Help! Floor panel replacement

[gdrill]

The drive shaft is four 7/16" or 3/8" bolts. Why not drop it and remove the dampener? Aside from that if you are considering what you just said, why not only cut out the small bad area and section in the new piece? The pics may be deceiving but it looks like the majority is fine. It's a toss up as to whether removing the whole thing and spot welding the whole pan in is more work than butt welding in a patch area. Myself, I would do the whole pan if I had it. I just did complete front to back pans in my Challenger and it wasn't bad at all.

 

[theGreenOrange]

The drive shaft is four 7/16" or 3/8" bolts. Why not drop it and remove the dampener? Aside from that if you are considering what you just said, why not only cut out the small bad area and section in the new piece? The pics may be deceiving but it looks like the majority is fine. It's a toss up as to whether removing the whole thing and spot welding the whole pan in is more work than butt welding in a patch area. Myself, I would do the whole pan if I had it. I just did complete front to back pans in my Challenger and it wasn't bad at all.

Ok thanks, I will give removing the driveshaft a try before I call in the welding heavies.

 

[polywideblock]

unless your going racing I'd just leave it unless its in the way

 

[dryheat]

Go to harbor freight and pick up one of these. Works great and won't wear out your compressor.

http://www.harborfreight.com/electric-die-grinder-with-long-shaft-44141.html

It's a fixed RPM that is WAY TOO FAST so hook it up to a dimmer switch to control RPM.

 

[theGreenOrange]

Go to harbor freight and pick up one of these. Works great and won't wear out your compressor.

http://www.harborfreight.com/electric-die-grinder-with-long-shaft-44141.html

It's a fixed RPM that is WAY TOO FAST so hook it up to a dimmer switch to control RPM.

Thank you, I haven't seen one of those before. I will pick one up if I have any trouble fitting the angle grinder anywhere.

 

[theGreenOrange]

unless your going racing I'd just leave it unless its in the way

I gotta get it out of there to get the new floor pan in

 

[theGreenOrange]

Thanks guys, I got the vibration dampener hunk of metal out of there without removing the driveshaft! Just had to use some universal joints on my ratchet and some ratcheting flex wrenches. These things have saved the day several times now, sooo glad I bought them. Now to cut that bracket out and on to the floor pan...

 

[theGreenOrange]

Quick question, for the seat belt mount on the new pan, do I just drill a hole and weld a nut on the back?

 

[threewood]

Quick question, for the seat belt mount on the new pan, do I just drill a hole and weld a nut on the back?

View attachment 377780

Mine was a plate that was welded on the underneath. You will probably be better off reusing it once you get the pan out.

 

[theGreenOrange]

Mine was a plate that was welded on the underneath. You will probably be better off reusing it once you get the pan out.

Great, thanks for that.

For removing these welds to the bracket, and the floor pan a stitch welds I have a 1mm cutoff wheel, a 1/16 cut off wheel, and a grinding wheel. Which would be best and should I use the tool vertical or horizontal?

 

[threewood]

Great, thanks for that.

For removing these welds to the bracket, and the floor pan a stitch welds I have a 1mm cutoff wheel, a 1/16 cut off wheel, and a grinding wheel. Which would be best and should I use the tool vertical or horizontal?

View attachment 377791

I would probably tackle that by cutting straight down and cut the stitch weld off of the bracket. Once the bracket is removed, grind the welds off the pan.

 

[theGreenOrange]

I would probably tackle that by cutting straight down and cut the stitch weld off of the bracket. Once the bracket is removed, grind the welds off the pan.

Got it out with no collateral damage, now on to the floor pan!

 

[theGreenOrange]

Someone mentioned lubing up the spot weld cutters... Could I use wd-40 or 3-in-1 oil? I have some of that laying around...

 

[threewood]

I wouldn't use wd40. The 3 in 1 will work fine. don't overspeed the cutter and pre drill centers.

 

[theGreenOrange]

I wouldn't use wd40. The 3 in 1 will work fine. don't overspeed the cutter and pre drill centers.

Thanks, will do. Just cutting out stitch welds today, waiting for spot weld cutter in the mail tomorrow. Also have just about the crappiest flux core welder coming in tomorrow, a Zeny 130 from Amazon. I am still looking forward to it arriving though!

 

[theGreenOrange]

Is 3 coats of a self etching weldable primer a good enough coating for the bottom of the new floor pan? I don't know how I would get a top coat on the bottom after it is welded in. Thanks for all the help guys.

 

[threewood]

Weldable primer only needs to go on the flange which will be inaccessable once welded. Couple coats are plenty. No top coat needed. Once the seams are welded, cover with a body seam seal.

 

[theGreenOrange]

Thanks for all the help threewood. So are you saying just to leave the underside bare steel? Or do I need to get under there and spray a rattle can of undercoat?

 

[theGreenOrange]

Ah, I think I know what you mean. I can tape off the seams and undercoat the rest, then prime the seam areas. Sorry, this is my first attempt at body work.

 

[threewood]

The weld through may have issues with paint sticking to it, not meant as a primer so it only needs to go in the weld seams. I would prep the underside as you would any other panel, prime, seam seal and paint.