Hi guys,
I'm getting ready to start cutting my floor pans out, I'll put some pics up soon. I have one question about welding them in. Since I'm drilling out the spot welds to the rocker, what's the strongest way to attach the floor pan to the rock panel? I was think fillet welding the holes I'd drill through the rocker. Also had another idea. On the passenger side, only the back half of the pan is bad, on the driver side it's the front. Could simply cut the bad away, leave the good part of the old, and then lay the entire new floor pan on top? Or would moisture between the pans be an issue?
Thanks guys

 

That is a good question. I have the same issue and I am getting ready to replace mine. I was planning on overlapping them a little and drilling a hole throgh the top to weld directly to the bottom piece. I did not realize just how thin this metal is until I started cutting it out. I am not sure how well it would work if you just laid it on top but if you overlapped a few inches and welded to it I think it would be ok. I am not a professional so I am just giving my opinion. I have a friend who owns a body shop so before I go to work, I am going to have him look it over.

 

cut out the bad section, and i mean cut it out. you want to cut back until you get to cleaner more solid metal. butt weld the patches in, then hit with seem sealer, and the wash the under neath of the car with lacquer thinner, and seal with por 15, paint, rock gaurd, truck bed linner, anything to nuetralize the surface rust and keep the cancer from growing as quickly

 

Ok, thanks for the tip. I've determined that the entire pans are bad, so what would the be the best way to replicate the factory pinch welds, or should I just make a horizontal lap joint there?
Thanks again

 

Pictures would be good. Not just so the more experineced guys on herecan give you better advice, but I am doing the same thing right now and the pics would help me.

 

Me as well. I have a 12x12 spot on each side of my pans that are rusted, not rusted through, but if I poked at them it would break through. Pictures are always helpful. If I can save some money by just replacing with a nice piece of sheet metal instead of full replacement pans I would like that.

 

I had to patch the front driver's side floor on my 92 when I got it. Right under the pedals and over to the pinch weld and up the side a few inches. I had a piece from a donor car that I used for the side part, but the floor pan I just used 16ga sheet metal. I cut it to fit the hole left from cutting out the rot and used a hammer and my bench vise to put a 90* bend in the metal to but up against the pinch weld. I drilled a few holes in the patch panel and welded it to the pinch weld. It's been holding up well for me, but I want to go back in and redo it cause it was one of my first welds after I learned how to weld and they look horrible.

Plain sheet metal will work for small patches in the floor pans, but to replace the entire pan you should really get the stamped steel replacements. Or cut the floors out of a JY car. The reason being that since these are unibody cars, the floors are basically what ties the front of the car to the back. The bends and folds in the floor pans help to strengthen them so they can take the stress of holding the bottom of the car together. Plain straight sheet metal won't be able to take that stress. A 12x12 area would be about as big as I would feel comfortable going, depending on where it is.

You might be able to get away with a plain sheet metal floor IF you have subframe connectors. And I don't mean the plain, basic subframe connectors. I'm talking about an outer set and an inner set, or a double-diamond design. Check out Fueled Soul's subframe thread for an idea of what I mean.

 

I'm replacing the whole pans, since you could punch through quite easily. Pics to come tonight, I'll start a new thread and try to make it a step by step process. I also plan on replacing one of my 1/4 panels so I'll do a step by step on that as well. My angle grinder just kicked the bucket so I won't be cutting metal for a few days (bought one online, hate shopping). I'm going to rip the carpet out now, so pics are on the way.
Alex

 

Thats great. I will be doing a floor and both quarters too. I am gathering all the info on it I can right now. I should have my welder in a couple of days.