floorboard install tools? - Lateral-g Forums

clay69camaro · #1 03-25-2010, 06:29 PM

I'm planning on buying the full floorboard replacement from classic industries. I've got a welder and some hand tools, what else do I need? I don't really care if it is done to original specs. Can I just weld fat beads every inch and be done with it? or do I need to buy something to do the spot welds?

**KPC67** · #2 03-25-2010, 07:35 PM

I would not weld it solid along the sides if that's what you mean.
You will need a good drill and drill bit. Then you just plug weld the holes you drilled.

**GregWeld** · #3 03-25-2010, 08:44 PM

Okay - I hope you understand the "spot weld" idea...

You're going to want to drill holes in the NEW floor if you're going to lay it over the edge of the old... and then you'd do a "rosette" weld thru the hole you drilled -- filling it -- and it will "look like" a spot weld...

You could "reverse" this if the overlap would be the other way around... then you'd want to lay your new stuff up there and mark where you're going to weld - and clean that little area down to bare metal.

OR -- you can butt weld the new floor in -- and this will take a lot more prep work - but gives the final product a "never been worked on" finish if that's what you're going for. If this is the case - FIT UP is paramount to good welding to follow.. you want really tight gaps that are consistent (1/16") and to do that you're going to need some extra tools - lots of clamps - cut off wheels and grinders and tin snips etc in order to SCRIBE the old onto the new and then be able to sneak up on the fit (to get the gaps right). Then you'd have that all clamped in and fitting right - and you'd tack it in - and then go back and finish weld it - by skipping around - weld an inch here - move to the other side weld an inch etc... until you had welded it all the way around. THEN you'd use seam sealer and you could metal finish the underside so you'd never know it was done.

None of this is rocket science --- but does take some time - and lots of patience to make it look and fit right. CLAMPING either way is critical -- you've got to use lots of clamps when you're welding. Metal expands and contracts when you're welding on it - and you don't want to be warping stuff. And CLEAN metal is important to making a good weld. Welding on rusted or painted areas is a total no no. Be careful to not grind the metal -- just get it clean - it's thin enough already!

Don't make it more work than it already is... but grinding what little is there down to nothin'. When you're tacking -- cut your stick out at an angle EACH tack... that will help you with burn through. The tiny "tip" of the fill wire will start the weld quicker with less heat and get you a nice tach. Wire is cheap and you're not "wasting it" by doing this - try it and you'll see what I'm talking about. CLEAN metal - and sharp "stick out" with good fit up and you'll make nice tacks.

Welding this stuff is like painting -- good PREP is key to good paint. It goes for welding too. The welding is EASY if you've done your prep right. It's hard and a lot of work when you're burning through and have a nasty ass looking job when you're done.

So if it was me -- I'd prep all my "old" edges first - using a wire wheel - or some 3M Roloc discs... etc. cleaning them top and bottom to bare metal... back at least an inch. Then I'd see where the new has to go and what I have to do to prep it.

**GregWeld** · #4 03-25-2010, 08:51 PM

BTW -- Don't use a twist drill when putting holes in sheet metal. Get yourself a couple of step drills... they're for sheet metal work.

Do you have a spot weld cutter? There are some real crappy versions out there -- and some good ones. Trust me -- the good ones are worth their weight in gold. Drilling out spot welds sucks. I use the Hougens roto broaches - they make a killer spot weld cutter. I center punch each weld real well - and then use my cutter... a good center punch keeps it from crawling offcenter.

http://www.hougen.com/cutters/sheetm...potweld_lg.jpg

ItDoRun · #5 03-26-2010, 06:31 AM

You probably won't be able to get a spot weld drill to all of the welds, especially the area behind the front seats. The pan drops down for the rear passenger's feet and that hump makes it difficult to get a bit between it and the rocker. A right angle drill may work, but I didn't have one when I did my floor.

IMO, forget the spot weld bit. Just get you a grinder and grind through the existing spot welds under the car...it's much quicker! Plus, if your doing the full floor replacement, you're probably not worried about salvaging the existing floor anyway.

You can check out my cardomain site starting on about page 20. It shows the floor install for my car.

redfire69 · #6 03-26-2010, 12:27 PM

I used a grinder as well to free the floor from the rockers and toe pans. But I also replaced the inner and outer rockers in addition to the one piece floor. Grinding and cutoff wheels are your friend!

clay69camaro · #7 03-30-2010, 02:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GregWeld

BTW -- Don't use a twist drill when putting holes in sheet metal. Get yourself a couple of step drills... they're for sheet metal work.

Do you have a spot weld cutter? There are some real crappy versions out there -- and some good ones. Trust me -- the good ones are worth their weight in gold. Drilling out spot welds sucks. I use the Hougens roto broaches - they make a killer spot weld cutter. I center punch each weld real well - and then use my cutter... a good center punch keeps it from crawling offcenter.

http://www.hougen.com/cutters/sheetm...potweld_lg.jpg

My old floorboards are already out. I used my airhammer, plasma cutter, drill with lots of the wrong bits as you described above haha, grinder, cutoff wheel, but I got them out without destroying what I was going to be working with in the future.

just wanted to know what to use to "spot weld" them back in.

thanks everyone. I got the floorboard from classic industries yesterday, I'm going to try and find some time to fit them in later this week.

redfire69 · #8 03-31-2010, 03:48 AM

One of the easier ways is to use a panel flanger to overlap the new to the old. Then drill 3/8 hole every couple of inches along the flange to fill with roset/plug welds. Fun stuff!

ItDoRun · #9 03-31-2010, 06:24 AM

Let us know how many times you get burned while welding. I've got battle scars all over my neck and arms from laying under the car welding the floor in. I'm glad that part of the build is done! Fun stuff.

redfire69 · #10 03-31-2010, 10:49 AM

Also invest in some throw away ear plugs. Ask me how I know, LOL! Slag inside your ear canal is no fun....makes a loud sizzle noise though!