How to replace rear wheel arches 94-02 Dodge truck

[@_trucklife]

This is BY FAR the most detailed and easiest to follow video on replacing a wheel arch with repair panels and how to get a perfect but weld base out there. GREAT JOB!

[@Johnnymidnight]

Wow, thanks!

[@jeffreylonigro1382]

Hey dude, I see you don't have many views here, but I just want to tell you how helpful this vide was. I've been doing resto work for almost 30 years and I usually mark the panel, take the panel down and then cut it out. I installed a left inner floor panel (pan) on a 96 Dodge Cummins and once I had it laid up and in position, I used my cut-off wheel to make 1 inch slits in about a dozen locations to use butt-weld clamps. Once the panel was perfect and solid with the butt-weld clamps, I used an air-sabre-saw to make the rest of the cuts. The panel fits so perfectly, I may have to grand a little just to get a big enough gap for a good weld. Thanks for the tip from this old timer.

[@brainswole101]

It's nasty, but I've seen several people have really good success with using motor oil to prolong the life of the bottom of the doors, rockers, and along the upper arches, if you can get it in there. I'm preparing to tackle this project on my 97. You made it too easy brother! Great job

[@keithshergold9257]

Hey man. My 2000 Dakota has lasted longer than all my buddies’ trucks who gave me the business about buying a dodge. I’m fixing it up now, and YOU are showing me how to do it. THEN I will kick your ass. I wish I had seen this video before I welded on the square patch panels. They do warp. Oh well, Bondo to the rescue.

[@Johnnymidnight]

😂, glad you found the video helpful 👊🏼

[@malcolmmeade6737]

I have watched many of your videos and they have helped greatly, thanks mate keep ‘em coming !!

[@Johnnymidnight]

That’s fantastic, I love hearing that the videos help 👊🏼

[@ANPennsylvania]

Commenting for the algorithm and hopefully this gets bumped to get more views.

[@Johnnymidnight]

Thanks!! Very cool 👊🏼

[@johndoe-xs4ph]

Awesome video, I have to repair the same panel opposite side is nasty, this helps.

[@Johnnymidnight]

Thanks, glad it was helpful 👍🏼

[@padraigparker3310]

helped me out a lot gotta put new ones on my first gen

[@Johnnymidnight]

Cool, glad it was helpful 🤟🏽

[@connievoigt3228]

VERY well done body work/& video work.

[@Johnnymidnight]

Thank you so much!!

[@juanvillicana8973]

Great video man, appreciate it. I have an 89 Dodge pickup that has the same issue.

[@Johnnymidnight]

Thanks, glad it was helpful 👍🏼

[@17thRodeo]

This is awesome what do you think I should set my welder at.It's a little 110/120 volt lincoln mig to weld thin 1990's dodge body metal? Any cheap welder setting tips ?

[@Johnnymidnight]

You don’t want it too low, just enough where you can get a decent “puddle “ with each tack. Lots of small welds, lots of cooling time in between

[@LeeInThe423]

Great video. May I ask on a ball park figure on what I can expect to pay a shop for a repair like this? Thanks again

[@Johnnymidnight]

In my shop, if it doesn’t need inner wheel houses, to do arches and paint is typically around $1000 a side

[@ashtonbatterson5309]

I needed this video!

[@Johnnymidnight]

Nice, glad it helped 👍🏼

[@shawndoe2834]

Nice Job Chinesium. I really enjoyed this video, I've never watched anything like this before. You make it look easy but I might try this on my old Corolla that needs both rear wheel arches replaced. And thanks for letting us know we don't have to order these parts online, we can go to our local auto parts store. 1) Is there any concern with welding so close to the gas fuel filler neck? 2) I couldn't tell, after spot welding around the perimeter did you go over it again with a continuous bead or was the weld a tight collection of individual spot welds? Thanks For Your Time: Shawn

[@Johnnymidnight]

Just keep on spot welding until it’s solid welded. , it’s very easy to be impatient and warp everything. If you have concerns about fuel vapours, it can never hurt to tape up the filler area

[@rob_v_nj]

Thanks. My original 1984 f250 has cancer. As novice, is it easier to do whole bed side? Great video

[@Johnnymidnight]

Yes, I’d say changing the full bedside would be easier, saves you from having to get into doing body filler

[@Shiznaft1]

Very well done. Thanks!

[@Johnnymidnight]

Thanks!

[@danamcintyre3565]

Is that a 175 miller ? And as far as those bedside arches go I tell everyone to get dirty when you wash your vehicle out good. I've seen on some of the newer stuff I have worked on that they have changed how the taillights are put in that some of the are almost impossible to wash out over the wheel house. I enjoy your videos you never know what you may learn by watching these types and I believe someone could learn how to do there own with a little know how !

[@Johnnymidnight]

Just a little miller 135. Fantastic machine for sheet metal, I’ve had it many years, never a problem with it. I agree, we can definitely all learn from each other, no matter how long we’ve been in the trade 👍🏼👍🏼

[@danamcintyre3565]

@@Johnnymidnight I have had mine twenty plus years they don't make the 135 no more and they only thing I did have to replace the printed circuit in mine but it was cheaper than a new welder .

[@elschemo46]

This may sound dumb but do you have to remove the bed to make this replacement? I need to do this to my truck and don’t know much about cars but I think I can handle this, removing the bed however I’m clueless

[@Johnnymidnight]

Nope, you can definitely replace the wheel arches without removing the bed👍🏼👍🏼

[@fabe202]

Great job

[@stan525]

im thinking about installing the more rounded wheel arches in mine for a more modern look. would that be the same process

[@Johnnymidnight]

I would imagine so, but the problem would be the inner wheelhouse. My thought would be that a later model inner wheelhouse would need to be modified to fit the older style body. I’ve never done it but I’m sure it could be done with some fabrication

[@robchoma3227]

Good video. But dude wear a mask when grinding rust!

[@kb9826]

or filler, or spray paint, metal, anything that has to do with fine particles .

[@shawncharriere5976]

Do you have a place to get rear wheel house for a 98 ram 2500?

[@Johnnymidnight]

I get all my panels from LKQ Canada. They don’t sell direct, but any auto parts store should be able to get them

[@joshsanders6699]

If my gap on the new panel is too big, what should I do to fix it?

[@Johnnymidnight]

Do you mean too big to butt weld? Depending on how big the gap is a piece of welding rod, or even coat hanger works well as a gap filler

[@michaelpaecht9519]

Why didn't you flange it with the tool you punched the holes with ?

[@Johnnymidnight]

No need to flange when butt welding, only it you’re overlapping the panel. I’ve found using the flanging tool tends to stretch and warp the panel in some cases as well

[@thepickn]

You would be better off with a mask.