Need some guidance from those with experience!
My '09 JK front driver floor pan is rotted right thru.
I bought a replacement made by Key Parts. I've never done a replacement like this, but would like to save the $$$.
I got quotes from $2k to $600.
The $600 (from a very well established body shop) is attractive, but he is assuming 8hrs of labor and won't guarantee it is enough time.
Any thoughts or recommendations? TYIA

 

Bucc18, I have not done a jk floor pan but did replace the passenger floor pan in a '99 XJ Cherokee and I assume they would be very similar. Assuming you have welding skills and are good at welding thin sheetmetal. This was my biggest challenge not burning thru when tacking or welding the pan replacement down. I also have a plasma cutter which was a breeze to use cutting out the old pan, otherwise its a cutoff wheel, jig saw or recip. saw to cut the pan out. I have watched some car shows where they pop riveted the replacement floor pan down, IMO not sufficient strength in those rivets for that type of repair to last, but to each their own. After welding and primer I coated inside and outside with undercoating, then new carpet. Good luck with it , let us know which direction you choose.

 

How the heck did that happen? Do you live where they salt the roads in winter time?

 

Do have a question.. How long do you plan to keep your '09? Over in SE Pa and know several shops that do Rust repair. Shops some charge 75-85 per hour actual time and some quote a flat price. - none guarantee rust work.. Being in NJ rates should probably be higher but similar; time for the job is the variable. To reduce time pull out as much of the interior as possible and still get to the shop you choose..I have heard of $4k-5K for rockers and cab corners on Trucks. Do a good visual on whichever shops --you have a well established quoting .. look organized, good equipment MIG welder, Time estimate for repair once you drop off and they start; things can get extended with other jobs intruding..Majority of shops here are 2 months on schedule for collision repair if the vehicle is driveable. Good Luck

 

I agree.....there is sure an art to welding thinner sheetmetal. I watch a lot of youtube vids on guys doing body work repairs and am always mesmerized by their results. The best tip I ever saw was counterintuitive in that you need to crank the heat up. Though it seems you would just burn through faster it actually allows you to zap for a quick blast which ends up being less heat in the end cuz it's not as long. that and a lot of patience.....and constantly be hitting the tack welds with a flap disc so when you go to make another tack you're right on the sheet and not just hitting another tack. Even picking up tips here and there, I've never been successful welding thin sheet. 14g seems to be my limit.

 

If you remove the rusted out panel and cut it back a bit to clean metal then place the new pan (perhaps with overlap trimmed down a bit to fit inside) then place in on the floor over the hole inside you should be able to scribe the panel for final fitment with a fine tipped felt pen. Careful not to cut tto much first time. Then it is all butt welds from old to new panel with a MIG welder with gas and solid wire. 1/2" weld length then go 2" and repeat. Keep going round and round till it is continuous. Thenthe undercoat treatment etc as explained earlier. Rust is like an iceberg - you only see 10% of it.

 

I have done this several times its not hard but there is a lot to it if you want a nice clean job that will be invisible. first is cutting out the rotted floor you need to drill out the spot welds then cut out floor slightly smaller than the replacement pan. then set the pan in place kind of stuff it in the whole you made and mark around it for the final cut always cut on the small size work your way up to final fit. Once you get it to fit nice the edges should meet up nice with a verry thin gap in between them. Then have a friend back up the spot our going to weld with a piece of Brass a freeze plug works good you can clamp it in some pliers to hold it as it does get HOT. the weld wont stick to the Brass and this helps it not to burn through the metal then hold the brass on one side and spot weld it then just move from side to side keeping the welding moving so you don't get one area to hot and warp the metal. the seam along the hump will be welded threw the holes you drilled out for the spot welds . when your done just lightly grind off the welds to make them look good and the get some seam sealer at your local body supply house and seal all the seams on both sides using an acid brush there cheap and the bristles are stiff and will spread the seam sealer out nice just like the factory does . Also might par to search out some YOUTUBE videos to give yourself an idea of the process.

 

Operator error.... I'm in+out of saltwater all summer with my sailboat. I always immediately hose down when I get home and make sure the carpets are bone dry (I even lift them up for air flow). What I didn't expect was that the saltwater got under the soundproofing on the floor pan. And thats where the rust was breeding.

 

Cutting out the rust to fit the new pan is one of my concerns. If I can get over that hurdle, I'm thinking of using 2-part epoxy auto adhesive in lieu of welding.
There are some heat shields to remove from below, I'm a bit concerned about that too; I can't even see how they are attached.

 

Yes, I do want to keep my '09 JK. It's got 160k miles and I'm lucky to have a company vehicle now so it my weekend ride.