The rust kicker.

[SentandBent4x4]

What about gas bottles. Do you have to have the big ones, or is there a certain size?

 

[Drunkcanuk]

What about gas bottles. Do you have to have the big ones, or is there a certain size?

There are many options for bottle sizes. I have a 60ft³, cost me $300 but I own the bottle. And when I take it back to the same place for a refill, it's $40 and they give me another new bottle. There are bigger and smaller ones available. You can also lease bottles for a monthly fee. Depends on where you go. Some places only refill bottles that they sell or lease, won't refill a competitors bottle. I made sure I chose a place that was actually open on the weekends so I can go and not miss work.

 

[Erik the Awful]

If you do any more than "occasional" welding, I'd step up to a 80 or 125 cf bottle. I used to run an 80, but I live a ways from the welding store, so I stepped up to a 125 cf. The next bottle size up is 250 cf, which is industrial size. If you buy one of them, you have to step up to a real welding cart and you have to muscle up to handle the weight and bulk of those bottles.

Be absolutely religious about shutting the valve on your bottle, even if you're only going to take a leak. Nothing sucks more than spending $50 to refill your argon and then forgetting and leaving the bottle open overnight.

 

[Just Nobody]

Your truck needs:

1) Bed: A used (rust-free) box. Yours is full of dirt and debris over the wheel arches, and not worth repairing. If you were to cut into them you would likely find they were full of 3" of dirt on each side. The rust it worse than what you're seeing. Just buy a different fox for $500 or so. If you can find a similar color that'll make it easier for you. In your area you should be able to find one easily.

If you try to fix what you have it'll a) look terrible and you won't be satisfied, b) take more work to make look 'good' (even by someone who knows what he's doing) than it's worth. A good used box will save you time and money in the long run. Before you install it, tip it upside down and bang the wheel wells with a rubber mallet to dislodge any built-up dirt. Then wash it completely clean over the wheel arches (get to by the taillight).

2) Fenders: New front fenders: Yours are rotted out and not worth fixing. If you can find rust-free originals in a local salvage yard, that's even better. Otherwise look for fenders which are CAPA-Certified (better quality product).

3) Cab Corners: No easy way around this one: Cut out the old rusty metal with a grinder, then weld in new cab corner patch panels. You shoud hire someone who's done this job a few times before. Pay an experienced guy to do it "right" so it lasts forever and looks pro. Also, you can't really use a *stick welder* to do it 'right' (Who the heck said that???!!)

4) Rocker Panels: IDK how yours are. Start probing and poking with a screwdriver. They're probably rusted too, but maybe yours aren't. Check them out.

It's a lot of work to do quality metal fabrication work. Everyone wants to do a quickie and they are mystified and angry after quickie work looks like crap in 2 years. After you do all the necessary metal work in a quality manner, THEN...and only THEN should you start the actual paint and bodywork process. Paint and Bodywork isn't quick, easy or cheap either. But it's very rewarding.

I did all this on the trucks that I have owned over the years, and I lapped welded all of them one time or another. I now use panel adhesive to do fender arches and some cab corners but generally weld in rocker panels. The whole truck was made with lap welds from the factory.