Simple turned hard

[Va_Mike]

Well I wanted to swap out the interior of my 1990 f350 and figured I could get it done with a few days that I had off. But Mr. Murphy decided to show up and destroy that plan. When I removed the rubber floor mat I found more rust that I would have cared to ever seen on a vehicle I planned on keeping. Now to figure out how much to cut out and such. Nothing has been simple on this truck!

 

[hacked89]

Nothing left to do but tackle it. Some of us have welded it, some have riveted it, for you.. it usually looks worse than you got on east coast. You got that going.

 

[Nero]

Hit up @1mouse3 for suggestions, he's doing the same thing!

 

[IDIBRONCO]

I haven't had a truck with that much floor rust since I stopped driving dent sides. Not that I'm encouraging it, but years ago, I had a guy tell me road signs make the best repair panels for rusty floors. They don't rust out very quickly.

 

[Va_Mike]

I know it isn't as bad as some of the trucks on this coast are. I can weld it and would do that before riveting. I had thought about doing fiberglass but I know lots of people have strong opinions about fiberglass belonging on boats only. My only concern with fiberglass is in a side impact accident it could shatter. Other than that from a material engineering standpoint it has better better strength properties than steel. Plus it never rusts! But I will have to think about my options for a couple days. My parts truck has good floor boards so I could just cut those out and weld them in.

 

[Kdo58]

I would try to figure out where the water is coming from. I replaced my wiper motor and had the cowl off, and all the seam sealer was cracked or loose

 

[Va_Mike]

I am going to pull the cowl because I think that's where the water is coming from because the rust starts up by the firewall.

 

[Kdo58]

There is also a drain near the wheel well, mine was completely plugged with pine needles

 

[chicken bones]

I did not have the rust , but had to find the leak on my truck . Replaced the front window it was leaking in several location , remove outside trim , soapy water & blow air from inside around the seal. After window replaced and sealed , still had a leak . Removed interior sun visor , soaped gutters above door and blow air in hole from visor hole, purchased 3M seam sealer resealed gutters, still had a leak. Removed the cowl replaced the old foam, more seam sealer, cleared the drains by the doors.Also had to chalk around the electrical plugs in the fire wall. After many hours my truck is completly dry inside , hope this helps.

 

[Va_Mike]

when welding the floor boards in I have see people butt weld them and then people who over lap the panels by 1/2" to 1" and weld top and bottom. Who has done these and what do you like? The overlap sounds like it would add strength but it could also add a water trap that could rust again.

 

[Nero]

Water will only trap if there's a leak

 

[Va_Mike]

Water will only trap if there's a leak

This is true for the inside. I worry more about the outside of the lap and road moisture getting in and rusting between the panels. But I guess after I weld it I can prim and use steam sealer and then paint. Then I at least have a couple layers of protection.

 

[Va_Mike]

I haven't started cutting the floors out of the two trucks yet. But I am wondering and looking for advice from those who have replaced floors. How difficult will it be to remove the floor sections from the 93 parts truck? I know there is a stiffener that runs down each side and the floor is spot welded to that. Will that be very difficult to separate from the floorplan? Basically I am trying to decide if I should just order new ones verses try to use what I have. Even though the ones I have are in good shape, only rust is surface rust.

 

[Cant Write]

I can’t see the whole pickup(s) in the photo, but what about a cab swap? Would that take less time?

 

[1mouse3]

I know there is a stiffener that runs down each side and the floor is spot welded to that. Will that be very difficult to separate from the floorplan? Basically I am trying to decide if I should just order new ones verses try to use what I have. Even though the ones I have are in good shape, only rust is surface rust.

The factory has it all spot welded together, you just have to find them and drill them out. That should not be hard, but is not guaranteed that the tips where misaligned. With misaligned tips, burn marks would be on eather side of the welds and found that to be a issue on mine. Say run a small bit through the center of the burn on one side, then look on the other side to see if it matches the other burn. If it dose not, you need to find center before you can drill it out. As for saving used metal, depend on the state of the metal and you need to know lmc panels are not shaped correct. So too which is the lesser of two evils, is the one to go with.