Embarrasing mistake-need suggestions

[85Ram50]

After an exhausting day I needed to move the truck back a couple of feet. I wasn't paying attention to how far the door was open and it caught the fence and got yanked the wrong way just past 90 degrees. It seemed ok at first as it pulled right back. Low and behold to open it again I had to push hard and it bent the fender. Now I really cannot get at the bolts to remove the door. I really am exhausted so I haven't looked at it or in my new FSM I figured I would post in case anyone knew a neat trick. I Know I bent the top hinge I fear I bent the post. Won't know until I can get the door off.

[geezer101]

Ouch. Only suggestion I can offer is taking the door off the hinges first, then the hinges off the cab pillar. You should be able to get a ring spanner in there to the door side of the hinges. With a bit of luck it shouldn't have messed up the cab pillar too badly - you might get away with being able to use the hinges as lever points and twist it back towards the cabin with a pry bar.

[pennyman1]

you could pull the fender - that would get you to the hinges. It depends how bad the fender is bent if you will have issues putting it back on, but it needs straightened anyways. You may get away with just taking out the bottom bolts and work at the hinges from the wheelwell.

[85Ram50]

I have pictures and I have the fender off. The hinges don;t look so bad but the door closes poorly now and it drops a 1/4 inch to 3/8 inch when it has that initial pop out after pulling the handle. Nothing on the pillar looks bent. It might actually be the door sheet metal where the hinges mount that bent. I haven't figured out how to check that yet.
fender damage.jpg fender off.jpg
Pulling the fender. There is a bolt inside the door lip at the top of the panel at the base of the roof pillar and another behind the bumper end. Then there are the easy ones 3 in the fender well. Two at the base of the door/panel meet point. and another under the bumper at the bottom of the fender. Taking the fender end off is a pain. You can only get at the top and bottom bolt easily the middle one is a PIA 1/8 turn at a time. Do it first that way you can release the lower fender. the top of the fender inside the closed hood is easy enough but it has bitumen tape holding it down. I used a painters scraper and cut it without prying up on it and it worked well.
Turns out I do have some rust where the two bolts hold the fender at the bottom next to the door.

[85Ram50]

More pictures of the fender off. I might go out to the yards where they have a couple of these and see if the fenders there are in better shape. I might even take those two bolts off the bottom of the fender on the other side to see if as much dirt falls out. I'm pretty sure it was that dirt holding water that caused the rust.

damage.jpg hidden rust.jpg inner side damage.jpg

[ragragtimetime]

hope all plays out at the salvage yard & she's back on the road soon.

[pennyman1]

If you can, get the hinges also - they don't look right, like they are sprung from being hyperextended.

[85Ram50]

Well both yards that had my truck no longer have them. One of the yards has late 80's with the different style fender. Andy's Auto Sport confirmed they had the right one, I asked because the picture they show is of a late 80's fender style, then after I paid contacted me two days later to say their supplier didn't have it! I am supposed to wait 10 days to get my money back!? and only because I asked for it they didn't automatically refund it!
I'm searching online right now. I think I have found some. One junkyard says they have 4 and another place claims to have 6 new old stock and a third place has two new one $26 more than the other and they want $125 shipping! It might be cheaper than that to pay a body guy to unbend the one I have.

EDIT- All those fenders are wrong for the 85 Ram. The years I need are 83-86. Apparently the earlier ones will bolts up but there is something different where the bumper wraps around it. From the pics I have seen online they look identical with the bumper on. Any input or even better pictures would help here. I'm half tempted to remove my bumper and put on two 1980 fenders.

[pennyman1]

the notch is not that big of a difference, so unless you are building a show truck out of it, use the early fenders

[85Ram50]

But which way is it different bigger or smaller? I could easily live with it but I might decide to get the right bumper to fit it. I looked at the picture here and they look exactly the same to me so I am rather confused.
https://orderkeystone.com/images/400/MI1240104.jpg

[pennyman1]

the 79 - 82 are smaller on the original fenders - aftermarket usually are like the 83 - 86. The front edge of the wheelwell may also taper differently, but is not a big deal unless you have an aftermarket front air dam - found that out the hard way.

[85Ram50]

Thanks

[85Ram50]

Think I found one and a rear view mirror a couple hours north. They said one ding on it and they won't remove it until I show up and pay.
What's the deal with these mirrors turning to dust? Is there an aftermarket that mounts OE?

[pennyman1]

Montero mirrors mount, and they are day / night flippable...

[geezer101]

The plastic cases weren't UV stable and they get fried every day. Pennymans' suggestion is wise. It will straight swap - a bigger mirror, anti glare tilt and the ball socket won't feel like a wooden spoon in a saucepan. Plus you should be able to pick one up from a JY for cheaps.

[85Ram50]

I'm still debating if I want to drive 2 hours to find a direct fit with "one ding" in it and unknown rust until it is removed (he will only do that when I get there and pay!) for the same cost $65 as a new earlier model fender and almost the amount of shipping in gas. Same guy wants $20 for the mirror the quality of which he did not say. What year Montero?

[pennyman1]

87 up 1st and second gen to 95 at least

[85Ram50]

Thanks.

[85Ram50]

Found a mirror for a 90 looks to be the right color too.

[85Ram50]

So I contacted Mike Warme on ebay and he said he had fenders asked where I am located then disappeared again. so now no fender or window scrapers???
I have started to unbend the fender myself. I'm down to a slight bulge below the RAM emblem. The stiffener is the worst part. I will post pictures later.

[85Ram50]

While the primer dries before I put the stiffener back on.
The fender itself bent back pretty easily once I saw the stiffener would come off. I actually tried to break the spotweld that held that fastener spot to the stiffener but it broke where it did. I used the pile of tools I took a picture of and the little bit I know of body work to do this. I used the ballpeen flat face as the dolly block and the claw hammer to hit it. The rest bent by me stepping on it or hitting it with that 6” piece of 2x4.
I’m at the point of trying to put the stiffener back on, it dry fit real close so I painted both parts with Rustoleum and will take a couple more pics when I get it back together, enough to see if it’s the hinges or the frame that are off. I might even pay a body gut to diagnose it once I have the fender back together. That way I'll know for sure.
I will patch that rust hole with fiberglass cloth since it does not involve the attachment points there. Both holes are real solid.
Some 2x4 and hammer work.jpg removing the stiffener.jpg spot weld.jpg rust holes.jpg better view rust.jpg tools used.jpg

EDIT- I got the stiffener in by hand but it doesn't stay. Seems it had a spot weld at the bottom too. I need to get more acetylene and a 3/32 rod to be able to tack it. Probably tomorrow.

[geezer101]

Instead of spot or mig welding it - try using sikaflex. It will have some give to it and will act as a waterproofer. Just a suggestion
(I was watching that MegaFactories the other day and they featured the Peterbilt Truck plant - I was surprised the cabs are glued together! )

[85Ram50]

Thanks. Geez. I welded it. It was sprung and I needed to anchor one end to pull the other in then I tacked that end. I've got a layer of glass and epoxy on the inside where the rust holes were so the bondo has a backing when I do it from the front. I coated the joint with the epoxy when I did that. When I get back to it I will clean up the outside. Looks like some rust is present near the front of the rocker. I will get that removed and painted before I close it up.

[85Ram50]

I was hoping to get the fender finished today since I have the hinges on the way, but the random orbit sander pad gave up the ghost. Here are some pics. Looks like I need another coat of bondo where the rust was.
I don't have duck bill clamps so I used the Vice Grip to pinch the seam which left marks so I had to bondo along the edge. The black stuff is from the sander pad breaking down before it broke.
The spot where the rocker was rusted proved to be 2 holes once I used the wire wheel on it so I used the supplied expanded metal with adhesive backing and some bondo and did my best to smooth it with the 4 inch grinder I have and sprayed it with rustoleum. Those holes are in the bondo not the metal. I couldn't get it smooth with the tools I have. Maybe when the new pad arrives I'll try to get at it with the Random orbit sander.

almost.jpg pad gave out.jpg patched.jpg

[royster]

Looks like excellent work, getting good results!!

Just fer kicks, (once the hinges get there) you might put the fender back up and see what the clearance is...better sure-footed safe than sorry.

I applaud your efforts!