floor pan suggestions

[behemoth]

Well I have cut most of the old one out and was test fitting the new panel. There appears to be a fit issue with the panel.

I was thinking about cutting the back edge so that it fits and weld it in place. Now the issue is with the front, now I will have to check to see if it is sitting flat on the floor support.

Also for the front under the pedal any suggestions on welding it, butt weld or lap ?


I would like it to look like it was not there but It is probably to late for that.

 

[ArmyCOL]

Right before I came to the Desert I was replacing my floorboards. I took the replacement and set it in where it would go, sat down on it to make sure it was all the way seated and marked a line on the original tunnel where the two pieces overlapped. I then removed the original floorplan and reseated the replacement and marked again. I noticed about a 2" difference (lower)between the first line and the second line. When I get back I will take a little more out until I either get to the second line or it seats flush with the remaining original pannel. Butt weld from the underside and seal with body putty on the top side. I think should give me the look I am hoping for; seamless replacement of the floorpan.

Any one with other ideas, I am all ears.

Chuck

 

[BoltBuster]

I just finished cutting the drivers side out, got a little detail work to do to it, and then the passengers side... I was going to buttweld when I got to that point, for the sake of preventing a place for moisture and dirt to collect in a lap.

 

[bax]

That fit looks pretty good. It's going to be hard to weld anything from the underside. With the truck all together it makes it tough when you cant turn it on it's side or over or there somthing in the way. I think you will have to weld it from the top side. Stich weld along the sides and plug weld along the floor braces. The welds will show, I don't think there is any way to hide them. Try to keep the welds flat to save some grinding. Dont feel bad about poping some screws into it to pull it tight before you weld. You can take the screws out later and weld up the holes from them. Floor pans are a lot of fun, your doing good. Lap welds, try to avoid the butt welds. Tig welder is better however a mig will also do a good job.
Good Luck.
Bax

 

[BoltBuster]

...... Lap welds, try to avoid the butt welds. Tig welder is better however a mig will also do a good job...........
Bax

bax why lap over buttweld? add to the learning curve here to...;D

 

[bax]

I just finished cutting the drivers side out, got a little detail work to do to it, and then the passengers side... I was going to butt-weld when I got to that point, for the sake of preventing a place for moisture and dirt to collect in a lap.

Moisture and dirt!!! Paint, seam-sealer, undercoater. Use all three. Do anything you can to seal up those areas. Also most lap joints the outside lap is down making it harder for water and dirt to stay trapped in a grove. Butt welds, I don't think your going to be able to fit a floor pan into place and have a butt weld situation an all the edges. Also butt welds on light gauge steel is hard to do well. You will be burning holes in it like crazy. Also a butt weld in this application is not as strong as a stitch or plug weld.

Bax

 

[behemoth]

In looking at it a little more I think I will flatten the rear bend out and slide it under the rear like stock and do the plug/ lap weld. That will make the welding easier and all from the top. It should also make the fit easier. The door side is a bit more of an issue if I drill out the welds the new panel will not reach them so I would have to fill them and do more. The tunnel side I have it cut to support the panel on the bottom, I think I will cut that off as it is to hard to get the bend to fit right. The front will be a lap/stitch/plug. I wanted it to be hidden and not seen but that is not really practical nor realistic for me. I will clean up the mess and take some more photos today.

Thanks for the suggestions, any concerns with my current plan.

This panel is truly 16g where the others I have used are not. I am not looking forward to bending that rear seam flat. This stuff is tough.

 

[behemoth]

Well here is what I came up with last night, I am concerned about the gap on the front floor pan. This is the area that the angled part would meet the flat of the floor. I can not seem to get everything to line up correctly.

I am thinking that the two corner wing bends are and have been fighting me the whole time.

Is this gap something to be concerned with or am I being to picky. I have not drilled any holes and screwed the front down yet. Maybe I should and it will pull the front together closing the gap but it looks like it is to far to pull it in.

My truck has been hit and is not totally right so I guess I should have expected this type of stuff.


Any thoughts or suggestions.

Oh I got frustrated yesterday looking at that huge hole for the t case shifter and I thought I would take a break from the floor. I was yet again reminded that just because I have a tool does not mean I know how to use it. Having a welder does not make you one. I warped another panel. Oh well.

 

[bax]

Where did you get that replacement panel? from the looks of the pictures it is too short, and not wide enough. Try to push the panel forward to close up the gap at the floor support. Then see how much the 90* bend by the seat riser has to be moved. As far as the width goes I dont see how to help that. Your beads are lining up so you cant go side to side any. I like the panel that goes all the way up to where the beads stop. This way you replace the beads and the need to line them up. It gives you more movement side to side. The beads are what is screwing you. Their off a little bit locking you in an incorrect position.
Good luck, that panel is thick.
(plug welds hate rust.)

Bax

 

[behemoth]

This panel is from wild horses, I liked the fact that it was truly 16g steel like what I cut out. Now the panel that is behind the pedals is less than 16g so some of this panel is over kill. I have found with this one and my sons that the tunnel cover is 16g the floors are 16g and the parts that angle up are less.

Now I said I liked the panel for the thickness but man is it a pain to adjust angles on.

I do not know why this panel is shaped the way it is ? maybe it covers the majority of the areas that rust. I will ask when I order another.

The beads are off just enough to annoy me in the install. the angles are also off but could be just due to stocking in a stack and shipment.

I cut this one up pretty good to make it fit my truck, my truck appears to have been hit and some extensive sheet metal work was done. The rocker and front drivers door post are not perfect.

I cut the wing off of it an it fit much better that part was not rusted on my truck at all so I really did not need it anyhow.
I will be cutting out my tunnel cover patch and plug/lap welding a replacement in. This will make fitment much better since I warped it so bad.

So order another of the same or order the other manufacturers ? Figured I would use two and piece the floor back together like stock(two pieces). Eliminating my issues with trying to fit this one piece in my truck that aint right.

 

[Flash69]

Mine was from JBG and they fit a lot different than those. You might want to check into JBGs.

 

[BoltBuster]

My suggestion would be to butt weld that piece in on the drivers front 45 bend, just because of that gap and spacing.

 

[BYUBRONC]

I would try JBG also. Mine went from top front to rear with lip. I cut everything out, except the supports, it does take some fitting, the screw trick works well. Then cover it all up with Herculiner (Hides The Fact That Some Of Us Can't Weld). Good Luck.

 

[behemoth]

I have ordered another panel and have one of the jbg on the way. I cut this one in half just behind the bend. I then flattened it out and re bent the front part so that the grooves are 90* from the bend. Surprise surprise it fit really well. One of the issues is that the grooves were off a little from my truck. The other bends are a different issue. I have basically cut this panel into a flat piece and It is fitting so so now. I am just waiting for the panels to show to get them adjusted. I also have to cut that warped patch out and lap weld another in its place.

It looks like due to the odd way my truck seems to be that I can not do this with one panel. I need to fit it together with two. That and I am way to picky for doing my own welding. Learn as I go, and there will be some kind of coating to hide it all anyway.

 

[1sicbronconut]

I'm having kind of the opposite problem. I have a drivers side floor pan the I bought from JBG and I'm less than impressed with it. The panel is very thin and flimsy and how ever boxed it up for shipping flattened it out and bent it all to heck in more than one spot. Today I talked to the folks at WH and ordered there floor panels I'd rather have the thick stuff and have to work with it a little.

 

[deltarat]

I am using 1/8 steel diamond plate in mine. Won't have to worry about rust for a while.

 

[Ed74]

I have a general question regarding floor pan replacement. Why are most floor pan replacements performed with individual driver and passenger side floor pans, which are mostly welded in via lap welds instead of butt welds? Why not use the 5 piece repro floor pans that WH sells and make it like factory, without overlapping panels? Other than cost, what are the pros and cons when using this method? I too have rusted floor boards and plan on replacing them in the future, while trying to maintain the factory look as close as possible.

Thanks

 

[j.r.nice]

when youre doing flat surfaces and want strength, the lap weld is better.
A good tool to help do this is a flange tool that puts a "step" or an offset in one of the two pieces so the other lays flat on the surface. Generally the flange tool has a punch side that punches a 3/16" hole which is great for plug welding.

This is Northern Tools version and a link.
http://www2.northerntool.com/product-1/14322.htm

I used mine to patch the cargo area floor in my Falcon wagon

 

[behemoth]

I have one of those tools and the punch part is nice, the flanger part almost gets it done but with the 16g steel it needs some help. It does make the floors and other things a whole lot easier to weld.

 

[Ed74]

J.R.Nice,

Can you post any pictures of the flanged sheet metal, especially where the top section is flat? The floor pan replacement should look stock with this method correct?

Thanks for your help