Sills and Front Crossmember

[9397jim]

Hi Everyone, I'm new I took my wife's old car, which I've been driving since she got her new car, for an mot today. The garage phoned me an hour later and told me to take the car away. The sills on both sides are really bad all the way along and the cross member is sore with rust.
I really like the car, its fun to drive, easy to park and everything works.
My question is: how realistic is it for a diy-er to replace these things? The sills and cross member aren't too expensive. I can weld but I'm concerned about getting the parts exactly where they need to be. Any thoughts welcome!!

 

[9397jim]

I

Hi Everyone, I'm new I took my wife's old car, which I've been driving since she got her new car, for an mot today. The garage phoned me an hour later and told me to take the car away. The sills on both sides are really bad all the way along and the cross member is sore with rust.
I really like the car, its fun to drive, easy to park and everything works.
My question is: how realistic is it for a diy-er to replace these things? The sills and cross member aren't too expensive. I can weld but I'm concerned about getting the parts exactly where they need to be. Any thoughts welcome!!

I should add its a K11 1999 Inspiration Micra!

 

[bls]

Take a look at the joy of welding thread,, sort of worst case come good .. The cross member is pretty easy and the sills should be ok if you have a 5 door and good floor pan. I went over my 94 pre face slx today and last years welds are doing well with negligible rust good luck!

 

[5949403030495959]

Are 3 doors harder to weld? or just more troublesome on parts?

 

[bls]

Welding along the quarter panel can cause a bit of warping, remember you have to hammer pretty hard when welding, most of the seam is hidden on a 5 door. The parts are still on the shelf, easy to find

 

[5949403030495959]

Cheers, good info.

 

[9397jim]

Thanks bls. Your right it is a 5 door. I'm just worried about making an arse of it, but I suppose it doesn't matter, I was told it wasn't getting an mot as it is. I'll look at the joy of welding thread

 

[9397jim]

Can you recommend a seller of k11 1999 5 door full sills?

 

[9397jim]

See with the sills, why are they prone to rusting? I've read that they rust from the inside out which means moisture inside the sill. So do they not have drains in them or do they have them and they block up with dirt?

 

[bls]

Design flaw, no real drainage, I have a sunroof which drained into the sills/box section.. Now re_routed to out the door posts at the electrics bung front and the c post behind the bumper. Boesheild t9 is about the best to protect and waxoyle is ok to protect any work you do. Remember to remove the storage primer on new sills or they won't last long, I got my '94 1.3slx 6 years ago for £360 and had to weld the sills that first mot, only used k-rust which really only lasts a few months, didn't know the MSc at the time so no tips on the drainage problem

 

[bls]

I cant remember the exact supplier I got from, it was an auto factor in Belfast, but the ebay guys deliver ok to the mainland, not Norn ireland lol just found this in the shed, only used the back half

 

[plmval]

Design flaw, no real drainage, I have a sunroof which drained into the sills/box section.. Now re_routed to out the door posts at the electrics bung front and the c post behind the bumper. Boesheild t9 is about the best to protect and waxoyle is ok to protect any work you do. Remember to remove the storage primer on new sills or they won't last long, I got my '94 1.3slx 6 years ago for £360 and had to weld the sills that first mot, only used k-rust which really only lasts a few months, didn't know the MSc at the time so no tips on the drainage problem

Design Flaw?

At 15 plus years old these things have already outlasted most of their competitors as small lightweight disposable cheap runabouts.

There are plenty more leave off discarded old K11s around to be picked up for a song without wasting time doing any work.

 

[9397jim]

You

Design Flaw?

At 15 plus years old these things have already outlasted most of their competitors as small lightweight disposable cheap runabouts.

There are plenty more leave off discarded old K11s around to be picked up for a song without wasting time doing any work.

Your right, I just like this one!