Floor Support

[bbalch404]

So I am replacing the floors and floor supports in my 72 C10 and the steel plate that the body mount bolt goes through that sits on top of the floor support needs to be replaced. I can find just about every other panel and support online but I can't seem to find this one. I would just make one but it has the dimple in it so the mount bolt sits below the floor level. Anyone know where I can get one or have any advice on how to make one?? Thanks!

[78 Bonanza]

I run my own restoration shop and would say that you are going to have to make the part or find a donor truck to cut the piece out of. A picture would help me better understand exactly what you are trying to do. I have used a sand bag and tear drop rubber mallet to make recessed bolt holes before. But without seeing it I can not say for sure. Post a pic and I will help you from there.

[bbalch404]

The plate in the middle is the one in question.

[78 Bonanza]

Okay now I see what you are attempting to accomplish. Cut yourself a piece of sheet metal out of the old floor pan if possible or take the piece to a metal supply store and have them match the gauge for you. They should have a round metal gauge that looks like a throwing star there to check it for you. Take the piece home and get ready to work.

1. First off you are going to have to use a square and square up the entire piece so you have straight points to work from. A new black sharpey is what I always use. Do the same to the old one also so you will have an easier time with another possible way to fix this. Will explain later in the steps.

2.Once you have it marked out make sure to measure from top left corner to bottom right corner and write down the measurement on the piece. Then do the opposite on the other two corners. If it is square the measurements will be the same.

3. Next you are going to want to draw an x from the corners just like you measured it. Use a straight edge so it is right on the money. The point they intersect will be the exact middle of the square and the point at which the bolt hole will land.

4. Next use a compass to draw your outer edge of the recess. Now drill the hole for the bolt over sized so you can get in and use a hack saw blade or an air powered small body saw (or whatever you can find to cut with) and cut lines in the sheet metal so that you can bend them down to make the profile of the cup. Cut these to the length of the original cup.

5. Now go to a farm and ranch supply store and find a tractor bolt shim that is the same thickness as the sheet metal. You can use a standard washer but you will end up hand filling it down to get it to the proper thickness and nice and flat and even. I always find these shims with the metric bolts and odd ball nuts and bolts at the stores. If worse comes to worst cut your old one out if it is still solid. I can not tell from the picture but it looks as if it has some sort of damage. If you do reuse the cup just coat it with rust encapsulator and it will be good to go. Make sure and wire brush it with a drill to get as much of the rust off as possible. And if you go this route you will use your lines from the first step to draw and square around the recess and cut the square out. Make sure and leave yourself plenty of room on the edges so you don't burn into the recess when you are welding it in place. When you are welding use spot welds and have a good shop rag handy with water so you can cool the welds immediately. This will help stop heat warping. The welding will take some time but be patient and just work it around. Never weld next to a weld you have just completed. Always weld on the opposite side of the recess so you do not cause heat warping.

6. Weld the open lines in the sides of the cup to fill in where they will have a gap. Weld the hole in the center of the shim to the rough size that you need. Make sure and use a flattened out piece of copper tubing on the back side of the welds so that you will have a nice smooth surface on the back after welding.

7. Once the welding is done use a Dremel tool with a good carbide bit and smooth the edges of the cup out on the front and back.

8. Use your previous lines (you may have to redo them after the welding burns them off) and find the exact center of the cup and drill the hole in the middle to the size you need.

I know it sounds like a lot of work but when you do not have access to a part that is the nature of the beast. And it really doesn't take that long if you have fabrication experience. I would try using the old recess first though. Even if you have to weld some holes or pitting in it this approach will be much faster and easier! Just remember to watch out for heat warping. It is your worst enemy when welding in new body panels, patch panels, etc. Hope this helps you and just PM me if you need anymore help. A straight on picture of the panel would help me to diagnose if it can be reused or not. Take care and have fun with your truck!

[GR8-68]

Did you buy a new floor pan ? I assumed it would be part of it

[57taskforce]

Originally Posted by GR8-68

Did you buy a new floor pan ? I assumed it would be part of it

My toe board patches didn't come with the plate.

[bbalch404]

Thanks for all of the help everyone. Yea the new floor pans have the recess for the bolt but the 3/16th or so thick plate is not a part of the floor pan. One idea I had to fix it was to weld in a piece of round tubing to the floor support kind of like a sleeve around the mounting bolt to support the bottom of the floor pan so it doesn't get sucked down once the cab mount bolt is tightened. I'm pretty sure this is all the plate does anyway. Thoughts?

[stsalvage]

Originally Posted by bbalch404

The plate in the middle is the one in question.

ON his picture where the dimmer switch should go right after that should be vetting a eleavaded floorwhere the corner is raised up so that water can not be trapped in that cover.Most of the guys put the seems back to factory spec's there Wrong.If you want to do away with any more cancer in your cab corners raise the floor up just a little more then the door opening No more trapped water you spill something it dose right for the door.Dodge and ford never had problems with there floors where the dimmer switch is when your cab leaks it goes right to that lower floor to that seem raise the seem up 1 inch more problems

[GR8-68]

I am painting all my floors and inner rockers and seams with por-15 hopefully this will help prevent development of rust when I am done repairing my cab.

[78 Bonanza]

You do not want to place a piece of pipe in any area under the floor or bed. I have worked on way too many red neck body lifts that use pipe to support the bed or floor of trucks. Just the daily use of the truck will cause the weight to work against the sheet metal and cause an uprising in that area. If you could post some straight on pics so I could see the shape the plate is in I could help you out a lot more. Easy is never better when you are building any vehicle. All of the parts were engineered to work together and there is a need and use for all of them especially in the body and frame. The body takes way more abuse than anyone realizes. Just post some pics of the piece and how it is mounted (I do way too many to remember each and every vehicles construction to a t) and what you are trying to accomplish and I am sure I can help you get this fixed right. I have been doing body, paint, restoration, etc. for over 25 years so I have seen and done a lot and have made mistakes that I can steer you clear of. Hope this helps. PM me if you wish.

POR 15 and Rust Bulitt etc. are okay for what they do. If you really want to save your floors use the Eastwood rust encapsulator (thin coat) and a coat of rubberized coating to keep your floors good for the rest of the trucks life. I have redone floors coated with POR 15 and found where it cracked and let moisture in from body flex and rotted out the floor anyway. You need something that can move with the body as it twists and turns while you are driving it. And an added bonus is the sound dampening of the rubber floor coating. I have done this for years and redone carpet etc. in the vehicles I have restored and never had one come back due to rust issues nor ever found rust in one of my floor jobs. In the long run it all costs the same!

[GR8-68]

With any type of coating whether it be por or rubberized undercoating prep is the most important key to longevity, if the surface is not prepped properly nothing will last

[bbalch404]

Here is the plate I made yesterday. I have to just grind off where the spot welds will go and burn it in.

[bbalch404]

^sorry that picture is sideways