168]

What ACman said -- Clean the heck out of it (sand blast first choice) heavy wire brush. maybe a bit of coarse sandpaper, key to making anything 'stick' to it. Personally I have doubts as to fiberglass would last very long, and, water could get under loose places. Anyway, when clean apply the POR-15, that stuff is GOOD!! It'll stick and it'll LAST!! Its also pretty thick and in itself will fill small pin holes up to about 3/16-1/4" - Tape the back side of the holes so it wont drip through. Another thing, use an old or inexpensive brush, they are virtually impossible to clean. Its a bit expensive but well worth it.

 

That stuff covered the 5/16' holes from the factory on the discharge side using this method!!

[clip 185]

If you have access to a MIG welder and the holes are larger, clean up the rust and fill the holes in using a copper spoon to back them while welding. If they're small, I'd go with the above advice and use some kind of two-part filler like JBWeld.

[953 nut 55,054]

8 hours ago, Tankman said:

new Huskee Teflon deck belt

Wouldn't a "Teflon" belt slip? I would prefer a Kevlar belt.  

[Tankman 3,518]

11 hours ago, 953 nut said:

Wouldn't a "Teflon" belt slip? I would prefer a Kevlar belt.  

Ya got me, thanks Squid! I did mean to say Kevlar!

 

Never had a problem or break a Huskee Kevlar V-Belt!  

[Docwheelhorse 2,660]

Hi, thanks all... I will post pics, some of the holes are larger... I suppose I could just clean it and POR15 the whole underside and run it. The holes don't affect anything....

 

Tony

[tunahead72 2,403]

I would definitely appreciate seeing some photos myself.  I have a similar problem with one of my decks, just wondering how yours looks.  I've already cleaned mine pretty good and brushed a couple of coats of WD40 on the whole underside of the deck, and I'm thinking about just spreading some JBWeld over the holes for now.

[slammer302 2,155]

I've repaired pin holes and giant rust holes in my decks. the JB weld works good and mig welding also works well. It just comes down to how much effort you want to put into it.   

[Docwheelhorse 2,660]

14 hours ago, tunahead72 said:

I would definitely appreciate seeing some photos myself.  I have a similar problem with one of my decks, just wondering how yours looks.  I've already cleaned mine pretty good and brushed a couple of coats of WD40 on the whole underside of the deck, and I'm thinking about just spreading some JBWeld over the holes for now.

If you really did coat the bottom with WD40 you are going to have to get it off... nothing will stick paint or epoxy wise...

 

Tony

[pacer 3,168]

"WD40 you are going to have to get it off... nothing will stick paint or epoxy wise... "

 

Definitely! And cleaned WELL!

[can whlvr 993]

I glassed a deck once only lasted a season and then peeled off,and I used expensive epoxy resin,now I weld the holes

[tunahead72 2,403]

14 hours ago, Docwheelhorse said:

If you really did coat the bottom with WD40 you are going to have to get it off... nothing will stick paint or epoxy wise...

 

Tony

 

13 hours ago, pacer said:

"WD40 you are going to have to get it off... nothing will stick paint or epoxy wise... "

 

Definitely! And cleaned WELL!

 

Yeah, I thought of that, AFTER I applied the WD40 of course.  Would wire brushing down to bare metal do the trick for JBWeld?

 

And Tony, I'd still like to see a photo or two when you get a chance.

 

[pacer 3,168]

I would suggest a degreaser type detergent, I like 'Purple Power" at full strength (I use a lot of it when cleaning my horses) Dishwashing soap - like Dawn - is a heck of a degreaser. Then the wire brush to rough up the surface a bit - the cleaner the surface the more likely the JB will hold (this is true with any adhesive.

[Docwheelhorse 2,660]

Pics as requested............ 

[cleat 5,809]

That is bigger than pinholes.

I would recommend getting patches welded in.

[clip 185]

Patches would be best for that. The corrosion is over a broad area so welding up the holes themselves would be more trouble than cutting out to good metal and putting new in. Alternatively, you can probably make it another 10 years with it in that shape and not have it make much of an effect on cut!

[Docwheelhorse 2,660]

Okay... can I go back to my original question then... Do I paint then fiberglass then paint or can I clean very well, fiberglass then paint. Structurally the deck is fine... I'm trying to stop the corrosion. Cutting welding and repairing is not needed---I'll save that for a '66 Big Block Chevelle (which I don't own but want someday...)

 

Tony

[clip 185]

Clean to bare metal, rough up the surface with a 36 or 60 grit flap disc, degrease then fiberglass then paint.

[pacer 3,168]

I think its been pretty well agreed on that fiberglass is not a good thing to do, it wont last and water will get under it causing more rust.

 

Clean it as well as you can and apply one of the Phosphoric acid products, it will stop the rust where it is presently, but after applying you will need to cover it with something - best choice being Por15 or second best any good enamel paint.

[new horse 44]

if your going to use fiberglass, you MUST do both sides of the deck to seal it from water penetration, your going to have to grind it down to bare steel on both sides, 'glass it up good, it may last a yr or 2.

[Docwheelhorse 2,660]

3 hours ago, pacer said:

I think its been pretty well agreed on that fiberglass is not a good thing to do, it wont last and water will get under it causing more rust.

 

Clean it as well as you can and apply one of the Phosphoric acid products, it will stop the rust where it is presently, but after applying you will need to cover it with something - best choice being Por15 or second best any good enamel paint.

Okay.. I'll go this route. I can do a good job with this routine. Welding in patches requires me to open my wallet---I don't have a mig welder or the skills. Deck is not in danger of collapsing or failing.

 

Thanks

 

Tony

[Derek M 27]

Hmm try cleaning both sides and get a can of Flex Seal and let me know if it works.  Good luck

[cleat 5,809]

According to the TV ads, you could practically build a deck with that stuff.......

 

When I see all those holes in the deck right over where the left side of the axle connects I wonder if it may be getting weak structurally.

That is why I recommended getting a patch welded in. When you see all the welding that was done to my deck in this thread. That cost me $150.00 Canadian to a young man in an a welding apprenticeship.

 

 

Yours should be less and that repair would last.