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Driver side floor pan issue

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jason.k

Jr. Member
Joined
May 16, 2012
Messages
138
Loc.
Gulfport Ms
You're going to replace that kick panel anyways right? If so youre probably ok, if those two litte holes dont line up quite right you'll be able to drill or cut the over lapping metal so you can get your fender braces in down there. Biggest thing is just making sure that floor support is level along with your rocker panel. Once you got those where they need to be just make sure your floor panel to the cowel support channel is 21.5". The replacement parts are not perfect so don't be surpised if your off by 1/4' here and there. You can see in my pic I wrote the measurement down directly on my cowl lol.

View attachment 443423

I am replacing kick panel and door post by the time I'm done with it. So I had some more time in the garage today to think about this and mess with this issue. I'm really starting to believe my problem is after market parts. When I replaced the support brace I measured and attached the trans tunnel and installed them together as one piece. I think this is where the problem is. The tunnel and brace are just not the right angle keeping the floor high on the trans tunnel side. So I jacked up the brace close to the inner rocker after pulling the sheet metal screws out of kick panel and rocker. I can get the brace level but then it pulls it off the body mount by almost a half inch. So when I put the screws back in to hold kick panel and rocker together and lower the jack.... Yep not level again as it sits on the body mount. My measurement from floor pan to cowl closest to the door is 21 1/4. Move in bound closet to the trans tunnel from floor to cowl and my measurement is 20 1/3. What do you think.
 

Master Chief

Contributor
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Joined
Nov 24, 2006
Messages
1,199
My measurement from floor pan to cowl closest to the door is 21 1/4. Move in bound closet to the trans tunnel from floor to cowl and my measurement is 20 1/3. What do you think.



That is a lot of difference Jason. If it were mine, I would verify the passenger side measurements, cut out the welds on the tunnel, then measure and fit it back in place with clecos, tack welds, or screws.

Once the tunnel was realigned, I'd drop the floor pans back in and see how they line up. My bet is they would fit correct. Final welding would not happen until I was satisfied with it all.

Be sure to block the cowl up before you fully remove the A-pillar and kick panel because the weight will push down the firewall and floor pans giving you the same misalignment issues.

Roger
 

rydog1130

Bronco Guru
Joined
Jun 19, 2014
Messages
4,019
mmm....maybe your fame is bent? Before you cut anything out make sure its on a level working surface and take some measurements like the chief said of your passenger side, if that doesnt check out, id measure your frame. You can easily look up the specs on frame measurements if they're out of whack that might be your issue, fingers crossed its not. The thing you have to remember is ford had jigs to put these things together and when you start cutting stuff even though you have it braced things still may shift on ya. If your off 1/4'" it not the end of the world, ford had +/- 1/4 tolerances on these things... you'll get it just takes time to figure out whats throwing what off!
 
Last edited:
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OP
J

jason.k

Jr. Member
Joined
May 16, 2012
Messages
138
Loc.
Gulfport Ms
You're going to replace that kick panel anyways right? If so youre probably ok, if those two litte holes dont line up quite right you'll be able to drill or cut the over lapping metal so you can get your fender braces in down there. Biggest thing is just making sure that floor support is level along with your rocker panel. Once you got those where they need to be just make sure your floor panel to the cowel support channel is 21.5". The replacement parts are not perfect so don't be surpised if your off by 1/4' here and there. You can see in my pic I wrote the measurement down directly on my cowl lol.

View attachment 443423

mmm....maybe your fame is bent? Before you cut anything out make sure its on a level working surface and take some measurements like the chief said of your passenger side, if that doesnt check out, id measure your frame. You can easily look up the specs on frame measurements if they're out of whack that might be your issue, fingers crossed its not. The thing you have to remember is ford had jigs to put these things together and when you start cutting stuff even though you have it braced things still may shift on ya. If your off 1/4'" it not the end of the world, ford had +/- 1/4 tolerances on these things... you'll get it just takes time to figure out whats throwing what off!


Ryan,
I took it to a shop last year before I started to have them put it on their frame machine to make sure I was starting on a good frame. They tweaked it a little but said the frame was pretty good and they didn't do much. Said it took longer to get on the machine then what they did to it. I'm starting to lean towards the 1/4 in tolerance. The trans tunnel is level and the passenger side brace is perfect. But it does measure 21 1/4 just like the drivers side does at the door. What I think has happened here is the brace its self is wrong. Meaning the part that comes down the driver side of the tunnel is just a bit to short making the brace sit a bit higher. I think if I want it perfect at this point it would be cutting the brace and drop it the needed distance then welding an section in it.
 

Master Chief

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Nov 24, 2006
Messages
1,199
Jason,

This may be easier than it seems in this blog. Try placing a bottle jack between the cowl and the cross brace where you measured 20 1/3" to see if it will flex down and get you closer to 21 inches or so. As you do this, watch the trans tunnel.

Be sure to use a 4x4 or something similar parallel with the cowl on the top end of the jack so you do not bend it.

Roger
 
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jason.k

Jr. Member
Joined
May 16, 2012
Messages
138
Loc.
Gulfport Ms
That is a lot of difference Jason. If it were mine, I would verify the passenger side measurements, cut out the welds on the tunnel, then measure and fit it back in place with clecos, tack welds, or screws.

Once the tunnel was realigned, I'd drop the floor pans back in and see how they line up. My bet is they would fit correct. Final welding would not happen until I was satisfied with it all.

Be sure to block the cowl up before you fully remove the A-pillar and kick panel because the weight will push down the firewall and floor pans giving you the same misalignment issues.

Roger

Hey I'm a newly retired senior.
The passenger side is level and looks good. The cowl on the passenger side to floor pan measures 21 1/4 by the trans tunnel and out to the door. I measured from the top of the tunnel to the cowl and it measures the same on both sides. Put a level on the tunnel and its level. I think I might have just found the problem. Something hit it in the quarter panel right by the striker post. It appears the that the bed extension panel is bent down maybe a half of a inch causing the floor to lean down maybe a half of an inch. My theory is if I cut that extension lose and jack the floor up a 1/2 inch then I could move the inner rocker up and it solve my problem... Thoughts
 

Master Chief

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Nov 24, 2006
Messages
1,199
Congrats on your retirement Brother. I retired Oct. 2014, remodeled my basement then the Bronco. You seem to be on that same path. Life is good :cool:

I started my restoration from the front and worked back because at some point the right front contacted something. Original Michigan rig so I am thinking it was probably a deer. Anyway, as I was working on replacing the floor pans, both B-pillars, and the drivers outer rocker, I noticed the bed floor to passenger floor seam did not look right. I pulled out an inch of solid plastic body filler hidden under bed liner holding the two floors together. Long story short, I cut out and replaced the bed floor, fuel filler extensions, all four corner extensions, and both wheel houses.

I think you are on to the problem. How does your bed floor and corners look? Are they solid? Is your inner rocker buckled? Lay your level along the top of the outer rocker, is it straight? What does that striker post (B-pillar) look like? I would cut and tweak until I found the stress point.

Roger
 
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jason.k

Jr. Member
Joined
May 16, 2012
Messages
138
Loc.
Gulfport Ms
Congrats on your retirement Brother. I retired Oct. 2014, remodeled my basement then the Bronco. You seem to be on that same path. Life is good :cool:

I started my restoration from the front and worked back because at some point the right front contacted something. Original Michigan rig so I am thinking it was probably a deer. Anyway, as I was working on replacing the floor pans, both B-pillars, and the drivers outer rocker, I noticed the bed floor to passenger floor seam did not look right. I pulled out an inch of solid plastic body filler hidden under bed liner holding the two floors together. Long story short, I cut out and replaced the bed floor, fuel filler extensions, all four corner extensions, and both wheel houses.

I think you are on to the problem. How does your bed floor and corners look? Are they solid? Is your inner rocker buckled? Lay your level along the top of the outer rocker, is it straight? What does that striker post (B-pillar) look like? I would cut and tweak until I found the stress point.

Roger
Thanks brother. I spent most of my career in Gulfport Ms. I'm a Seabee. I recently moved to norther Va. My fiancé and almost 2 year old son are stationed here.

I started mine from back to front. My rear brace was rotted out and broke at both body mounts and sagging all sorts of ways. I replaced the brace cut out the bed and replaced the 2 rear bed extensions as they were rotted out to. I have the front extensions but they look good so didn't replace them. Mine was sold in New Orleans and I bought it in north Ms almost Tennesee. I think they must have had a boat and the rear seen some salt water time. Mine has been on a hunting camp before I bought it and rub and bumped every tree in the woods. My drivers side B pilar is knocked in about 1/2 inch at the top. I knew that but wanted to get the floors done before moving to that but it looks like it's effecting the floors. The inter rocker is all I have on drivers side and if I but a level on it it is level and no buckle. Pass side is a little different. Looks like they high centered on a rock or lock and bent it up.

Thanks for your time and advise. I'll think about it for a while and see if I can get this straightened out.
 
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jason.k

Jr. Member
Joined
May 16, 2012
Messages
138
Loc.
Gulfport Ms
Jason,

This may be easier than it seems in this blog. Try placing a bottle jack between the cowl and the cross brace where you measured 20 1/3" to see if it will flex down and get you closer to 21 inches or so. As you do this, watch the trans tunnel.

Be sure to use a 4x4 or something similar parallel with the cowl on the top end of the jack so you do not bend it.

Roger

I tried that. It moved the dash but not the floor.
 
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jason.k

Jr. Member
Joined
May 16, 2012
Messages
138
Loc.
Gulfport Ms
Crazy. I had to jack the drivers side back up after I cut out the kick panel because the bottom of the A-pillar failed due to rot.

Maybe after you cut the area around the B-pillar you can try forcing the inside area of the cross member down as you jack up the outside edge basically using the mount as the pivot. Come to think of it, do you have the body mount in place? Either way, I think if you can the outside end to within a 1/4" of the inside tunnel area you will be good.

Roger

I do have new body mount in place. I think what you just described is my plan of attack.
 

Master Chief

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Nov 24, 2006
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That's weird, I went to edit and half the post disappeared. Glad I got it out there.
 
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jason.k

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Joined
May 16, 2012
Messages
138
Loc.
Gulfport Ms
That's weird, I went to edit and half the post disappeared. Glad I got it out there.

I got it all. The forum was acting really slow earlier. I was going to post up pics of my bed replacement and show you the bed extension panel that seems bent and dropped about 1/2 in from B pilar getting hit.
 
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jason.k

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May 16, 2012
Messages
138
Loc.
Gulfport Ms
Ok guys I think I figured it out today. I could not get the brace to move with a bottle jack it just moved the dash up and brace wouldn't move. So I did what I didn't want to do. I removed the welds I just finished up last week from the back of the trans tunnel to the upper seat platform and sure enough now I could move the brace down using a bottle jack. So when I released the jack the brace sprung back into the wrong position. After watching what was going on I realized I should have drilled the welds out at the front of the trans tunnel that welds to the lower dash center panel. When I put the trans tunnel in I was just focused on getting it lined up and didn't pay enough attention to the brace. Well I will get to drilling those welds out this week and start over! I'll post some pics to show the outcome.
 

Master Chief

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Nice Brother. It sucks doing things twice but it is good to get it right.

Roger
 

74 Bronco Billy

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Keep at it. You will make progress. Thanks for posting, I'm following and learning with you. Hang in there. At least your not working outside on your project.
70f110ade5b54b6945f0c57612fcd3d6.jpg


Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk
 
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jason.k

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Joined
May 16, 2012
Messages
138
Loc.
Gulfport Ms
Ok got the welds drilled out at the front of the trans tunnel seperating it from the lower dash center panel. And the lower dash center panel dropped about an inch. Put the bottle jack on the trans tunnel and got the brace in the right position. Now I have to clean up all the metal re-screw it and see if it stays out this time. Little worried about the body mount bolt. It seems tight and a little off now. Got a hydronic jack coming Friday. I will put it drone frame rail to inner rocker and move it out just a bit.
 

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