Inner Fenderwell Dust Shields (rubber seals)

Discussion in 'Wrenchin' Secrets' started by RedSkyV8, Jul 3, 2017.

  1. RedSkyV8

    RedSkyV8 Well-Known Member

    I am in the process of replacing the dust shields or rubber seals, located in the inner fenderwells of my 1970
    Skylark. I am replacing a pair of that are worn out and deteriorated. However, on the driver side, the seal is mounted with staples and on the passenger side, the seal is mounted with small, flanged phillips head screws.

    I am assuming that these shields should be mounted with stainless steel staples? Also, I am assuming that they are mounted on the motor side of the inner fenderwell (outside), and not the wheel side of the inner fenderwell (inside)?

    I am asking because I have seen all sorts of variations in mounting. I have seen staples, rivets, pan head screws, etc. I have also seen them mounted both inside and outside in the inner fenderwell.
     
  2. rogbo

    rogbo Gold Level Contributor

    Definitely motor side, I prefer the black pan head screws which I shorten, two on each of the
    three surfaces except the fire wall side. Just one there because hard to drill pilot hole there.
    Staples are the "correct" method though.
     
  3. Guy Parquette

    Guy Parquette Platinum Level Contributor

    Engine side with staples is the correct way. Complete pain, no other way around it.
    I used my old shields as a template as each inner fender would be unique as far as hole placement. Takes about a day and an extra set of dust shields to get correct!
     
  4. yachtsmanbill

    yachtsmanbill Well-Known Member

    On the engine side...
    The staples are more of a spring steel (really tuff) to be able to penetrate the steel inner fender. I used my old covers as a template and made new ones from 3 ply rubber sheeting (one nylon ply between 2 rubber). The are much more supple and less SHINGLE-LIKE and lay where they're supposed to. I secured them with stainless pop rivets. The soft stuff does a bit better job of fitting into the irregular areas around the control arm stuff.
    If they are off the car, you can make a staple (or buy them) with the ripple in the crown, and drill the new rubbers (1/16" drill) on the inner fender as a guide. OEM jobs will rust eventually. ws

    z6.jpg

    z7.jpg
     
  5. Ken Warner

    Ken Warner Stand-up Philosopher

    Rubber made right has nice fitting inner dust shields and they even come with the staples. I tried drilling new holes for the staples through the rubber but quickly decided this was NOT the way to go for me. The staples are THICK and TOUGH as nails and don't bend over easy. IF I had someone else handy to help do the install then maybe with a body dolly and a tack hammer it would be doable but still a pain. The solution I used was to drill the holes with similar spacing as the staples but I used some heavy stainless safety wire for safety nuts I had stashed in my tool box. To the trained eye it's not quite right but to the casual observer it looks good and the dust shields fit up nice as OEM.

    BTW Harbor Freight sells similar safety wire for cheap and it's also good for emergency muffler hanging and keeping brake calipers from dropping and damaging the hose when you do brakes. AMONG other things! :)
     
  6. yachtsmanbill

    yachtsmanbill Well-Known Member

    Tis what it tis... You really barely notice them anyway and even less when the air cleaner is in place, and looks like a dealer installed replacement. I doubt the local Buick body shop would have a 5 ton staple driver anyways. Them bassturds are tuff! ws

    zz5.jpg
     
  7. john.schaefer77

    john.schaefer77 Well-Known Member

    We just pushed them through the existing holes and then one person held the engine side down with the handle of a hammer and the other used a small.hammer to bend them over. Finished with a punch to get them tight. Not a hard job, with the engine out!
     
  8. hdpegscraper

    hdpegscraper Well-Known Member

    Staples may be "Correct", but I used small head pop rivets like in Bill's pic. If you take a black sharpie to the head of the rivet, they kinda blend out of sight and dosent look as out of place, or stand out at first glance.
     
  9. tdacton

    tdacton Gold Level Contributor

    I used a small drill bit and drilled each location into the rubber from inside the wheel well using each existing staple hole. Did a couple holes at a time and then attached that staple. Pulled each staple with pliers before bending each side over.
    Troy
     
    john.schaefer77 likes this.
  10. john.schaefer77

    john.schaefer77 Well-Known Member


    Exactly what I did!
     
  11. Guy Parquette

    Guy Parquette Platinum Level Contributor

    Like said, I used the original staple holes just to keep it more over all original and to show just how sloppy the factory workers were! The first set I used the original splash shields as a template, which didn't work for some reason.

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
    flippermtc likes this.
  12. flippermtc

    flippermtc Valley Forge Pa- Go Phillies!

    I did the same as Guy... tedious work.
     
  13. BYoung

    BYoung Stage me

    Where do you find the staples? I have a few that need replacing but the shields are decent overall.
     
  14. flippermtc

    flippermtc Valley Forge Pa- Go Phillies!

    I believe you can get them from OPGI, AMES, SS396... they are stainless..you can also use steel from the hardware store. You will have to clear coat them so they don't rust.
     
    BYoung likes this.
  15. chucknixon

    chucknixon Founders Club Member

    I just replaced mine on the SportWagon and really sorry I did not do it while the engine was out of the car. I tried the drilling new holes like several folks mention above through the inner fender with 1/16" bit but after breaking three bits I gave up and tried the existing holes and drilling through the new rubber. That did not work either because you can't get a drill close to some of the holes from above, so I took the wheel off and it was still a problem from below. I gave up and went to the Hdw store and got small black plastic push-in holders 3/16" dia shaft with a 3/8" dia flat head, drilled the holes through the rubber and inner fender, pushed them in, and they look and work great plus you don't see them since they are black plastic on black rubber.

    Some day I might order another set of dust covers from CARS or OPGI and try the staples but like mentioned in previous posts it will be a tedious, all day event. Ugh!
     
    Grandpas67 likes this.
  16. scubasteve455

    scubasteve455 Well-Known Member

    Guys are the best iv seen. They look perfect
     
  17. Guy Parquette

    Guy Parquette Platinum Level Contributor

    Thank you! I really appreciate that. It did take two sets and two days to get it right. Now that I think about it, ended up using the original shield as a template just for the first two holes for the staples, mounted it with the staple then laid it out for the next staple, drilled through the shield from the underside of fender well using the fender well as the template, stapled that one by bending the staple by hand, and on to the next one.

    Being that this car was touched and handled by the likes of Dennis Manner, Pete Reynolds, Don Reynolds, Lenny Kennedy, Jim Bell, and others, I really, really tried to restore it just as they modded it and where they left it stock...
     
  18. wunquik86'

    wunquik86' Well-Known Member

    Hind site is 20/20, and I usually walk around blind. Learned too late the only GOOD time to install the dust covers spoken of here is while the inner fender is off the car. I spent a half day trying to punch through the rubber after marker shields I obtained from the Parts Place. Great shields but just too much work to punch through the original holes (working alone) in the metal and getting the staples in. Also the stainless staples are so difficult to bend I broke 2 or 3 trying to get them closed up enough to match the holes. Second attempt was with a small bit and a hand full of stainless button head (allen head) bolts with small washers and nut on the bottom. Looks great. If I knew how, I'd put pics on here.
     

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