Floor pan and cab mount help please
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Senior User
Joined: May 2011
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From: Wrights community
Floor pan and cab mount help please
I know this subject has been talked about on here, but I'm 17, I only know so much about welding. I have been welding for a few months now and I want to tackle floor pans and cab mounts. What is a spot weld bit used for and do I have to use one? Can I just tack weld all around the pan/mount? I have a Flux core wire welder, basically a mig without the gas. also, do I need to sandblast or media blast? How hard is it to get the mounts apart? What all do I need to disconnect before lifting the cab(I know the steering linkage, throttle linkage, shifter linkage, wires)? I am planning on using a rubberized undercoat for the bottom and rhino lining the inside. Any tricks about that? How heavy is the cab? I am planning on cutting out the old pans and mounts as one piece per side, how do I measure where the mounts go on the new pans and how much of the new pans to trim?
thanks for the help, I am very interesting in restoring my truck all the way.
thanks for the help, I am very interesting in restoring my truck all the way.
Elder User
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 871
Likes: 1
From: New Albany, MS
I have never replaced cab mounts. So I am no service there.
On the subject of welding floor pans in.. Cut out all the rust, and then a little more to reach a reasonable dimension. Then trim new floor pans to fit, and weld them in with low heat and 5,325 spot welds gradually overlapping them.
While you can do this with a flux core. It will be frustrating. My preferred machine would be a tig welder, but seeing as how not everybody has one at the very least I would suggest getting a regulator and running gas. It will make this so much easier.
Fluxcore welds have to wire brushed every time you make a spot weld in order to get good overlap and penetration.
On the subject of welding floor pans in.. Cut out all the rust, and then a little more to reach a reasonable dimension. Then trim new floor pans to fit, and weld them in with low heat and 5,325 spot welds gradually overlapping them.
While you can do this with a flux core. It will be frustrating. My preferred machine would be a tig welder, but seeing as how not everybody has one at the very least I would suggest getting a regulator and running gas. It will make this so much easier.
Fluxcore welds have to wire brushed every time you make a spot weld in order to get good overlap and penetration.
Cargo Master
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 3,365
Likes: 12
From: NW Indiana
You can buy a special drill bit but I've never needed one. You can also pop them with a air chisel but be careful what you mangle.
Your new cab mounts might need holes drilled or punched so you can plug weld them in. Make sure you leave the drain channels open on the bottom of the cab mounts.
If your mig will accept the gas you won't regret adding it....ever.
Take your measurements before you cut and everything will land just fine. You only really need to remove enough material to get rid of ALL the rust.
4 guys can pick up the cab by using 4x4 underneath but it will be really nose heavy. BE CAREFUL
Your new cab mounts might need holes drilled or punched so you can plug weld them in. Make sure you leave the drain channels open on the bottom of the cab mounts.
If your mig will accept the gas you won't regret adding it....ever.
Take your measurements before you cut and everything will land just fine. You only really need to remove enough material to get rid of ALL the rust.
4 guys can pick up the cab by using 4x4 underneath but it will be really nose heavy. BE CAREFUL
Lead Driver
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 8,922
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Do yourself a favor and hook that mig up to gas, fluxcore is junk for body work. You don't have to use an expensive gas mix for body work just use C02. A spot weld bit is just for that, cutting spot welds and it sure makes it easy to separate metal that was spot welded together. You tack weld to get a piece started then weld it up solid in spots a little at a time so you don't warp and twist your metal. Rust is a mig welders worst enemy. You need it clean, so sandblast every area you are going to weld in that is rusty.
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Senior User
Joined: May 2011
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From: Wrights community
My fluxcore is not gas compatible. I might have a friend I can borrow his gas MIG. I don't mind wire brushing every few minutes. So about the drill bit, I just drill a hole through the overlap, fill the hole with weld? I got all spring to do this. What is a good price for a sandblaster? I found one through Harbor Freight for $35 plus S&H.
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Senior User
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From: Wrights community
Which bolts do I need to take out on the fenders? There are three bolts on each side on the top of the fender, under the hood, directly behind the hood springs. What else do I need to take loose? I have unhooked all the wires. Is there an easy way to get the heater box out(factory heat/air)? How do I unhook the steering shaft? Brake booster? I plan on taking loose the throttle linkage, shifter linkage, and loosen the front cab mount bolts tomorrow. I took out the rear cab bolts, unhooked all the wires, took off the inspection cover on the mounts, and took a lot of photos of the questionable bolts. As mentioned above, I have the flux core welder which is not gas compatible. I have a stick welder that works only on 90-120 heat selection and I only have 6018(I think) sticks. I do not mind doing the extra wire brushing for the flux core. Asked above, how do I measure where the cab mounts go? top of the floor pan to cab mount or side to side?
thanks for the replies.
thanks for the replies.
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Freshman User
Joined: Dec 2011
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From: Derry
For welding When i did my repairs on my floor(i couldn't afford panels so i used "body metal" from Napa) i used my friends flux core mig. When you start welding do it in small sections so you don't create too much heat and burn through. like all the other guys said make many many tack welds around the panel till its fully welded all the way around. Try and buy the skinniest flux core wire you can get for your welder, which will help you not burn through. I used .030 wire and i burned through a few times trying to go too fast.
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Thread Starter
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Senior User
Joined: May 2011
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From: Wrights community
thanks for the advice squirrel, I think that I have the .030 or .30 which ever it is. I think I can do the welding, I got a lead on a sandblaster, and now all I need is advice on how to take loose/out all the stuff I listed above. I have already had the heater box out(PITA), but I guess I could do it again.
Freshman User
Joined: Dec 2011
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From: Derry
sorry i cant help you with any of that. I wont be getting into that stuff until late spring with mine. Ill be doing a 5sp swap and fixing whats left of the body and frame that need to be done. Im only 16 but these old trucks are really cool.
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Senior User
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From: Wrights community
Yes they are cool. They look good without a hood even. My idea of it being finished is: fully restored, Hurst floor shifter, street style hood scoop with the butterflies, 4 barrel intake/carb, TMeyer Inc motor job, rebuilt c6, better gears in the rear, axle blocks to bring it up about 3 inches in the back. and a few more things I 'll think of along the way.
Mountain Pass
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 186
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From: Blenheim Ontario Canada
if you replace the front cab mounts be sure and order new inspection plate covers at the same time. Don't toss your old ones...you'll need them as templates for marking out the notches in the bottom of the cover. The original covers are too small for the new cab mounts. Dennis Carpenter sells both.
as for removing the steering column...you see a small wire that connects on both sides of the rag joint. be sure to put this back on otherwise your horn won't work.
as for removing the steering column...you see a small wire that connects on both sides of the rag joint. be sure to put this back on otherwise your horn won't work.
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Senior User
Joined: May 2011
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From: Wrights community
I got the steering column disconnected, I got all the wires/harnesses diconnected, and the brake booster disconnected from the master cylinder. I am working on the last bolt from fender to cab on top, the tack welds holding the nut in place have broken, so I am using a piece of solid copper wire thru the antenna hole to hold it. I still have to disconnect the throttle linkage. Where should I disconnect the speedo cable? are there any more bolts from the fenders to the cab? What is the easiest way to get to the front cab mount bolts? I already have the inspection plate off.