Rear Floor Removal?

[derek2002]

What is involved to removing the floor in the rear of my 87 K5? Would I be able to take it out in one piece so that I could trace it out of flat steel? I think diamond tread aluminum would be cool back there. Let me know...

Thanks guys!

Later,

-Derek
1977 3/4 Ton & Blazer Project (Body Needed)
http://www.4chevy.com

 

[MA87K5]

I removed my rear floor by air chiseling the factory spot welds by the wheel wells and removing bolts in the front and rear sides. The top does need to come off. Also the rear quarters need to be held up so they don't fall. That would not be good. I don't think aluminum would be a good idea for the main rear panel. Too much pressure would on it. Plus High heat is needed to weld aluminum, much higher then steel. The high heat would eat the steel like butter. A MIG welder will work best to weld steel together. I used an ARCH welder. I had to be very careful and slow, but I did it in about 3 days with no help. Check the frame around the rear body mounts. You might have to repair them. Hopefully any of this has helped you.

 

[tRustyK5]

I would stick to steel checker plate, or the proper repair panels for the rear floor. You CANNOT weld aluminum to steel.
If you have your heart set on an aluminum rear floor, you would have to make it completely bolt in.
If you want to remove the rear floor area in one piece you would also have to find a way to support the rear of the body. there are 4 body mounts under the rear floor area.

Rene

 

[derek2002]

Oh, yeah... My bad. I said diamond tread aluminum, but I meant the tread design and was thinking steel. I just mean removing the floor. Not any cross members, just the ribbed steel flooring. Would I have to support the bedsides still? Thanks for the advice.

Later,

-Derek
1977 3/4 Ton & Blazer Project (Body Needed)
http://www.4chevy.com

 

[tRustyK5]

Well if you look at the under side of the floor you'll see the cross pieces that re-enforce the floor are attached to the under side of the floor, probably spot welded. I would think that it would be easier to support the body and replace the floor than to try and separate the floor from the cross pieces.

Rene

 

[DOUGHBOY]

where can you get replacement flooring?

guns dont kill postal workers do

 

[jcg]

I was going to put in aluminum diamond plate just because I could have gotten it for free. I wanted to cut the floor out but leave about an inch around the edges to bolt the aluminum to. The edges would need to be reinforced and it would need better cross braces but that could be done very easily with angle iron. I even came up with drawings for a wood bed like the old pickups had. That would look sweet but it would take a lot of work.

Joe
RIT Mini-Baja http://www.rit.edu/~bajawww
Team Mudnuts http://www.mudnuts.org

 

[87Blzr]

About three years ago I replaced my rear floor with a new GM one on my 87. Using original GM stuff makes it go so much easier but the floor isn't cheap anymore. I was able to get the whole floor for $350 with a big discount. Anyway to hold up the floor I came up with a pretty good system. I took the top off and bolted a 2x8 about 10 feet wide across the back of the bed using the factory top mounting locations. I now had a 2x8 bolted across the bed overhanging about 2 feet on each side. On the underside of this 2x8 I nailed a block on each side close to the bed. The I cut two more 2x8's (one for each side). Cut them so that they are too long to fit from the floor to the bottom of the 2x8 going across the bed. I used one on each side from the floor to the block I nailed on the underside to hold the bed up while the floor was ripped up. I cut them long so I had the option of rasing or lowering the bed while I worked by kicking in or letting out the board that was holding up the bed on each side. Hard to explain but I guarantee there is no easier way and this worked out great. I think I may sell my truck in the future if I can figure out whats its worth. Just buy mine!!

87 K5 Siverado, 68 SS 396 Camaro

 

[BUDDY]

I am in the process of replacing the entire floor of my 72 right now. I worked on getiing it out this past weekend and this next one we'll put the new one back in. Let me tell you it is a MAJOR job but I think that it's well worth doing. It took us about 5 hours to actually cut the floor out and once we get all of the pieces cut and welded together I think we'll have it all back in in about the same time. I did leave about an inch all the way around and I'm replacing the crossmembers with box tubing that will eventually become an airtank, but that's a whole other project. Just be sure to measure everything very carefully and take your time with it. You'll be glad you did. I know that I will be.

By the way the diamond plate steel that I bought was 82.00 for a 4'x10'x.125" thick sheet. A lot heavier-duty than the replacement steel and you can weld or seal the length of the cross-channels, so the rust doesn't build back up in there, too
HTH,

Buddy

I've got my dream truck and it's a 72 K-5 that is getting there!!

 

[Achevykid]

Hey man i had cut my floor out with a torch.It worked pretty good needed to be grinded down. If your intrested i have 2 pieces of bed material for sale.

 

[backlash]

So what you guys are saying is ... If I have rust at my hinges near the tailgate, I have to replace the entire back floor of my truck?

I know I'm gonna top the list of spending money on this thing!