Project: Floorpan

[joshmillslane]

So, I had to replace all the parking brake cables in my 86 MJ - what a PITA! When I pulled up the vinyl mat on the floor to get to the inside cable, the mat was all wet, and there was just a slight starting of surface rust. I wasn't going to have that on my beater! So I ripped out and tossed the moldy smelling mat and resolved to do something about that damn floor someday.

 

This weekend became someday. T hought about the rhino line route, but that would require me to take it apart at their shop and cost a lot of money. I found some spray cans of truck bed liner at advance auto. Worth a shot I figured - worst case scenario it sucks and I'm not out much money.

 

I took out the seat and lower trim panels and scuffed up the paint and rust real good with a paint stripping brush - I nearly killed my 14.4v Dewalt cordless. Quick vacuum job and wipe with mineral spirits, then I sprayed a light mist of rust converter on the rusty spots. I let that sit for a couple hours then gave it a good cloth drying job. I then started spraying in light coats. The spray was very easy to control, so I took off the masking I did so I could get in tighter in some spots. The only things I taped were the seat bolts and seat belt holes. It took about 3 cans to do the whole floor in 2 or 3 thick coats. I did many extra coats on the foot wells in particular - making sure to get inside the holes where the bracing is. I used part of a 4th can to coat the lower trim pieces in black - we'll see how it holds up once it's fully cured.

 

I'm going to let this sit for a few days, then order another vinyl mat and call it done. Hopefully this will be the last time I wrestle that damned bench seat in and out. :D

Image Not Found

 

Image Not Found

 

Image Not Found

 

Image Not Found

 

Image Not Found

[tjbliley]

Looks good.

[oldjeep]

If you are putting a mat over it , it should be fine. But if you are expecting to walk on it or have it resist scuffs you will be disappointed. That particular stuff is made to hit corners and places where it's hard to get into with a roller or brush with the good bedliner. I used it in my old CJ tub and it just didn't hold up. Herculiner is a much better product for anything that needs to hold up to abraision.

[joshmillslane]

Yes, definately going with a vinyl mat over it once it's all cured. It will be cooler, quiter, and more comfortable with a mat for sure. The main idea here was to seal it up and stop the rusting. I thought this would be a good choice because I could lay it on thick. The crappy paint on the floor was so thin it's no wonder they rust out so bad with just a little trapped moisture. I'm hoping this will hold up a bit better than paint over the long term. We'll see.

[89MJComanche]

Honestly,

 

I would not have used that stuff for what you are trying to prevent.

 

I would have used a good rust preventive paint, and then top coated it with that stuff to make it look good.

 

FYI

 

I do use that stuff when I spray bedliners into Jeep Tubs to do just what you said, hit hard to reach spots behind the roll cage and other places before spraying.

[tjbliley]

So, I had to replace all the parking brake cables in my 86 MJ - what a PITA! When I pulled up the vinyl mat on the floor to get to the inside cable, the mat was all wet, and there was just a slight starting of surface rust. I wasn't going to have that on my beater! So I ripped out and tossed the moldy smelling mat and resolved to do something about that damn floor someday.

 

This weekend became someday. T hought about the rhino line route, but that would require me to take it apart at their shop and cost a lot of money. I found some spray cans of truck bed liner at advance auto. Worth a shot I figured - worst case scenario it sucks and I'm not out much money.

 

I took out the seat and lower trim panels and scuffed up the paint and rust real good with a paint stripping brush - I nearly killed my 14.4v Dewalt cordless. Quick vacuum job and wipe with mineral spirits, then I sprayed a light mist of rust converter on the rusty spots. I let that sit for a couple hours then gave it a good cloth drying job. I then started spraying in light coats. The spray was very easy to control, so I took off the masking I did so I could get in tighter in some spots. The only things I taped were the seat bolts and seat belt holes. It took about 3 cans to do the whole floor in 2 or 3 thick coats. I did many extra coats on the foot wells in particular - making sure to get inside the holes where the bracing is. I used part of a 4th can to coat the lower trim pieces in black - we'll see how it holds up once it's fully cured.

 

I'm going to let this sit for a few days, then order another vinyl mat and call it done. Hopefully this will be the last time I wrestle that damned bench seat in and out. :D

 

 

I think you need to read a little more indepth before you light up the flame machine.

[joshmillslane]

Really anything that forms an airtight barrier/seal will prevent rust. That's what paint does.

[undercoverwalrus]

dude, i totally did almost exactly what you did to the inside of my MJ. mine came to me with no top (tree fell on it apparently, the previous owner just cut it off) and the interior rug was sopping wet, smelly and full of roaches and frogs. i ripped it out and did the rustoleum heavy duty rust stopper stuff (unlike yours, my floors were about to fall out. no converter or dissolver for me) and used that exact same bedliner-in-a-can. i thought it would be great because it was only $8 a can instead of $15 for a pint of roll-on. disappointment ensued after i wrestled the bench seat back in and tore it all to :mad: . two coats of rustoleum and two coats of bedliner. but at least it's still a lot better than soaked carpet. i knocked out some of the plugged holes in the floor to allow for water draining and was worried about driving noise, but it's pretty quiet. i do think, though, that when i get some more cash i'll take it to a truck paint shop and get it professionally bedlined. i'm not a very patient person. :roll:

[JeepcoMJ]

dude, i totally did almost exactly what you did to the inside of my MJ. mine came to me with no top (tree fell on it apparently, the previous owner just cut it off) and the interior rug was sopping wet, smelly and full of roaches and frogs. i ripped it out and did the rustoleum heavy duty rust stopper stuff (unlike yours, my floors were about to fall out. no converter or dissolver for me) and used that exact same bedliner-in-a-can. i thought it would be great because it was only $8 a can instead of $15 for a pint of roll-on. disappointment ensued after i wrestled the bench seat back in and tore it all to :mad: . two coats of rustoleum and two coats of bedliner. but at least it's still a lot better than soaked carpet. i knocked out some of the plugged holes in the floor to allow for water draining and was worried about driving noise, but it's pretty quiet. i do think, though, that when i get some more cash i'll take it to a truck paint shop and get it professionally bedlined. i'm not a very patient person. :roll:

 

I sure hope you've got a rollcage, or have replaced the cut off section of cab.

 

if not, you've lost about 70% structural integrity, and it WILL NOT hold up to offroad abuse. it is a unibody vehicle.

[undercoverwalrus]

 

I sure hope you've got a rollcage, or have replaced the cut off section of cab.

 

if not, you've lost about 70% structural integrity, and it WILL NOT hold up to offroad abuse. it is a unibody vehicle.

 

oh, i'm not using it for off-road use, it's a two wheel drive fourbanger. i am actually looking for a rollbar, if you know anyone who has one that might fit. i've got the vinyl for a soft top. i'm checking out the junkyard as soon as i get a day off but i don't have much hope. i'd like to get a rollbar asap because if i roll it i'm toast. no fun there.

[JeepcoMJ]

 

I sure hope you've got a rollcage, or have replaced the cut off section of cab.

 

if not, you've lost about 70% structural integrity, and it WILL NOT hold up to offroad abuse. it is a unibody vehicle.

 

oh, i'm not using it for off-road use, it's a two wheel drive fourbanger. i am actually looking for a rollbar, if you know anyone who has one that might fit. i've got the vinyl for a soft top. i'm checking out the junkyard as soon as i get a day off but i don't have much hope. i'd like to get a rollbar asap because if i roll it i'm toast. no fun there.

 

 

then I'm even more worried that you're actually considering driving it without reinforcing it in some way. it literally is 70% or more compromised integrity with the top gone. that's just plain dangerous, the 2 frame rails on it are only sheetmetal, they are not a frame in any way, shape, or form. unibody means unibody, hopefully you come up with a good way to reinforce it because it's now become a driving death trap should you ever get in an accident.

 

pics please?

[beaterjeep]

then I'm even more worried that you're actually considering driving it without reinforcing it in some way. it literally is 70% or more compromised integrity with the top gone. that's just plain dangerous, the 2 frame rails on it are only sheetmetal, they are not a frame in any way, shape, or form. unibody means unibody, hopefully you come up with a good way to reinforce it because it's now become a driving death trap should you ever get in an accident.

 

pics please?

I have to agree wholeheartedly with you on this one Pat. Everything from the radiator support back is all unibody; uni meaning one, and body, well that refers to everything from the back of the cab forwards. One body cannot exist at 100% integrity with THE main supports missing, as you have with the top missing. In all honesty, I myself wouldn't even risk sitting in it in the yard for fear of it folding up like a taco on me.

 

undercoverwalrus, please for safety sake add some metal INSIDE the cab (or lack thereof) somewhat resembling a roof, so that you can get at least some structural integrity back into it.

 

Josh, sorry to divert your build thread, looks good though.

[undercoverwalrus]

dang, since i'm really new to the whole 'manche thing i didn't think about the serious safety implications about the no-top thing. the guy i got it from drove it for about a year with no top. hm. maybe if i got a rollbar and welded a couple of bars from the rollbar to the windshield like a wrangler it might do the trick? that would be a job and a half with my lack of garage.

[JeepcoMJ]

dang, since i'm really new to the whole 'manche thing i didn't think about the serious safety implications about the no-top thing. the guy i got it from drove it for about a year with no top. hm. maybe if i got a rollbar and welded a couple of bars from the rollbar to the windshield like a wrangler it might do the trick? that would be a job and a half with my lack of garage.

 

it would do somewhat of the trick. problem is you don't have anything solid or "concrete" to mount to there...you'd need to tube it in.

 

hmm. start a tech thread about it, maybe get some pics if you want I can post them up for you, and get everyone's opinion on this. were it me, I'd build bracing along the floor and up the back wall, but you want a soft top...you really need a cage to support it anyways so, maybe it's worth it for you to just pay $500 or so for a cage to be made?. either way, this is a thread jack sorry about it and like I said, new post in tech forums and people will probably have alot more opinions on it than here.