A few pics of some progress on my K/5..
I started by hacking out the rusty passanger side floor area.. right where the front part of my cage bolts to.. and the outer rocker panel to see what kind or rust i was dealing with...
I stole Greg72's idea (Thanks Greg!) and made a 1/4" plate then welded nuts to the bottom side of it so i don't have to hold a wrench on the bottom side anymore to bolt/unbolt the cage. And this will be much more supported in the event of a rollover, compared to my rusty floorboards.
Looking at my cab support it was pretty rotted out, so i reinforced it with some 2x2 which fits perfect inside the cab support.. i notched the cab support for the plate, welded that 2x2 in there then the 1/4 plate to that 2x2 and cab support. To get the reinforcing plate to line up just right with my cage, i had to remove the cage, cut the floor and trim a new section, then put the cage back in to mark the holes on the new floor.. /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif
I stuck another piece of 2x2 under that, capped the ends, and welded the 2x2's together, and to the rocker box.. The capped end of the lower 2x2 will give a place for my rockslider to be butted up against and welded to, tying my cage support and rocksliders together somewhat.
replacement floor panel in...
Then on to the rocksliders.. I stole Burt4x4's idea for this.. Thanks burt!
I got some 3x2 .188 wall thickness, about 12 feet for $20. Cut the ends at an \angle/ and capped em..
I tack welded in a new reproduction rocker panel, then cut it up 2".. and followed that line on the front and rear fenders cutting up 2" and in 3"... Then I used a couple of floor jacks and started lifting up the side of the truck by the rockslider a little before i welded the 3x2 box tubing to the body.. I removed the outer rocker once it fit good. I welded the rockslider to most all of the inner rocker slowly, like 1" beads at a time, with the outer rocker removed... then on the back side everywhere i could weld it.. I still need to weld the very bottom of the rocker box to the slider, but its in there good.
I also made the sliders a little over 1" short for the front and rear.. then i trimmed the fenders to match the angle when i was done. /forums/images/graemlins/pimp1.gif
It's fun trying to do these kind of repairs and mods on your daily driver. /forums/images/graemlins/rotfl.gif
Now on to the drivers side..Most of my inner rocker is rotted out on that side. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif /forums/images/graemlins/thinking.gif
I started by hacking out the rusty passanger side floor area.. right where the front part of my cage bolts to.. and the outer rocker panel to see what kind or rust i was dealing with...
I stole Greg72's idea (Thanks Greg!) and made a 1/4" plate then welded nuts to the bottom side of it so i don't have to hold a wrench on the bottom side anymore to bolt/unbolt the cage. And this will be much more supported in the event of a rollover, compared to my rusty floorboards.
Looking at my cab support it was pretty rotted out, so i reinforced it with some 2x2 which fits perfect inside the cab support.. i notched the cab support for the plate, welded that 2x2 in there then the 1/4 plate to that 2x2 and cab support. To get the reinforcing plate to line up just right with my cage, i had to remove the cage, cut the floor and trim a new section, then put the cage back in to mark the holes on the new floor.. /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif
I stuck another piece of 2x2 under that, capped the ends, and welded the 2x2's together, and to the rocker box.. The capped end of the lower 2x2 will give a place for my rockslider to be butted up against and welded to, tying my cage support and rocksliders together somewhat.
replacement floor panel in...
Then on to the rocksliders.. I stole Burt4x4's idea for this.. Thanks burt!
I got some 3x2 .188 wall thickness, about 12 feet for $20. Cut the ends at an \angle/ and capped em..
I tack welded in a new reproduction rocker panel, then cut it up 2".. and followed that line on the front and rear fenders cutting up 2" and in 3"... Then I used a couple of floor jacks and started lifting up the side of the truck by the rockslider a little before i welded the 3x2 box tubing to the body.. I removed the outer rocker once it fit good. I welded the rockslider to most all of the inner rocker slowly, like 1" beads at a time, with the outer rocker removed... then on the back side everywhere i could weld it.. I still need to weld the very bottom of the rocker box to the slider, but its in there good.
I also made the sliders a little over 1" short for the front and rear.. then i trimmed the fenders to match the angle when i was done. /forums/images/graemlins/pimp1.gif
It's fun trying to do these kind of repairs and mods on your daily driver. /forums/images/graemlins/rotfl.gif
Now on to the drivers side..Most of my inner rocker is rotted out on that side. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif /forums/images/graemlins/thinking.gif
