(heres my thread with pics of the teardown: https://honda-tech.com/zerothread?id=1492306 )

Well i received my front clip a couple weeks ago and i have it all stripped down. Now all thats left is to drill out the firewall spot welds. So i came here for advice on what to use to get the seam sealer out, what bits to use, advice, anything.
If anyone has done this or has alternatives, please post up.
Just looking for the best way to do it.

Also would all the spot welds be drilled on the inside??? Like in this pic? or are they all over the place??



Thanks in advance

 

just follow all the seems, this is where all the welds are. you might have to scrape all that sealer off though

as far as bit size, i just try to use the smallest i can get away with but still big enough to drill the whole spot off. remembert whatever you drill you are most likely going to have to fill again

 

They make bits designed for spot weld removal.

 

this is the best thing I have found to remove seam sealer and show you where spot welds are. this is the snap on version, really expensive. other companies make the same tool and sell it for less, look around.

 

My wall is in the process of going back in for my swap.

The best thing to remove the seam sealer is a Knotted Wire wheel for a 4.5" Angle Grinder. I tried many things and this worked best.

For spotwelds. A Drill bit can be used, but it is a pain. Get a GOOD QUALITY (no cheapys) 3/8 Spot weld cutter and center punch. I say good quality because the cheap ones will dull off or break in 2 drills, I know this too! We replaced the whole side of a Lincoln LS.

and the next best tools is a air hammer to help pry the panels apart after you drill them.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by racerxadam &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">this is the best thing I have found to remove seam sealer and show you where spot welds are. this is the snap on version, really expensive. other companies make the same tool and sell it for less, look around.
</TD></TR></TABLE>

skud buster! i have one of those...those things are VIOLENT!

 

sweet, thanks for the input everyone.

Whats a GOOD QUALITY spot weld bit, what brands??? Links??

And all the spot welds are on the interior side of the firewall correct?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by bumblezc &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">My wall is in the process of going back in for my swap.

The best thing to remove the seam sealer is a Knotted Wire wheel for a 4.5" Angle Grinder. I tried many things and this worked best.

For spotwelds. A Drill bit can be used, but it is a pain. Get a GOOD QUALITY (no cheapys) 3/8 Spot weld cutter and center punch. I say good quality because the cheap ones will dull off or break in 2 drills, I know this too! We replaced the whole side of a Lincoln LS.

and the next best tools is a air hammer to help pry the panels apart after you drill them.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Got any pics from ur swap???

What about this???(PDF document)
http://www.industrialbolt.com/...s.pdf


Modified by EF8kid at 2:00 PM 1/24/2006

 

I'll update you tonight. I can't remeber the brand I have, but Snap-On make a REAL good one. Mine was about 35.00 CAN for the mandrel and 1 cutter. relpacements cutters were 35.00 for 3

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by bumblezc &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I'll update you tonight. I can't remeber the brand I have, but Snap-On make a REAL good one. Mine was about 35.00 CAN for the mandrel and 1 cutter. relpacements cutters were 35.00 for 3
</TD></TR></TABLE>

How many snap on cutters u think i could go thru?? Drilling out the RHD firewall and mine in my car?? Lookin forward to updates

 

I couldn't find mine, but I believe the brand was ADCO or something of that nature. I went through a bunch. Too many say 8 double sided cutters, I got rammy a few time and broke teeth. Should have use only 1 pack.

When we pulled the whole side of the Lincoln out with the snap-on I beleive we broke 1 or 2.

as for stripping the seam sealer this is exactly what I used:

 

any auto parts store should have spot weld bits.. you can flip them over I would buy atleast a pack.. I :heart: my Crud Cutter too

 

Thanks for all the help people. Im about to go to the good ole' Home Depot Land

 

We use a 1/8 drill bit to make a pilot hole and then we drill out the weld with a hole saw. Someone mentioned using an air chisel before to pry the pieces apart....BE CAREFUL cause if the firewall bends, your in for some serious work.

I plan to do a firewall conversion sometime this spring/summer if I can save up the money

Oh and I think there should be something like 36 spot welds around the firewall, not positive though, but take your time when drilling them out.

 

Eastwood makes a great spotweld bit. Check it out!

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Castro Jr. &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
Oh and I think there should be something like 36 spot welds around the firewall, not positive though, but take your time when drilling them out.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Who taught you to count!!!! Try 1036!! Anytime you think you got them all, there is another 5 hiding. EFs have a few underneath you hood hinge mounts that are IMPOSSIBLE to get. I ended up chiseling the seam apart and re-welding the piece.

 

There is about a million spot welds in the damn firewall. Here are some pic's i hope these help you.

 

holy **** man! thats alot of work just to have the steering wheel on the other side!
is this a show car?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by diet rite &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">holy **** man! thats alot of work just to have the steering wheel on the other side!
is this a show car?</TD></TR></TABLE>

LOL, I agree.

 

Good lord. wow.....

Thats a cool pic tho haha.

This is going to be EASY!!!

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by EF8kid &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Good lord. wow.....

Thats a cool pic tho haha.

This is going to be EASY!!! </TD></TR></TABLE>

Well now that these are becoming slightly more common, I think you will be able to do it much easier than a few years ago when these were rare.

One of my friends did a RHD swap back in the day, but instead of swapping firewalls, he cut at the A-piller and the rocker panel and welded the whole front clip on Lots of work and precise measuring and whatnot, but he got it done and it came out great

 

Is this gonna be safe to drive? I can just picture what would happen if enough of the new welds on the firewall broke at speed. At the very least I wouldn't launch this car very hard and never on slicks. just curious, does this legally make the car a salvage title (if the man ever finds out)?

anyways good luck

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by diet rite &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Is this gonna be safe to drive? I can just picture what would happen if enough of the new welds on the firewall broke at speed. At the very least I wouldn't launch this car very hard and never on slicks. just curious, does this legally make the car a salvage title (if the man ever finds out)?

anyways good luck </TD></TR></TABLE>

If you have a good welder with proper penetration, it will not break. If high strength steel is welded correctly, it takes 140,000lbs of tensile strength to be able to tear those apart....even mild strength steel has a 70,000lbs limit. If the welds are done right you can launch the car hard, on slicks, on whatever you want.

 

Agreed with Castro.

My car will have 24" M/T Grag ET on her when it's done. To add support, many parts of my chassis is getting support, gussets, and a full cage. I may not be necessary, but it's getting done.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by bumblezc &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Agreed with Castro.

My car will have 24" M/T Grag ET on her when it's done. To add support, many parts of my chassis is getting support, gussets, and a full cage. I may not be necessary, but it's getting done.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Yup same here, im gonna use some reinforcement things as well. And could you show me what ur using to support it? Gussets??