repairing chevy dually rear fenders

[gary m]

hi, well it is time to start working on the truck.the rear dually fenders have several cracks in them and the bottom corners are broke where they bolt on to the lower part of the bed side.i have used polyester fiberglass resin and glass mat to repair the fenders on my other truck, but i was wondering if there was something better ? i think these fenders are smc? . also i was wondering where i might obtain the studs that seem to break/rust etc.any sources,websites, or just use carb studs. would an epoxy like plexus 310 be good to use on the studs so they will not loosen? this is a great forum!! THANKS gary m

[Rocketron]

gary the only resin you can use is smc resin to repair them and its best you repair then on the inside for a better repair use three layers on the inside and
one on the outsside with 1.5 oz matt DO NOT USE WOVEN CLOTH use a small roller about 1/4 in by 3 inch wide to roll out the air bubbles out .
check to make sure they are smc but grinding in a small area if it instantly turns white powder you have smc . poly ester will not bond to smc it will fall off in time
looks like it bonded but doesnt vhope this helps

Ron

[Rick_R]

The fenders are more than likely SMC unless they are fiberglass reproductions. SMC resin is very important part of the process.
Th eprocess i like to follow is
1 on the outside grind an are about 4" wider the width of the crack, clean and lay one layer of non woven mat saturated with resin, stipple it in with a short bristle brush, rollers work great too.
leave it alone for a day
2 on the inside grind an area 8" wider than the crack and grind the center so the crack is paper thin, almost or just grinding into what you put on yesterday in the very center feathering out towards the edges. then lay one piece like the outside, then one wider, then a third even wider. make sure you stipple and or roll out all the bubbles as you go let is sit for another day and sand, fill and finish the outside.

[Rocketron]

it is also wise that before you repair the inside get some econo fill mixed with smc resin and fill the crack making sure you add very little hardner so it gives you time to do the lay up at the same time, then lay up as how rick proceeds to explain the econo fill will create a new surface and doesnt allow the air bubbles to be so hard to roll out, this process should be done while the econo fill is still soft so that the two of them work together creating a strong bond and locking the two pieces together. note econo fill is NOT micro balloons ....

west coast composites