Topic: Refurbishing Running Boards


40FORDSrule    -- 05-14-2010 @ 1:46 PM
  I am searching for advice on how to replace running board rubber. I plan to scr*pe off the old rubber and wire-wheel to bare metal; however I am curious to know how you experienced guys would go about it. Also, is it best to put a coat of primer on before putting the rubber on?

I am new to the forum and am in the early stages of restoring a 1940 Fordor - so I'm sure I will be visiting the forum frequently.

-Rich


ford38v8    -- 05-14-2010 @ 2:14 PM
  Rich, The method used by most is to heat the rubber and scr*pe it off. Be careful to not overheat the board, to prevent warpage of the boards. Contact Hunley Acuff to reproduce the runningboard rubber by the original method. His method requires the blasting of your boards, which can be done there, or before.

Drake can supply a glue-on board cover, which can produce acceptable results, but is tricky to get it right. Drake also produces new boards, and installs that same rubber, but with heat and pressure.

IMHO, the Acuff board is the superior product.

http://hunleyacuffrunningboards.com/

http://www.bobdrake.com/

Alan


kubes40    -- 05-15-2010 @ 6:30 AM
  Hi Rich, The easiest way to remove the rubber is to heat the board form the back side and with a putty knife, scr*pe the front (rubber) off.
If you insist on using covers, I suggest you get the boards media blasted. Do NOT apply any paint. You want a clean metal surface in which to apply the glue. Get 3M Rubber adhesive from a supply house like Grainger. I can supply the product number if desired.
There are some installation tricks to getting satisfactory results. If you decide to go this route, contact me and I will 'walk' you through the process.
If it's within your budget,I highly recommend Hundley's vulcanizing process. If you are restoring your car to show on a serious level, the covers simply won't make the grade.
Mike Kubarth


TomO    -- 05-16-2010 @ 4:32 PM
  Rich, I would not use a wire wheel to remove the rubber. Heat the boards and scr*pe off the rubber, then have the residue removed by media blasting.

I had my boards redone by Hunley Aucliff and can recommend his process. He quoted me 3 prices, one where he removes the rubber, sandblast the boards and recovers them, another where you remove the rubber and the third where you send him the boards sandblasted.

I had to straighten one of the boards, so I removed the rubber and let him finish the job. His price for removing the rubber is well worth it. Unless you have a way to heat the whole board, it will take quite a bit if time to clean all of the rubber off. I spent one day on each board using a paint remover heat gun to heat the boards. I spent more time cleaning up the mess.

My boards had recesses on the top that would have had to be filled before I could use standard repop covers. Hunley's process fills them with the cover material.

Tom


ford38v8    -- 05-16-2010 @ 5:24 PM
  Tom, The recesses you mention on your boards reminds me of the similar problem with the finished boards supplied by Drake: The brace weld on the underside shows a bump on the rubber, one evidence that his boards are not vulcanized. I hate to put down one of our best suppliers, but I call them as I see them.

Alan


TomO    -- 05-17-2010 @ 8:11 AM
  Alan, the reason the bump shows through is Drake uses his rubber covers to cover the boards. He does use vulcanized rubber and bonds it to the boards with a high temperature adhesive, so they will not start to come off and bubble like the ones done at home.

"Vulcanization or vulcanisation is a chemical process for converting rubber or related polymers into more durable materials via the addition of sulfur or other equivalent "curatives"." definition from Wikpedia

Hunley Aucliff uses urethane rubber to mold his covers to the running board. By molding the cover to the board, small imperfections do not show through. The covers will be thinner in high spots and thicker in low spots.

Tom


ford38v8    -- 05-17-2010 @ 8:45 PM
  Tom, just a miscommunication. I meant that his covers were pre-cured before adhering to the boards, as you also confirm. His process likely includes vacuum bagging and autoclave curing, which would be great but for the imperfections in the boards showing through.

Alan


supereal    -- 05-18-2010 @ 7:20 AM
  While having an expert recondition your running boards can be pricey, anyone who has struggled with the process, only to be disappointed with the results, should be glad to send them out.


adolfainsley8    -- 04-27-2016 @ 10:18 PM
  His process likely includes vacuum bagging and autoclave curing, which would be great but for the imperfections in the boards showing through??


=== http://www.solitairecardgame.info/ ===


This message was edited by adolfainsley8 on 5-30-16 @ 2:07 AM


shogun1940    -- 05-02-2016 @ 3:08 PM
  Well I did my boards over ten years ago, stripped them, sandblasted them and painted them with red rust oleum . Then I glued them withe the glue from drakes. They still look good but are probably not perfect for concours,, but I drive it every where.


jehn    -- 11-23-2017 @ 5:54 AM
  Shogun1940, I am in that process. I have stripped my boards and I am going to glue the rubber covers from Vintique. But I am a little bit confused as the rubber covers seems to be a little bit short. Is there any thrick about that? Is it may be to warm the rubber up?


shogun1940    -- 11-28-2017 @ 9:07 PM
  I bought my covers from drake, and stretched them over the boards with clamps and made some reference marks so when i glued them i new they would come out as close as i could get them.


shogun1940    -- 11-28-2017 @ 9:07 PM
  I bought my covers from drake, and stretched them over the boards with clamps and made some reference marks so when i glued them i new they would come out as close as i could get them.


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