I got hit @ my frontend on my hatch and the frontend is bad but fixable. Its bent right around the headlight housing at the radiator support on the rightside. Driver side is fine. It is pullable but I wants do things right.

I've seen pics here of people swaping out radiator supports, my question is that if I drill out the spot welds. Is the metal thin enough that I would drilliut both pieces of metal or not. And if so. How hard is it to do this work.

I do have a welder and I've done a number of frontend repairs, but at my old job on a frame bench.

And before anyone says, this support is not the t-support bar, thats really fu'ked. That t bar bolts the part I need.

Thanks

 

post some pictures

 

the metal is thin enough on most cars out there to where you will easily drill right through both pieces if your not carefull. this is fine to do if you can access behind the other piece of metal and weld your new support on through the backside of the holes your drilled. If not then just really make it a point to not drill through both pieces, drill all the way through the support and about 1/2 way through the second layer to allow for better penetration when you weld the new support on.

Another option so you don't have to worry about drilling too far is get a cutoff wheel with an 1/8 grind disc, or double up 1/16 discs and grind the spot weld until the metal around the weld turns purple when it gets real thin. Then just hit it with an air chisel and it'll pop right off.

I've never don't a support on an EF but i've changed them on Da's which are not a whole lot different in design and they are cake to change compared to some cars now adays. It can easily be changed in just over 2 hours if not much pull work is required once you get the support off.

on another note, post pics of your damage. I'm always all for fixing something first before you go chopping your car up and ruining what ever factory rustproofing it still had left in that area.