Ranchero Project Car Cutting and Prepping and more Rust Repairs Ep72

The Ranchero project goes on! More prepping tips on how to remove rust and prep metal for future welding.
But first, we have to jack the rear of the car up, to remove the tires. It comes down to using plenty of jack stands, knowing their placement to prevent chassis flexing. Plan ahead. This isnt the thing you want to screw up.

An important thing I should say. If your gut tells you to stop, then stop. Don’t rely on jacks preloading suspension or other parts. Just get more jack stands!
Onto removing wheels, I use the Milwaukee M18 Fuel impact, and it worked like a charm. I do recommend using offset sockets, but it still managed with the standard shallow ones.

The light on the M18 does come in handie, especially since I have a cramped space.
With the wheels removed, I went back to more grinding, removing rusted parts and grinding down to bare metal. For the Ranchero (as well as El Camino or any pickup bed) don’t forget about the wheel wells, so take a wire wheel to remove the caked on diry, damaged paint and rust proofing.
Its slow work, but it gives you an opportunity to check out other components for rest that may be in that general area. Once you know where the holes are, mark them, and move on!

Another very important aspect, is knowing where to cut, and how much. If you have a unibody car (and even cars with smaller or weaker chassis), don’t cut it all at once. The body will flex, and without a lot of sheet metal removed, it may not be able to hold its own weight.
So make a plan, stop often and assess the situation, and use the proper tools.

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