hey, sorry I didn't get to look at this thread.. promise I'll read it tonight when I get home and post up...
Not a problem man! I know you're a busy man.
CK5
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Dabomb's 1985 Jimmy - Rust Repair/Floor Replacement/Upgrades: TPI Swap
- Thread starter dabomb6608
- Start date
Not a problem man! I know you're a busy man.
Rear body mounts complete!
Well I made it back in town late last night and got myself motivated about noon today to make it out to work on the truck. Had a killer migraine and wasn't feeling the best. Made the best of it and got the old rear body mounts cut out. Ended up having to cut the heads off. No biggie cause I got that solved later on in the day.
After I got them cut away I was able to inspect everything. First thing I noticed was this...
Yep the old mounts rusted and beat through the frame...Fantastic!
So I started cutting and making a template out've some thicker sheet metal I had laying around. I would say its close to 1/8th inch. Worked on the drivers side first.
After it was welded in I took a break to head into town to take care of some things and to look into some hardware options.
Found these!
Got back home and started marking for holes to be drilled. Drilled the 2"x3" out and then went and tacked it into place to mark my frame for the hole. Then cut it off and drilled the hole in the frame. Once that was done I but the bolt through to make sure everything lined up correctly then welded the 2"x3" tube into place.
Turned out pretty good I think! One of the two rubber mounts for that side fit pretty well into place between the frame and mount. So I moved to the passengers side. Same procedure and didn't take as many of that side.
That side didn't need as large of a patch put into the frame thankfully.
After I finished up that side I applied my Ryoken Green paint I've been keeping warm in my room.
Then dropped the cherry picker so that the mounts were resting on the frame with the rubber in between and it held just fine!
So next I need to patch the 2 mounts in the middle of the floor for possible future use...unless I can find a easy/cheap way to replace the rubber mounts. For now I will use the old rubber mounts for the 2 rear ones until they fall apart and then I will get new ones. Once those 2 patches are made then I need to finish welding up the floor subframe I made and add a few more pieces of angle to the bedsides for the floor to rest on and then start fab'in my floor out've my 4'x8' sheets. Making progress!
Well I made it back in town late last night and got myself motivated about noon today to make it out to work on the truck. Had a killer migraine and wasn't feeling the best. Made the best of it and got the old rear body mounts cut out. Ended up having to cut the heads off. No biggie cause I got that solved later on in the day.
After I got them cut away I was able to inspect everything. First thing I noticed was this...
Yep the old mounts rusted and beat through the frame...Fantastic!
So I started cutting and making a template out've some thicker sheet metal I had laying around. I would say its close to 1/8th inch. Worked on the drivers side first.
After it was welded in I took a break to head into town to take care of some things and to look into some hardware options.
Found these!
Got back home and started marking for holes to be drilled. Drilled the 2"x3" out and then went and tacked it into place to mark my frame for the hole. Then cut it off and drilled the hole in the frame. Once that was done I but the bolt through to make sure everything lined up correctly then welded the 2"x3" tube into place.
Turned out pretty good I think! One of the two rubber mounts for that side fit pretty well into place between the frame and mount. So I moved to the passengers side. Same procedure and didn't take as many of that side.
That side didn't need as large of a patch put into the frame thankfully.
After I finished up that side I applied my Ryoken Green paint I've been keeping warm in my room.
Then dropped the cherry picker so that the mounts were resting on the frame with the rubber in between and it held just fine!
So next I need to patch the 2 mounts in the middle of the floor for possible future use...unless I can find a easy/cheap way to replace the rubber mounts. For now I will use the old rubber mounts for the 2 rear ones until they fall apart and then I will get new ones. Once those 2 patches are made then I need to finish welding up the floor subframe I made and add a few more pieces of angle to the bedsides for the floor to rest on and then start fab'in my floor out've my 4'x8' sheets. Making progress!
Mine rotted in the same exact spot.
Yeah I would like it to be able to say I was shocked. But I wasn't. As bad as the truck is I'm not the least bit surprised how bad the frame was there.
I'm working on uploading pictures now of today's progress.
I'm working on uploading pictures now of today's progress.
Well today I made some more progress on the rear floor. I patched the two middle mounts.
Then decided to cut away the rest of the original tail pan with meant having to grind down the full welds that I laid down when I welded it to the custom tail pan. That was a load of fun. Couldn't use my hands for a few minutes after that.
I Then laid some paint down on the patches I welded in for the middle floor mounts and proceeded to do some finish welding on all the angle iron along the wheel wells and where they attach at the ends. They were just tacked on before hand.
Took some close pictures of some of my welds. I played around with different methods of running the beads and want some input on how you think they look. Keep in mind these are two different thicknesses of metal. The angle is thicker then the wheel wells.
Plan tomorrow is while Kate (girlfriend) cuts out my mylar templates of the rear floor that I drew up on autocad, I will go and add a few more pieces of angle iron along the parameter of the bedsides and back side of the wheel well for the floor to sit on and get welded to.
I am thinking of going ahead and replacing my rear shocks while I have such easy access. I know I will be cussing myself if I don't and fight with them later down the road when the floor is in.
Then decided to cut away the rest of the original tail pan with meant having to grind down the full welds that I laid down when I welded it to the custom tail pan. That was a load of fun. Couldn't use my hands for a few minutes after that.
I Then laid some paint down on the patches I welded in for the middle floor mounts and proceeded to do some finish welding on all the angle iron along the wheel wells and where they attach at the ends. They were just tacked on before hand.
Took some close pictures of some of my welds. I played around with different methods of running the beads and want some input on how you think they look. Keep in mind these are two different thicknesses of metal. The angle is thicker then the wheel wells.
Plan tomorrow is while Kate (girlfriend) cuts out my mylar templates of the rear floor that I drew up on autocad, I will go and add a few more pieces of angle iron along the parameter of the bedsides and back side of the wheel well for the floor to sit on and get welded to.
I am thinking of going ahead and replacing my rear shocks while I have such easy access. I know I will be cussing myself if I don't and fight with them later down the road when the floor is in.
Took an extra day to get to it, but got some progress to report!
I got my templates cut up and then marked my sheet metal for cutting. I only did one side so far so I could get it trimmed and fitted then use it for the other side since everything is symmetrical side to side. (Other then hole gas lines)
I think I did a fair job with the radius's for the wheel wells only using a 4 1/2" grinder/cut off wheel. Ended up with this as a first test fit into place.
Can see the better of the two curved areas I cut on this side. Not to bad I think.
Also, its starting to turn GREEN!
Got all the new metal underneith the floor sprayed down with a couple coats of Zinc Chromate. I will also hit it with a undercoating before I install the floor. I also want to do the same treatment on the bottom side of the floor panels before they get installed.
Got some new rear shocks on the way and hope to get the other side cut out tomorrow then start working on the bench seat mounting spots and then drilling all the holes for the plug welds I am going to do along the top of the angle iron the floor sits on.
I got my templates cut up and then marked my sheet metal for cutting. I only did one side so far so I could get it trimmed and fitted then use it for the other side since everything is symmetrical side to side. (Other then hole gas lines)
I think I did a fair job with the radius's for the wheel wells only using a 4 1/2" grinder/cut off wheel. Ended up with this as a first test fit into place.
Can see the better of the two curved areas I cut on this side. Not to bad I think.
Also, its starting to turn GREEN!
Got all the new metal underneith the floor sprayed down with a couple coats of Zinc Chromate. I will also hit it with a undercoating before I install the floor. I also want to do the same treatment on the bottom side of the floor panels before they get installed.
Got some new rear shocks on the way and hope to get the other side cut out tomorrow then start working on the bench seat mounting spots and then drilling all the holes for the plug welds I am going to do along the top of the angle iron the floor sits on.
what gauge did you go with?
only thing I would say is if it's not thick thick, you may wanna consider adding a cross piece across each of those 4 section... I ran like 12 gauge and I still have a bit of "oilcan popping" every now and than in the larger open areas... it's due to being sheet, without the strength of the corrugation.. at some point I planned to go back in and add a couple underneath..
only thing I would say is if it's not thick thick, you may wanna consider adding a cross piece across each of those 4 section... I ran like 12 gauge and I still have a bit of "oilcan popping" every now and than in the larger open areas... it's due to being sheet, without the strength of the corrugation.. at some point I planned to go back in and add a couple underneath..
I went with 16 gauge. Were you talking about something like this? Ignore the awesome lines I drew on my phone in photobucket.
The circled areas show my only concerns. It might be close to the frame in the front two areas and close to the gas lines and fill lines.
with 16, I would definitely add something.. I figured something like this for ease..
but the angles would probably be good too...
are you gonna drill the sheetmetal and plugweld to the angles?
but the angles would probably be good too...
are you gonna drill the sheetmetal and plugweld to the angles?
Yes I will be drilling the sheet to plug weld. Every 6 inches or so everywhere it touches the angle.
Final prep before welding in floor
Got some more work done on it over the weekend. First off I got the other side floor cut out.
After doing that I laid down several coats of the Zinc Chromate on the bottom side of the floors.
I then worked on the rear seat mounting. I was able to drill out the spot welds holding the front 2 threaded nuts and the 2 rear latch catches for the rear seat and remove them from the old floor. Got the 2 threaded nuts plug welded in place on the new floor panels.
I didn't get the catches installed but here is a shot of them.
Tested out the new welding helmet I got over Christmas as well, so much better having an auto darkening helmet.
Today during lunch I got some more angle to make some supports like Paul mentioned to get the floor a little bit more solidness in the open areas. Have a plan going in my head for it so hopefully I can make it happen once I get out to the garage tomorrow night. I work both jobs today/tonight so won't make it out there tonight.
Got some more work done on it over the weekend. First off I got the other side floor cut out.
After doing that I laid down several coats of the Zinc Chromate on the bottom side of the floors.
I then worked on the rear seat mounting. I was able to drill out the spot welds holding the front 2 threaded nuts and the 2 rear latch catches for the rear seat and remove them from the old floor. Got the 2 threaded nuts plug welded in place on the new floor panels.
I didn't get the catches installed but here is a shot of them.
Tested out the new welding helmet I got over Christmas as well, so much better having an auto darkening helmet.
Today during lunch I got some more angle to make some supports like Paul mentioned to get the floor a little bit more solidness in the open areas. Have a plan going in my head for it so hopefully I can make it happen once I get out to the garage tomorrow night. I work both jobs today/tonight so won't make it out there tonight.
just a word of warning too... the zinc is not the most healthy sh*t to burn/breathe... you can burn right thru it with a MIG, but it's not overly advisable.. i'll do it here and there in a pincn, but not excessively..
best to go in an give a quick nip to your weld areas.. like prep everything, drill your holes and such.. than take a sharpie and put a spot where your gonna weld, pull the floor back out and go around and put a little grind spot on each..
if you wanna be anal, you can buy actually weld-thru primer to rehit those spots before burning.. but I usually don't bother if your gonna douche everything with paint anyway...
best to go in an give a quick nip to your weld areas.. like prep everything, drill your holes and such.. than take a sharpie and put a spot where your gonna weld, pull the floor back out and go around and put a little grind spot on each..
if you wanna be anal, you can buy actually weld-thru primer to rehit those spots before burning.. but I usually don't bother if your gonna douche everything with paint anyway...
Yeah...I figured I should be smart and do something to prevent a lot of welding through it/breathing it. I will definitely do that with the sharpie. I kindve already marked most of them with a little spin of the drill bit in the open holes on most all of them.
Question for you since you recommended more floor support. My idea is to take the angle iron and not necessarily weld it to the rest of the floor supports I made but to run a few strips or one down the center of each open space. But with the angle sitting like this ^ against the bottom side of the sheet. If that makes sense? I bought 3/4" angle and have some 1" angle as well left over to do it with, the 3/4" is for where I have less clearance (the front 2 areas where the frame humps are). If anything I could tack attach them to the rest of the floor support...
Question for you since you recommended more floor support. My idea is to take the angle iron and not necessarily weld it to the rest of the floor supports I made but to run a few strips or one down the center of each open space. But with the angle sitting like this ^ against the bottom side of the sheet. If that makes sense? I bought 3/4" angle and have some 1" angle as well left over to do it with, the 3/4" is for where I have less clearance (the front 2 areas where the frame humps are). If anything I could tack attach them to the rest of the floor support...
Good point, definitely don't want moister getting trapped between it and the sheet. I will try and get them routed either straight or angled and see what I come up with. Maybe if I can get out of work a little earlier tonight I can sneak into the garage
if I was going straight across, I would just cut em like this
Yep, if you look at post #33 I did that with the 1" angle making the cross. Turned out pretty good.
Got some time on it last night. Got 3 of the 4 extra supports burned in and painted green.
As I suspected I ran into issues in the front 2 areas. The frame was in the way for anything going side to side. So I went with front to back with those. I used my scrap 1" for the front and the 3/4" for the rear ones going side to side. I did that because the seat will be extra weight on the front it will need to be supporting. Plus any time I have passengers. I ran out of 1" so will have to get more today. Don't mind the cherry picker. My dads suburban was parked directly behind the truck and I didn't need/want to move it. Would've just got that much colder in there if I had opened up the garage door.
I also got a shot of the underside of the rear bench seat mounts that I got in on Sunday night. Shot them with some green too.
looks really good...
I hate to say it, but I would consider slamming a few more holes in for your welds... I would add a set 1/2 between...
I hate to say it, but I would consider slamming a few more holes in for your welds... I would add a set 1/2 between...
Don't hate to say it! haha I expect to have suggestions come my way. I appreciate it all good or bad.
I went every 6" on those. I will add some in between, no biggie at all. Depending on if I get out there tonight after me and the gf go bowling will decide how far I get on it. I would like to be able to get the last support in and then get those holes drilled. Once that's done I will do a last look over on everything making sure I haven't skipped over anything I've been needing to adjust/change before the floor is 100% ready to be installed. Then put a coat of undercoating on the bottom side of the floor to dry overnight so I can burn it in Wednesday evening.
There really isn't much left on it before final install now that I think about it. I'm on the last stretch for the rear floor finally!
yeah, for the anti-flex piece of mind, slaming a few holes and the follow up grinding is pretty damn minimal compared to the other schtuff...
