ComancheJon Posted June 14, 2013 Share Posted June 14, 2013 So, as most MJ projects go, it's time to replace the floors in the comanche. I just want some of your opinions on the best way to go about it. I was doing research and getting 50/50 split info on comanche vs. cherokee floor pans. I found these two statements regarding the cherokee floor pans and the top half of the frame rails being in the comanche: "(3) To my knowledge, the XJ does not have the boxed in top portion of the frame and just has floor pan straight across. If the MJ would smash like an accordian in an accident without the top boxed in frame rail, wouldn't we be seeing this problem with cracked up XJ's" "The XJ's actually had horrible crash test ratings due to the rocker in the middle caving up. Unfortinately I don't have the crash test video anymore, but it crumpled in the middle of the rocker and in the roof right above the driver in a drivers side front corner crash." Now, being as I totaled my 93 cherokee, I KNOW the floors do in fact accordion when put through a direct impact. Should I buy a cherokee floor pan and possibly just add a thicker piece of sheet metal above the lower frame rail to "box it in"? Any advice would help greatly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eagle Posted June 14, 2013 Share Posted June 14, 2013 XJs had horrible crash ratings? Really? Tell that to my graduate school roommate. His wife was driving a Cherokee, with their two sons on board, when she was hit head-on by a truck. Minor injuries, and my roomie credits the XJ with saving their lives. Why not use an XJ floor pan and weld the MJ box brace back on top, like the factory intended it to be? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ComancheJon Posted June 15, 2013 Author Share Posted June 15, 2013 XJs had horrible crash ratings? Really? Tell that to my graduate school roommate. His wife was driving a Cherokee, with their two sons on board, when she was hit head-on by a truck. Minor injuries, and my roomie credits the XJ with saving their lives. Why not use an XJ floor pan and weld the MJ box brace back on top, like the factory intended it to be? I wasn't the one who stated that, I simply quoted things I found when I searched the topic. I know first hand a cherokee can take a crash. It saved my life, I hit two trees head on and rolled without anyone in the car being hurt. However, the floor did crumple in some places and the roof did as well, like one of the quotes states. Like most rust in comanches, it took the majority of my box brace from me, I only have it from the branched out frame support which is less than half of it. That's mainly why I asked Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eagle Posted June 15, 2013 Share Posted June 15, 2013 XJs had horrible crash ratings? Really? Tell that to my graduate school roommate. His wife was driving a Cherokee, with their two sons on board, when she was hit head-on by a truck. Minor injuries, and my roomie credits the XJ with saving their lives. Why not use an XJ floor pan and weld the MJ box brace back on top, like the factory intended it to be? Like most rust in comanches, it took the majority of my box brace from me, I only have it from the branched out frame support which is less than half of it. That's mainly why I asked So make a new one. You can mock it up in cardboard, transfer the cut and bend lines to sheet metal, and make your own. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmoore1031 Posted June 16, 2013 Share Posted June 16, 2013 I bought all new floor pans from RockAuto for $170 shipped. Then I had a shop weld them in and it got expensive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eagle Posted June 16, 2013 Share Posted June 16, 2013 I bought all new floor pans from RockAuto for $170 shipped. Then I had a shop weld them in and it got expensive. Aside from the cost, how did they fit? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mpace6a Posted June 16, 2013 Share Posted June 16, 2013 I bought all new floor pans from RockAuto for $170 shipped. Then I had a shop weld them in and it got expensive. Aside from the cost, how did they fit? interested as well. ive heard they don't fit perfect, but work well? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmoore1031 Posted June 16, 2013 Share Posted June 16, 2013 They didn't fit perfect. The package said they were for Cherokee, Wagoneer, and Comanche. But they shop that did the work said they had to bend them to make it work. It looks great now. Will post pics eventually. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Akula69 Posted June 17, 2013 Share Posted June 17, 2013 In my son's case, we welded the top rails back in, and actually had to fabricate a new section for the driver's side. I would not recommend leaving them off, even with the 23 gauge pans we got from Raybuck. See the pics here: http://comancheclub.com/topic/38725-89-resto-to-99-conversion/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mvusse Posted June 17, 2013 Share Posted June 17, 2013 I got a Classic 2 Current floor pan for the driver side of Wilbur. Had to massage it a bit to fit correctly, but for the price, and it being 18 gauge, I think it's a good deal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ctrobk Posted July 18, 2013 Share Posted July 18, 2013 I bought all new floor pans from RockAuto for $170 shipped. Then I had a shop weld them in and it got expensive. I need to get this done as well. I also need rockers on both sides. Can you give me a ballpark of what the cost was to install? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oddmodman Posted July 18, 2013 Share Posted July 18, 2013 Bah. Make your stuff man. Easy and cheap. I made a template with cardboard and duct tape and used sheet metal from old washer/dryers, cut out with a cutting wheel, put in the new plate, form-fitted with a hammer, and welded in with a tiny 110 welder. Used free, light steel frames from craigslist to make the new top rails. Easy, peasy, and cheapy. Of course then I sprayed it with a couple coats of undercoat on top of 3 coats of primer. That was the most expensive part of my floor remake lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmoore1031 Posted July 19, 2013 Share Posted July 19, 2013 I bought all new floor pans from RockAuto for $170 shipped. Then I had a shop weld them in and it got expensive. I need to get this done as well. I also need rockers on both sides. Can you give me a ballpark of what the cost was to install? $600! No joke. Labor is not cheap. My floors were disgusting and they had to rebuild my transmission tunnel. My bench seat was also nasty so I threw it away. They ended up putting in Grand Cherokee seats. They also undercoated the entire floor so it should be good for a long time. I wish I had the knowledge of how to do it myself. I coulda bought a welder, grinder, and misc supplies for like $250 at Harbor Freight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oddmodman Posted July 19, 2013 Share Posted July 19, 2013 Haha, I had only the barest idea of what I was doing. I know how to weld, but I'd never replaced sheet metal or made a template. I just started cutting. For the welding there's always Youtube, the rest is just fly by wire. Try it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmoore1031 Posted July 20, 2013 Share Posted July 20, 2013 Little late now lol. Plus I couldn't take on that kind of project where I currently live. I can't even do oil changes here. When I move in a few weeks, things will change. My Cherokee floors are in good shape so I don't have to worry about that. My Cherokee rockers are rusting away. Is that a good project to learn on? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oddmodman Posted July 21, 2013 Share Posted July 21, 2013 Honestly I'm not sure. Personally I'd say there are too many bends to do a good job if you don't have a plate bender machine. Someone else might be able to help you more if you make a dedicated post. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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