Exactly, and that's why I went ahead and did the extra supports too. So much easier to bite the bullet now to prevent the problem then going in after and trying to fix the problem.
CK5
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Dabomb's 1985 Jimmy - Rust Repair/Floor Replacement/Upgrades: TPI Swap
- Thread starter dabomb6608
- Start date
Exactly, and that's why I went ahead and did the extra supports too. So much easier to bite the bullet now to prevent the problem then going in after and trying to fix the problem.
Well I ended up not getting home last night early enough to go out and get some work done on it. I made it out tonight fighting the cold, no heat in the garage and its currently 6* out with wind chill around -3*. Layered up and went after it.
I started to install the passenger side rear seat catch and found out that my extra support bar I had installed the other night was just barely in the way. Luckily I could move it over to the right an inch or so to where it was lapping over the middle body mount that I wasn't planning on using. More on that later...
I then trimmed one side of the seat catch so that it wouldn't sit on top of the angle iron I moved over since it was still close. After that I drilled my holes for the plug welds and measured to locate how far back the catch rod needed to be then got it welded up.
How do the plug welds look? They are still new to me, along with mig welding.
At that point I moved to the drivers side. I had to buy another stick of angle to do the support on that side. Got it in place and welded up then did the same thing as the other side for the catch.
So since the 2 supports I just added are over the mounts with a very small gap I am thinking I will just get some rubber hose and cut it down the middle and use it as a "rest" for the frame to be able to press against when the truck has more weight in the back. It will be a tight enough fit for the rubber that it wont come out. I think it will work pretty good. Here is a shot showing how they overlap.
Once I got both floors done I got the bottom sides painted with some undercoating. Letting them sit till tomorrow and then I will possibly be welding the floor in tomorrow night! I still need to drill the holes so I have one every 3" for the plug welds to the angle. And need to remove the paint from the angle where the welds will be done. Then put in the rubber I will use for those middle mounts and it should be ready to go.
I started to install the passenger side rear seat catch and found out that my extra support bar I had installed the other night was just barely in the way. Luckily I could move it over to the right an inch or so to where it was lapping over the middle body mount that I wasn't planning on using. More on that later...
I then trimmed one side of the seat catch so that it wouldn't sit on top of the angle iron I moved over since it was still close. After that I drilled my holes for the plug welds and measured to locate how far back the catch rod needed to be then got it welded up.
How do the plug welds look? They are still new to me, along with mig welding.
At that point I moved to the drivers side. I had to buy another stick of angle to do the support on that side. Got it in place and welded up then did the same thing as the other side for the catch.
So since the 2 supports I just added are over the mounts with a very small gap I am thinking I will just get some rubber hose and cut it down the middle and use it as a "rest" for the frame to be able to press against when the truck has more weight in the back. It will be a tight enough fit for the rubber that it wont come out. I think it will work pretty good. Here is a shot showing how they overlap.
Once I got both floors done I got the bottom sides painted with some undercoating. Letting them sit till tomorrow and then I will possibly be welding the floor in tomorrow night! I still need to drill the holes so I have one every 3" for the plug welds to the angle. And need to remove the paint from the angle where the welds will be done. Then put in the rubber I will use for those middle mounts and it should be ready to go.
looks good... 
Well last night wasn't much for progress. Kind've disappointed how it went. Just seemed like one thing after another was getting in my way.
I got the extra holes drilled in the passenger side floor panel for plug welds. Then realized that I needed to put the tank back in so I didn't have to fight with the hoses and floor if I did it later. Got it in and all hooked up except for the filler lines. Took a break for dinner and came back out and realized that to be able to get to the rear body mounts the tank has to be removed...because with the hitch that's on it you can't get through the access hole in the bottom of the frame.
Out comes the tank...again. Then I realize that I can't do the rear body mounts until the floor is already in. So they go through the floor. Unless I wanted to have them below and just drill out the holes for the top of them so it sits flush and go from there. So that's what I did and proceeded to get the body mounts bolted up. Great now I can fight with the tank again and get it back in. Did I mention it has a little over 1/4 tank of gas in it?
Got the tank back in, reconnected, and grabbed that passenger floor panel to get the filler neck and all of that hooked up. Since that side is ready to be welded I could go ahead and hook up the filler neck. Found out that my hole for the filler lines was to far inboard and will need to be extended out towards the bedside. So I left it at that and went inside for the night.
No pictures because there wasn't much to show. Just the tank being in really. I guess I can't really complain how the night went too much because I haven't reaaallllyy had to many bad hours like that on this project. But still....
I got the extra holes drilled in the passenger side floor panel for plug welds. Then realized that I needed to put the tank back in so I didn't have to fight with the hoses and floor if I did it later. Got it in and all hooked up except for the filler lines. Took a break for dinner and came back out and realized that to be able to get to the rear body mounts the tank has to be removed...because with the hitch that's on it you can't get through the access hole in the bottom of the frame.
Out comes the tank...again. Then I realize that I can't do the rear body mounts until the floor is already in. So they go through the floor. Unless I wanted to have them below and just drill out the holes for the top of them so it sits flush and go from there. So that's what I did and proceeded to get the body mounts bolted up. Great now I can fight with the tank again and get it back in. Did I mention it has a little over 1/4 tank of gas in it?
Got the tank back in, reconnected, and grabbed that passenger floor panel to get the filler neck and all of that hooked up. Since that side is ready to be welded I could go ahead and hook up the filler neck. Found out that my hole for the filler lines was to far inboard and will need to be extended out towards the bedside. So I left it at that and went inside for the night.
No pictures because there wasn't much to show. Just the tank being in really. I guess I can't really complain how the night went too much because I haven't reaaallllyy had to many bad hours like that on this project. But still....
careful welding with the tank in...
Definitely! I seriously contemplated doing it last. But between struggling with the hoses and wire for the sending unit I decided against it. There shouldn't be very much if any sparks or flames going below the floor or angle. Either way I will be careful.
yeah, we don't want your name being a pun... 
yeah, we don't want your name being a pun...
Tis true
Since my mind is on the Jimmy. What do you recommend me doing for the front floor. Go with repo pieces or use sheet metal? I've got a TON of extra 16 gauge from this project. I've also already got repo inner/outer rockers sitting around. I will for sure need at least one of the body mounts (rear one connecting to rocker/B pillar) I know it makes since to use the scrap sheet metal from this. But at the same time, ease of installing the repo stuff does sound nice. Granted I know they don't fit perfect and will need some work.
With all that being said the front is in pretty bad shape. I'm mainly concerned with the area close to the kick panel. The floor is rusted along that seam. and then also the drivers side cab mount that connects to the rear of the rocker/B pillar is sagging and rusted around the rubber mount. I will be able to see more of that once the floor is cut out there.
If I go the sheet metal route is it easy to incorporate the door seal and the little lip that will be there at the rocker/door opening?
IME, the front floor repops are by FAR the worst of the sheetmetal replacement stuff from Taiwan...
don't expect it to look like the factorys, and you often need to trim them down to something that remotely will work...
that said, ideally the easiest solution is to do a combo of both depending how bad, and where the rot is.. if the floor is bad by the cab support, good chances that could use replacing too.. those aren't "horrible".. but on the mainfloor, if it's just some flat areas, scrap stuff you have is probably a better choice..
the lip at the door is usually 2 parts, the repop floors will have the trough, but not the curve up, and lip usually...
and also, I've NEVER seen floors that go further back than a couple feet from the pedals..
don't expect it to look like the factorys, and you often need to trim them down to something that remotely will work...
that said, ideally the easiest solution is to do a combo of both depending how bad, and where the rot is.. if the floor is bad by the cab support, good chances that could use replacing too.. those aren't "horrible".. but on the mainfloor, if it's just some flat areas, scrap stuff you have is probably a better choice..
the lip at the door is usually 2 parts, the repop floors will have the trough, but not the curve up, and lip usually...
and also, I've NEVER seen floors that go further back than a couple feet from the pedals..
I will get some pictures when I get a chance and show you what I am dealing with. Could you explain that last sentence? My head is going blank on getting what your saying you've never seen.
when you order front floor repops, they don't even reach the front seat holes..
so if you have issues with the back 1/2 of the front floor, your on your own... usually that's the corner where the floor steps up to the cargo area.. or cracks around the seat mounts..
so if you have issues with the back 1/2 of the front floor, your on your own... usually that's the corner where the floor steps up to the cargo area.. or cracks around the seat mounts..
Oh....yeah that's basically gone on the drivers side.
I had temporarily repaired the drop down area before. But it was horrible quality, way to thick metal, and not meant to last. It got removed when I removed the rear floor. So now there is a big hole there and where the seat belt bolted up. The passenger side I did a better job on and I retained those repairs. There is still work to be done on the passenger side floor but not near as bad as the drivers.
those back corners tend to be pretty easy fixes, flat panel, etc... usually that outside channel piece is toast too..
Outside channel piece that goes up in down and connects to the subframe for the cab? If so then yeah it got fixed before. Along with a section of 2" if I remember right angle iron that went all the way across where the front of the rear floor originally bolts down. I swore I had some pictures somewhere of that work I did....hold on
If I have them they must be on my computer at home. I will try to look tonight after work. If not I will just take some new pictures.
Welding has begun!
Well I got a lot of work done over the weekend on it. Started out getting the filler tube hole cut out to the right size. Then got the two holes cut out for the 2 rear body mounts to come up through since I had to install them before I layed the floor in. Used a Dremel with a cut off wheel (went through like 10) and it turned out pretty well.
Once that was done I got the floor lined up and laying exactly how I wanted it and tacked it in. That was Saturday night. Then last night after work I started the long process of welding all the plug welds up. Eventually ran out of my .024 wire.... I got a good majority of them all welded up. I will get some more wire today and finish it up tonight. Then begins the insanely fun task of grinding them all flat. Can't wait!
Well I got a lot of work done over the weekend on it. Started out getting the filler tube hole cut out to the right size. Then got the two holes cut out for the 2 rear body mounts to come up through since I had to install them before I layed the floor in. Used a Dremel with a cut off wheel (went through like 10) and it turned out pretty well.
Once that was done I got the floor lined up and laying exactly how I wanted it and tacked it in. That was Saturday night. Then last night after work I started the long process of welding all the plug welds up. Eventually ran out of my .024 wire....
I got a good majority of them all welded up. I will get some more wire today and finish it up tonight. Then begins the insanely fun task of grinding them all flat. Can't wait!
looks good... did you preprep/prime the underside of the 2 over the tank?
If, by the two over the tank, you mean the two extra supports I added then yes. As well as the underside of both floors. Everything got primed then coated with some black undercoat/bedliner before I covered it up. Which meant every plug weld location had to be cleaned up so I could get a good weld.
While I was out I got some pictures of the front floor since that is "Phase III" of all this floor work. I've got a lot to take care of but I did it in this order so my skills would be slightly better by time I got to the harder to tackle front floor.
While I was out I got some pictures of the front floor since that is "Phase III" of all this floor work. I've got a lot to take care of but I did it in this order so my skills would be slightly better by time I got to the harder to tackle front floor.
that's what I meant...
yup, that's a fair amount up front.. but I've seen/fixed worse...
all I'll say is, clean, clean clean... you leave ANY rust, it will eventually come back to haunt you, whether that's 2 yrs, or 12... for most people, 12 is acceptable...
