Holes In The Floor

[AeroNautical]

I knew when I bought my MJ it had minor holes on the driver side floor. It's time to fix them, but I need some help.

 

I'll get pictures up soon, but the hole resides under the accelerator pedal, maybe 3 or 4 inches long, 1 inch wide, pretty much where your right foot rests. I'm not a very good welder, and I'd rather not pay someone to do this for me. The most I've welded are shock mounts. If I neutralize the rust, could I just use a few layers of fiberglass sheets and resin? If not, what would be the best, non weld way to fix the hole?

[ftpiercecracker1]

1. Buy 16 gauge piece of sheet metal, 12 is the very thickest, 20 very thinnest.

2. Use grinder to cut semi appropriate size.

3. Use hammer to bend/shape piece of sheet metal to fit. 

4. Use drill and rivet gun to fasten new piece of steel to floorboard

5. Seam seal the sh*t out of it.

6. Have a beer (root beer if under age/don't drink)

7. Call it good.

 

:thumbsup:

[HOrnbrod]

1. Buy 16 gauge piece of sheet metal, 12 is the very thickest, 20 very thinnest.

2. Use grinder to cut semi appropriate size.

3. Use hammer to bend/shape piece of sheet metal to fit. 

4. Use drill and rivet gun to fasten new piece of steel to floorboard

5. Seam seal the sh*t out of it.

6. Have a beer (root beer if under age/don't drink)

7. Call it good.

 

:thumbsup:

 

This is good advice if you're not a welder or don't have access to one. The only thing I would add is what PFCLeist suggested, for seam sealer use a few layers of fiberglass sheet and resin. Works well, lasts a long time.

[Keyav8r]

Prime, seam seal and paint the underside also. Allow time to dry/cure between steps.

[HOrnbrod]

Prime, seam seal and paint the underside also. Allow time to dry/cure between steps.

 

That too. 

[AeroNautical]

Damn, kinda was hoping the fiberglass would do the trick alone. I do have access to a welder, would it just be easier to do some practice welds and go at it? I've dealt with rivets before, they're kind of a pain in the @$$. Thanks for the help guys

[jimoshel]

I used 'gass to repair a 2"X6" hole in the floorboard of a '65 CJ5. It held up for 12 years. That's when I sold it so don't know how long it lasted. Primary job was cleaning, removing neutralizing the rust.

[AeroNautical]

I was inspired by Jims story and patched em with fiberglass, did an outstanding job, 6 layers thick (3 top, 3 bottom), probably even stronger than a metal sheet. Thanks for the help

[Oyaji]

I did the same with the old 914 I drove back in college days onward until 2004. I used spare scraps of 6-oz ding repair 'glass for surfboards I had accumulated for years along with a doubled section of heavy-weave 'glass roving plus a few layers of 'glass mat from boat repair. The resulting patch was a quarter-inch thick and plenty strong. I ended up making my own seat mounts that dropped the seating position a bit more than an inch - the patch provided plenty of security for the bolts I ran through holes drilled through glass and what metal remained.

 

I took 2 weeks prepping the rust with a chipper, wire wheel, and Ospho (phosphoric acid rust treatment) before priming, painting, 'glassing, gel-coating, re-priming, and re-painting. When I was done, you couldn't tell by looking at it that it had been repaired - the fiberglass patch even duplicated the original contours of the factory sheetmetal. It was plenty secure for nearly 20 years... right up until the day Hurricane Ivan dropped a 30"-diameter pine tree right down the middle of the car.

[jimoshel]

Obviously you should have 'glassed the roof too. Beefed it up a tad. :yes: