Getting started on my floor pans and torque boxes

[Yoda]

Used grinder with wire wheel to remove all my former bondo repairs. Not sure what to do about the rust.

Looks like you have three options.

1. Remove what rust you have in the rocker panels with a grinder and maybe some EvapoRust or Rust Remover from Eastwood. Then degrease it and treat it with Metal Prep from POR-15. It etches the metal, removes any remaining rust and leaves a zinc phosphate coating on the surface. Then paint it with two coats of POR-15 and some of their Top Coat for UV resistance. Now you can beautify it with Bondo all over again but the rust should be encapsulated permanently.
2. The same as above except put rocker guards / rock sliders over the holes and no one will know. (What I will be doing most likely)
3. Replace the crunchy part of the rocker panel with a new piece. They are pretty cheap and you know what you are doing.

 

[Vtx531]

Looks like you have three options.

1. Remove what rust you have in the rocker panels with a grinder and maybe some EvapoRust or Rust Remover from Eastwood. Then degrease it and treat it with Metal Prep from POR-15. It etches the metal, removes any remaining rust and leaves a zinc phosphate coating on the surface. Then paint it with two coats of POR-15 and some of their Top Coat for UV resistance. Now you can beautify it with Bondo all over again but the rust should be encapsulated permanently.
2. The same as above except put rocker guards / rock sliders over the holes and no one will know. (What I will be doing most likely)
3. Replace the crunchy part of the rocker panel with a new piece. They are pretty cheap and you know what you are doing.

Think I'm going to cut out and replace (#3) Have to custom make a piece though. As far as I am aware, there is only one commercial seller of replacement rocker panels (noram). I purchased theirs in the past and it's just like a homemade piece on a metal brake. Just a 90 bend on the bottom. I wish they would make factory style stamped pieces like the floor pans and torque boxes but as far as I can tell, nobody does!

So I decided to spend a whole bunch of time experimenting by making up a little stamping/ bending tool for my shop press. Still in progress. This is what I've been doing the last few days...

I began the experimenting with 22 gauge metal from the hardware store.

Okay, got one bend but not the double bend I wanted.

Okay, now I got the double bend but too wide at the bottom.

Getting closer. Still a little too wide at the bottom but I got it figured out how to adjust that. Now I need to get the radius a little larger and less of a crease.

Okay, test worked good as far as the radius. I like that.

And test with double bend again.

So I think I could get this dialed in pretty well but it's with 22 gauge - too thin.

I tried 16 gauge and it was too thick. My homemade tool/stamping setup was not strong enough. I'm going to the store today to get some 20 gauge and 18 gauge and will do more experimenting.

A lot of work trying to keep the rockers stock looking and not cover up with rocker guards!!!

 

[Vtx531]

So I picked up some 18 & 20 gauge sheet metal at the store. Happy to report that I had some success with the 18g! This was surprising to me because I thought it would be too thick.

Four more trials and adjustments...Getting close. My last version is the one on the right in this photo. These ones are the 18g.

EDIT: I made more adjustments and changes. This is variation #5 for the day and I am getting very close. I also cut out a pice of the original rocker panel to help.

 

[Vtx531]

After a whole lot more trial & error + fabricating, we have a final product that is ready cut to size and install not perfect but very close!!!

Now, I can continue moving along with the project

 

[Vtx531]

I worked on putting in a rocker patch today.

Being this was my first attempt, I did it in the front at a spot that will be hidden under the flare extension. Biggest takeaway is that I need to turn up the welder hotter because I didn't get good penetration. Otherwise I think it turned out okay and I'm happy with the bottom lip.

I also tried filling one of the spot weld holes that I cut (just left of my patch).

 

[Vtx531]

I installed another patch today and cut off the remaining flange in the middle section that attaches to the rocker. I decided that needed to be replaced in some fashion.

I discovered that I can used the 3" cutoff wheel as a gap tool to expand the gap between patch and rocker - the width of the cutting disc is the perfect gap size. Same welder settings but working much better with a larger gap.

Getting some warpage, hopefully nothing a hammer and dolly can't correct.

I didn't get a chance to finish because my three year old started freaking out from the noise so I had to stop for the day.

 

[Mike_H]

I installed another patch today and cut off the remaining flange in the middle section that attaches to the rocker. I decided that needed to be replaced in some fashion.

I discovered that I can used the 3" cutoff wheel as a gap tool to expand the gap between patch and rocker - the width of the cutting disc is the perfect gap size. Same welder settings but working much better with a larger gap.

Getting some warpage, hopefully nothing a hammer and dolly can't correct.

I didn't get a chance to finish because my three year old started freaking out from the noise so I had to stop for the day.

View attachment 316486

View attachment 316487

If things are warping on you, spread your tacks out, and take just a little more time. Once that metal stretches, you be fighting the "bubble" everywhere. You can try and shrink the metal, but it's easier and much more efficient to just slow down a bit on the welding.

 

[Vtx531]

Worked on it about an hour today. I got the weld all ground down front and back and worked the panel with a hammer. Happy to report that the warpage issue was no big deal at all and it came out really straight!

Still a lot of work to do

 

[Vtx531]

I fabbed up a couple more rocker panel pieces. I think I'll weld them together off the Jeep to make it easier to grind down the welds and get them straight. Then attach it as one big piece. I still need to do the rear wheelarch corner piece that is going to be tricky.

Weather is warming up and I need to get going on this!

 

[Vtx531]

I've been imagining building the rear corner rocker piece different ways in my mind for weeks and weeks - I finally did it in real life today. It took me two hours start to finish to go from a 24"x12" piece of sheet metal to a useable part - not bad! It was scarier in my head. I used vise grips to do the bend.

If I was to do it again, a relief cut/piecut in the middle of the sharp part of the curve would probably have helped the panel stay flat instead of bulging out a slight bit. Flare cover that spot anyways.

Just wish I had a set of dimple dies to put the original hole back in there.

 

[Vtx531]

Attempted a dimple hole on a test piece using a bearing race and the round stock nose part of my press. I think the bearing race was just a touch too small and it caused the metal to shear instead of bend on part of the hole.

I have a slightly bigger bearing race but not sure if it is worth messing with trying to add the dimple hole or just leave it. What do you guys think?

Please ignore the messy jagged edge, I didn't deburr for the test.

Factory hole is oval but that is beyond what I'm willing to do.

 

[Vtx531]

Worked six hours on the Jeep today.

I got the third panel welded into place. Came out nice. And marked where to cut it down to size.

Used a piece of angle iron to help keep everything straight.

Cut out the old rocker.

New one ready to be welded in.

Of course there were 100 more steps in each part than I documented here but, overall, it was a good day.

 

[Vtx531]

Not much progress today. Worked on cleaning things up, test fitup floor pans and torque boxes, drilled 5/16" holes for plugwelding and deburred for the new rocker panel. I'm going to have to trim the rocker side flange a little bit for the front and rear floor pans. It was raining heavy today. Supposed to be sunny and nice the next 10 day so I can do some work like the trimming outside.

 

[Vtx531]

Only 90 minutes to get it clamped into place and welded. Funny how quick some things go and slow other things.

If it looks like I did it with my eyes closed, it's because I did, lol. It was easier for me that way - position gun, close eyes, pull trigger momentarily, repeat x100. Actually I'm pretty happy how it turned out. Not exactly pro results on the back side because you can still see the seam but it meets my standards.

I did about four weld spots /trigger pulls in a row vs of skipping around doing one spot at a time and that worked out out nicely. Tomorrow will be grinding and sanding front/back.

I'm to the point now where things should start coming together and get this thing back on the road soon!


Welder settings so I don't forget in case they get changed somehow...

Tacked into place. I used butt weld clamps from HF that worked beautifully.

Front side

Back side

 

[NashvilleTJ]

Only 90 minutes to get it clamped into place and welded. Funny how quick some things go and slow other things.

If it looks like I did it with my eyes closed, it's because I did, lol. It was easier for me that way - position gun, close eyes, pull trigger momentarily, repeat x100. Actually I'm pretty happy how it turned out. Not exactly pro results on the back side because you can still see the seam but it meets my standards.

I did about four weld spots /trigger pulls in a row vs of skipping around doing one spot at a time and that worked out out nicely. Tomorrow will be grinding and sanding front/back.

I'm to the point now where things should start coming together and get this thing back on the road soon!


Welder settings so I don't forget in case they get changed somehow...
View attachment 329232

Tacked into place. I used butt weld clamps from HF that worked beautifully.
View attachment 329233

Front side
View attachment 329234

Back side
View attachment 329235

How's the sunburn on your face???? That's happens to me even when I'm just tacking stuff in place without a helmet.

 

[Offline246]

Pretty impressive how much your skills have improved. Great work!

 

[CV04TJR]

Looks like it it’s turning out good.

 

[Vtx531]

How's the sunburn on your face???? That's happens to me even when I'm just tacking stuff in place without a helmet.

Ya, didn't realize it at first but it felt like it was sunburned today

Pretty impressive how much your skills have improved. Great work!

Thank you!

Looks like it it’s turning out good.

Thank you!

Few hours to grind down the welds today. I am slow. I used a 3" cutoff die grinder to get it knocked down and then an angle die grinder with 2" 120grit roloc discs that worked well.

Little bit of hammer/dolly to get things close but will need to do it again after the floor pan flanges are welded to the rocker.

Also a couple of small pinholes to weld up that I could see light shining through.

 

[Vtx531]

Slow day - worked a bunch on mock fit up of the floor pans and torque box.

Decided to paint them outside the Jeep to make it easier than painting after it is installed underneath. Then I can just hit the weld seams later. Especially since the exhaust is in the way on the passenger side.

Even a lowly spray can job still takes forever. Wash. Scuff. Wash. Degrease (with mineral spirits). Setup tarp and saw horses. 2 coats rusty metal primer. 2 coats flat black.

I must be crazy because I decided that I'm going to open butt weld the floor pans again. I think I can do a better job on fitup and do a better job on welding this time around. We'll see. The parts just don't fit together as well when they are layered on top of the old floor. I'm going to put on some sunscreen first, that's for sure. Had some peeling from the sunburn on my face.

 

[Andy-WhiteTJ]

Slow day - worked a bunch on mock fit up of the floor pans and torque box.

Decided to paint them outside the Jeep to make it easier than painting after it is installed underneath. Then I can just hit the weld seams later. Especially since the exhaust is in the way on the passenger side.

Even a lowly spray can job still takes forever. Wash. Scuff. Wash. Degrease (with mineral spirits). Setup tarp and saw horses. 2 coats rusty metal primer. 2 coats flat black.

I must be crazy because I decided that I'm going to open butt weld the floor pans again. I think I can do a better job on fitup and do a better job on welding this time around. We'll see. The parts just don't fit together as well when they are layered on top of the old floor. I'm going to put on some sunscreen first, that's for sure. Had some peeling from the sunburn on my face.

View attachment 329767

When I welded on my Torque Boxes, I used a pneumatic hole punch similar to THIS along the edge of the boxes. After the boxes were painted, I used a spot sand blaster (Like this) at each hole when it was up against the body and rosette welded the holes. This minimized the painting afterwards. I only had to do a little internal painting and a few areas where I welded.