Need help closing a gap after using thickening tool

[Fab_Things]

I am designing an automotive suspension component dust cover.  I have the profile sketched out and thickened the wall of the dust cover. After doing this though, the inner wall of the dust cover is not connected to the base ring of the design (screenshot below).  What is the proper way to close this gap?

[etfrench · Accepted solution]

Replace Face works well:

[Fab_Things]

Thanks!

[jordy_keller]

Not quite sure what those 'hollow profiles' are but I guess they don't print well.

I used the project/include command to add geometry to the revolve sketch.

[Fab_Things]

@jordy_keller Thank you!  I will take a look through your file, and yes, you are correct, the print quality is not what I was expecting.  How can you tell if a profile is hollow? => Am guessing it's based on the colors of the cross section view...

[etfrench]

You can tell by the icons in the Browser.

You can change them to solid bodies using the Boundary Fill or the Thicken commands.

[Fab_Things]

@etfrench  Thank you!  

[TrippyLighting]

Are you interested in modeling this properly, or is the substandard solution @etfrench provided OK for now?

[Fab_Things]

@TrippyLighting 

I definitely want to learn the proper way to model it.  Thank you for offering to help educate me - it is very much appreciated.  Attached is the latest version of my design file.  I am also still trying to figure out how to change the sharpness of the inflection point of the middle rib's inner curve (I was able to fillet the inner curves of the top rib and bottom rib, but the middle one does not have a selectable item to fillet at the inflection point):

[etfrench]

Modeling this in the Solid workspace using arcs would be simpler:

[Fab_Things]

Can the arcs be made to follow the original contours of my design?  Symmetrical arcs would work OK for a dust cover that needs to flex in a vertical plane; however, this cover needs to flex in all directions.

[etfrench]

Yes, you can come very close to matching the original spline.

You will still need to adjust the size of each arc (circle) for the minimum inner curvature.

[TrippyLighting]

I explain in the screencast how I would model this. The model is attached. I did not record how I dimensioned the sketch.

[Fab_Things]

@TrippyLighting Thank you for taking the time to put this together. I will be studying it today and tomorrow and I am guessing will have some follow-up questions for you! 

[Fab_Things]

@TrippyLighting  Thanks for the screencast.  It helped me learn some things.  I will play around with the approach you took.  There is intentional asymmetric geometry in the original suspension boot design but, I am pretty sure I can use the general approach you took and maintain that intended asymmetry.