Holes in floor
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Holes in floor
I have a mechanically solid 1980 Bronco. While trying to discover why dust would roll into the cab when driving down a dusty road, I discoverd that along the floor, where it joins the rocker panels (perhaps my terminology is off) it has rusted through and is allowing water and dirt to come into the cab. The hole is about an inch wide adn is the width of the door.
Can I weld a piece of metal underneath to cover this hole in order to keep out dust and dirt?
Since this is a "weekender" truck that I use for short trips into the woods adn hills to hunt and fish, a major restoration of the body is not in the works.
Can I weld a piece of metal underneath to cover this hole in order to keep out dust and dirt?
Since this is a "weekender" truck that I use for short trips into the woods adn hills to hunt and fish, a major restoration of the body is not in the works.
Postmaster
Joined: Jun 2001
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From: Loveland, CO.
Holes in floor
Sure you could do that, it's your truck! Since it's not a resto, whatever works for you to keep out the mud is all right. They make replacement floor pans, but for your case why spend the extra dough if you're handy with a welder and have the stock? That's my 2 cents...
Postmaster
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 2,809
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From: Loveland, CO.
Holes in floor
PS - a tip- cut out the rusted metal first so it won't come back. You have to cut the cancer completely out or you'll be doing it again in a year. There is also a special spray that you coat rust with that will neutralize it, it changes the chemical composition or something like that. I forgot what it is called though. Anybody? It's not a primer or anything, it's a special spray. I used it once before in a situation like yours, and it seemed to work. I don't recall it being very expensive.
Laughing Gas
Joined: Jul 2001
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From: Bismarck, ND
Holes in floor
I think the product in question is "Extend", and there are several versions of it on the market. This, when applied to rusty metal, turns black through a chemical reaction and is supposed to neutralize the rust and create a paintable surface. This works well at first, but the rust will return after a couple of years. POR-15, by contrast, is an actual paint, but it is supposed to be so tough and non-porous that it effectively seals the rust in, and does not allow oxygen to reach the rusty metal to continue the process. The "trick", as I've heard, is to treat the rusty area with Extend or it's equivalent, allow it to cure, then recoat with POR-15, fogging in a light coat of primer while it's still tacky, and then topcoating once it's dry.
Postmaster
Joined: Jun 2001
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From: Loveland, CO.
Holes in floor
I think Extend was the one that I used. Like I said, it seemed to work, but I sold the truck within a year so I didn't see the long term results. But the best advice is to simply cut out all of the rusted metal before repairs are made, if possible. I used the Extend because I could not cut out all of the rusted area.
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Holes in floor
Not having any body work experience before, but being mecanically inclined and an experienced woodworker, what do you recommend for cutting away the rusted metal? A torch? A grinder/
any good books on body restoration or repair that any of you guys can recommend/
Many thanks
any good books on body restoration or repair that any of you guys can recommend/
Many thanks
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Postmaster
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 2,809
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From: Loveland, CO.
Holes in floor
I used a Sawzall to cut out the rust. I used the extra small blades. It depends on the access you have to the area where it needs to be cut. A grinder could work also. I don't know about a cutting torch in that area, the heat warps sheet metal. Body shop pros use Sawzalls to cut off roofs and other things.
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Holes in floor
well let me tell you what i done once. i had a ford 100 once that had a hole in the passenger side foor board and it was about as big as a football and i just pulled the carpet back cleaned the area and i got me some of those fiber glass kits like you buy at auto zone parts house and i applyed it to about half the foor board. it turn hard as a rock, and it worked great, and its a cheap solution, only 20 bucks. i drove it for five more years. good luck,
Freshman User
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Holes in floor
yes it's just a kit with some sheets of fiber glass, and some chemicals you mix together. i thank the chemicals are rosin and some kind of hardener, and it tells you how to mix it, and what i did was clean and scuf up the floor around the hole with a grinder and applyed the chemical about 4 inches from the hole around it and lay the sheets of fiber glass down and stick it, and pull it tight. then i took a paint brush and soaked it real good, and then applyed a second piece letting each one dry. the instruction tell you this. it dose work,
good luck.
good luck.
Postmaster
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 2,809
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From: Loveland, CO.
Holes in floor
I used that fiberglass stuff to fix a large hole in a floor too once, on a 72 F-100. I agree that it can be good and cheap, but here is the downside. It's a very sticky mess when you put the stuff on; you can feel the floorboard flex when you go over bumps; and it will eventually seperate from the metal. I am sticking with the welding of a patch on this one.
Laughing Gas
Joined: Jul 2001
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From: Bismarck, ND
Holes in floor
And, if you can treat or cut out the rusted metal and are not able to weld in a metal patch, you may also consider riveting one in. I have used this method..... pick up a scrap of thicker guaged galvanized sheet metal from your local air conditioning or sheet metal shop. Cut a patch panel to cover the hole, overlapping the edges by 1" to 2". Apply a bead of silicone sealer all the way around the hole, and place the patch over it, flattening it out as necessary. After it has set up, drill holes through the patch panel and floor metal and put a pop rivet through each, approximately every 2" to 3".
