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Floor question

hammermachine

hammermachine

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Has anyone used steel plate or diamond plate instead of buying replacement floor panels? I'm trying to price out how much either option will cost and the steel plates are cheaper to buy. I know it would be alot more cutting and welding. Any thoughts?
 
hammermachine said:
Has anyone used steel plate or diamond plate instead of buying replacement floor panels? I'm trying to price out how much either option will cost and the steel plates are cheaper to buy. I know it would be alot more cutting and welding. Any thoughts?
Click to expand...
I`m interested as well....
 
The only benefit I see doing it your way is that you could get heavier guage steel but I'd think the proper contours and fitment of the chevy replacement panels would cost you less time, hassle, energy and especialy $$ in the long run. Unless you have a total beater or tore up trail rig then use the right replacement panels. How do you figure diamond plate is cheaper in cost anyways? It comes down to how much is yur time and frustration worth. Just my $.02.
Hoby
 
I have to replace just about the whole floor in my K5. I am looking at using the diamond plate sheets from allmetalsinc.com. They can cut it to the size rectangles and squares that are needed. A member here also has a website that tells a story of how he did it. I'll look for the name.
 
here is some pic's of mine, the 1/8'' diamond plate cost me about $300 for everything including the bends. and I have about another $150 into the subframe underneath. this was all started about 2 years ago and I am still not done yet.

diamond plate.jpg

diamond plate 2.jpg
 
YUP what he said...

When I bought my 1/8" plate it was $80 a 4x8 sheet and I bought 4.
Bent two sheets at a machine shop, cut one in half long ways. Pick and pieced together other stuff, used the diamond plate to cap off bumpers and other stuff. It was a pain, a real pain (it wouldn't be bad if you have a heavy welder and a plasma cutter). I started mine a few years ago also and its still in progress but I jump from project to project a lot so I don't focus all my time on trucks, esp since I moved an hour away 2 years ago.

A lot of the other steel I got just over scrape price from a place that buys/sells materials from businesses. I would say I have easily $500-600 in materials, plus 100's of hours. :doah:
 
decisions, and decisions

Thanks for all of the advice and for sharing your experiances. I have alittle while to make a final decision, but I can tell you I'm probaly leaning toward replacement parts. In the end I still have alot of other work to do to this truck and don't want to get caught up in a long term fix for just the cargo bed. I still have to fix/address the sloppy steering wheel, change the steering shaft, get a roll cage, and save up for rhinoliner (before winter).
 
steel.JPG


3 4 x 8 sheets of 14 gauge... I pulled the 1/8 out of the stack, looked up the weights, and decided the weight increases wheren't worth it.. The 14 is plenty beef..

24' of 2" x 4" x 1/8" for sliders and all new cab support structure... Bringing the cargo area forward 6" or so also... Doing a custom tunnel with the 14 too...

and for a future grill project, 20' of 1/4" round rod and some expanded steel...

July 5 I start... new qrters and wells to go in too...
 
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