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Cleco's or Visegrips,

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alphatopher

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New floor pans, and outer rockers are ready to be installed. Lucky for me the inner sill did not need to be removed. I have plenty of visegrips ready for fitting. Does anybody have any experience with Cleco's? Do they have the holding strength for panel fitting and welding? I'm interested in the pin style clamp.
 
if you're anticipating any amount of sheet metal work, cleco's will be a great addition to your tool chest. I built a dirt track car a few years ago and used cleco's extensively to join fabricated interior and dash panels, fire walls, nose sheet metal, hood scoop and the entire outer skin. The only vice grips I have that can do anything like a cleco is a pair of long-throat ViceGrips, but the cleco's are far better.

Most of my panels were joined with 3/16" rivets, but some were welded. Either way, cleco's get the job done. They're also fun to play with and your neighbors will think you know what you're doing.

cheers
 
Take it from an aircraft mechanic, if it were not for cleco's there would not be any planes flying.

Don
 
[ QUOTE ]
Take it from an aircraft mechanic, if it were not for cleco's there would not be any planes flying.

Don

[/ QUOTE ]
Take it from more than one. They will make your life a whole lot easier.
Jeff
 
Thanks guys. I've never used Cleco's before, but they appear to be a saving grace. Not to mention they are cheap as can be, like .50 cents each. Looks like I'll order a bunch of them. Even the cleco mini side throat clamps are only 2 bucks each.
 
[ QUOTE ]
... I've never used Cleco's before, but they appear to be a saving grace. Not to mention they are cheap as can be, like .50 cents each...

[/ QUOTE ]But they can add up... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/devilgrin.gif

w_cleco_art.jpg
 
You must NOT be planning on using metal bonding adhesive, it will cause problems with cleco's. I would suggest a more modern re-think of this problem. Metal bonding is as strong as a weld,wont rust or need to be sealed latter.Faster too and unless you like grinding welds, more fun. In the shop we use a combined approach, bonding long straight seams and adding welds each end. Most panels are not structural members and the outer rocker is no exception. I would bond the edges and weld the corners. The floors likely wont fit well enough to bond so weld away while the adhesive in other areas sets up(I prefer 3m brand)
MD(mad dog)
 
Just when I think I know what I'm doing something sounding better comes along. I have never considered metal adhesive and I need to research it more. Would you recommend metal adhesive for the the lower edge of the outer rocker panel where it attaches to the floor pan? What about the rocker panel end caps? I will be using new floorpans, outer rockers, and end caps. These being two areas where water issues are always a concern and adhesive in these areas sound like the perfect solution.
 
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