Boot floor replacement for beginners....

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davek0974

davek0974

Well-Known Member
Posts
4,848
Location
Bishops Stortford, Herts.
Ok, i bit the bullet and got the wrecking bar and hammer out today, here's how it looked to start with..

DSCN1578.JPG


DSCN1579.JPG


DSCN1580.JPG


From what i've seen, its not the worst and probably is not that bad but holes are not good so in we went. After an hour of poking and fiddling with it, wondering what the hell i've started etc, i wasn't getting anywhere so i went a bit heavier on the effort and it soon looked like this...

DSCN1581.JPG


A bit more yankin' and out it came...

DSCN1583.JPG


Should there not be a rubber pad betweent the cross-rails and the chassis???

DSCN1584.JPG


All of the rubbers are missing, replaced with rust and signs of rubbing, i guess that explains a few of the odd sounds coming from the rear as it goes over bumps etc:doh:

90% of the front channel is in good condition as is about 75% of the rear channel, the N/S floor edge is perfect and the O/S edge has a nast rusty bit midway along. All the cross-members are rotten and now removed, i have cut back one side ready for the z-strip, need some more cutting wheels now. The brake pipe support bracket was cut off intact and can be welded on as-is.

A couple of pointers for us beginners:- don't go yanking on the floor until you know what lies beneath - there is a cable running along the left of the fuel tank and is clipped to the floor. The ABS cables run through one of the rear cross-supports and need unplugging before yanking that out. The fuel tank is VERY close to the floor, watch for fuel pipes and brake lines. The seat belt anchors will likely need the heads cutting off the bolts and fixing later.

So, i got three lengths of z-strip and three cross bars from AL Services who make their own cross bars that look like an inverted V with flats at each end of the V.

Trouble is i can't figure out how they fit, bit more research needed there. The z-strips are self-explanatry and i was told that i only needed the three cross-supports not the two flat strips that were fitted, can't see any point in these either.

The good news is that there is practically no sign of any rust on the chassis, this was really pleasing, the rear x-member looks perfect too as are the rear body mounts, all the rot is restricted to the bodywork and even that seems localised and caused by the rear end leaking.

We'll see how it progresses..

Dave
 
Last edited:
Hi dave,
Just this week removed the boot cover to check for rust because the end felt a bit wet.
The sponge underneath was soaking.Took 3 days to dry out, eventually bringing it into the house for warmth.
Luckily all i hadd was some surface rust on parts of the edges and the fuel tank cover plate around the edge.Rubbed down and cleaned then two coats of anti rust primer and another two coats of Hammerite.
Thank goodness i decided to lift the cover.
Was your sponge under the cover wet?
anyway very lucky for me.Wish you well with your repacements.

Jim Anderson
1996 300Tdi auto(Jap reimport)
 
janderson41 said:
Hi dave,
Just this week removed the boot cover to check for rust because the end felt a bit wet.
The sponge underneath was soaking.Took 3 days to dry out, eventually bringing it into the house for warmth.
Luckily all i hadd was some surface rust on parts of the edges and the fuel tank cover plate around the edge.Rubbed down and cleaned then two coats of anti rust primer and another two coats of Hammerite.
Thank goodness i decided to lift the cover.
Was your sponge under the cover wet?
anyway very lucky for me.Wish you well with your repacements.

Jim Anderson
1996 300Tdi auto(Jap reimport)
Click to expand...

the sponge is always soaking. best bet is to dump the soundproofing and replace with 12mm stable matting or 10/20mm Polyurethane Closed cell foam matting it come's in 6ftx4ft sheets stable mats are about £30 CC foam is about £15 for 10mm £20 for 20mm. Look on ebay for the foam it's the same stuff the make camping mats out of. But thicker. and is Hydrophobic.??
 
janderson41 said:
Hi dave,
Just this week removed the boot cover to check for rust because the end felt a bit wet.
The sponge underneath was soaking.Took 3 days to dry out, eventually bringing it into the house for warmth.
Luckily all i hadd was some surface rust on parts of the edges and the fuel tank cover plate around the edge.Rubbed down and cleaned then two coats of anti rust primer and another two coats of Hammerite.
Thank goodness i decided to lift the cover.
Was your sponge under the cover wet?
anyway very lucky for me.Wish you well with your repacements.

Jim Anderson
1996 300Tdi auto(Jap reimport)
Click to expand...

Yes it was wet and the rust had stuck it to the floor.

redhand said:
the sponge is always soaking. best bet is to dump the soundproofing and replace with 12mm stable matting or 10/20mm Polyurethane Closed cell foam matting it come's in 6ftx4ft sheets stable mats are about £30 CC foam is about £15 for 10mm £20 for 20mm. Look on ebay for the foam it's the same stuff the make camping mats out of. But thicker. and is Hydrophobic.??
Click to expand...

Where does this foam come from and is it any better???

I need to replace it for sound deadening as its noisy as hell with it all stripped out. I have figured a way of simply testing for damp using the resistance range on my electrical tester, if you stick the two probes into the foam and it is dry there is little or no reading but if wet then you can see a much lower resistance reading, at least this makes checking it a two minute job.

Where would i find the missing rubber blocks, is it likely a spares dealer would have them??

The floor was wet because i have a water leak at the roof/body join somewhere but still cant find it.

Dave
 
davek0974 said:
Yes it was wet and the rust had stuck it to the floor.



Where does this foam come from and is it any better???


Where would i find the missing rubber blocks, is it likely a spares dealer would have them??
Click to expand...


stable matting from farmers mart/equine sales. foam from ebay. it's can't absorb water so deffo better.
 
I have a product that would stop any wet from the mat reaching the floor but am not sure whether to use it or not. Its called ISOFLEX and is a paintable liquid rubber.

I used it on my traction engine to seal the water tank and after two coats it is completely watertight, it is made for flat roof and tanking repairs, not cheap but bloody excellent stuff. With this applied, i could almost guarantee the floor would never rot from the inside out, but im not sure if the foam would still be removable or would join permanently to the rubber, making a mess, a coating of chalk dust would likely stop them sticking together though.

It would be really good stuff however for places where water pools and runs on steel like the front bulkhead/wheel arch joins in the engine bay, a coat or two of this stuff would make it totally watertight and rustproof. I will definatley be slapping some on when i get a chance and maybe underneath too.

Here's a link
Isoflex Liquid Rubber 2.1L - Screwfix.com, Where the Trade Buys

There is a matching primer too which improves the bond from "difficult to shift" to "stuck like sh1t to a blanket":D It dries flexible too.

I would love to get a mint disco, remove the body and totally seal the underside with this goop, it would never rot:)

Just a thought, i found the tin while looking for my angle grinder today. :doh:
 
Last edited:
davek0974 said:
Ok, i bit the bullet and got the wrecking bar and hammer out today, here's how it looked to start with..

DSCN1578.JPG


DSCN1579.JPG


DSCN1580.JPG


From what i've seen, its not the worst and probably is not that bad but holes are not good so in we went. After an hour of poking and fiddling with it, wondering what the hell i've started etc, i wasn't getting anywhere so i went a bit heavier on the effort and it soon looked like this...

DSCN1581.JPG


A bit more yankin' and out it came...

DSCN1583.JPG


Should there not be a rubber pad betweent the cross-rails and the chassis???

DSCN1584.JPG


All of the rubbers are missing, replaced with rust and signs of rubbing, i guess that explains a few of the odd sounds coming from the rear as it goes over bumps etc:doh:

90% of the front channel is in good condition as is about 75% of the rear channel, the N/S floor edge is perfect and the O/S edge has a nast rusty bit midway along. All the cross-members are rotten and now removed, i have cut back one side ready for the z-strip, need some more cutting wheels now. The brake pipe support bracket was cut off intact and can be welded on as-is.

A couple of pointers for us beginners:- don't go yanking on the floor until you know what lies beneath - there is a cable running along the left of the fuel tank and is clipped to the floor. The ABS cables run through one of the rear cross-supports and need unplugging before yanking that out. The fuel tank is VERY close to the floor, watch for fuel pipes and brake lines. The seat belt anchors will likely need the heads cutting off the bolts and fixing later.

So, i got three lengths of z-strip and three cross bars from AL Services who make their own cross bars that look like an inverted V with flats at each end of the V.

Trouble is i can't figure out how they fit, bit more research needed there. The z-strips are self-explanatry and i was told that i only needed the three cross-supports not the two flat strips that were fitted, can't see any point in these either.

The good news is that there is practically no sign of any rust on the chassis, this was really pleasing, the rear x-member looks perfect too as are the rear body mounts, all the rot is restricted to the bodywork and even that seems localised and caused by the rear end leaking.

We'll see how it progresses..

Dave
Click to expand...

Hi dave

while you are in there i would give the chassis a good lick of paint as a lot of it you won't be able to get to once the floor is in place, is it worth putting a removable plate in the new floor to get to the fuel water catcher easier as they look a pain to get to from underneath.

graham
__________________
98 d1 300tdi auto.
 
cornish rattler said:
Hi dave

while you are in there i would give the chassis a good lick of paint as a lot of it you won't be able to get to once the floor is in place, is it worth putting a removable plate in the new floor to get to the fuel water catcher easier as they look a pain to get to from underneath.

graham
__________________
98 d1 300tdi auto.
Click to expand...

I might give it all a going over, but i doubt it will make much difference really, if its lasted 16 years with no rust on the chassis and only partially rusted floor, i should think the existing bare chassis will outlive the engine, running gear and major bodywork????

I didnt find it too difficult to do the fuel sedimentor, i put a bag over it so i didnt get drenched when the seal was opened:) that little trick worked really well.

Dave
 
I had a good chat with an MOT tester today, he was satisfied that as long as the repair was "Structurally sound" withing 30cm of any specified zones, the repair should be good. He stressed rivets were an acceptable method if properly fitted in the correct qtys and positions, duct tape was not acceptable:)

Bearing that in mind, i will be using adhesive and rivets for my rebuild, i would not advise it as a suitable or otherwise repair, make your own minds up please.

The good thing with a "cold" repair is that it means i can get a good dose of sealant into the joints before closing it up, giving a good seal and no chance of fire when welded. Some more prep to do tonight, rust treatment and primer to on hopefully.

Dave
 
Ok, rust treatment and primer tomorrow maybe. I got all the edges cut back and cleaned up, good news is that there is sound metal on all sides still so i caught it just in time i think.

Took out the 2nd row seats as well so i can get a z-strip along the front edge nicely, i'll mitre-cut the corners and weld them up into a solid frame that just sits in the hole, the cross-pieces need welding on to the underside of the z-strips anyway. I can use the new floor as a jig and do all the welding off the car so no risk to the electrics. According to AL Supplies the new cross bars replace all the other bars - flat and formed ones, they are 3mm steel too which seems pretty heavy.

So thats the plan, hopefully tomorrow i'll get some paint on it all then its reassembly time.
 
davek0974 said:
Yes but the water would still be there, surely just as bad a problem???

See post above for a possible cure.

Dave
Click to expand...
The problem is the soundproofing holds the water and stops the vehicle from drying out. Isoflex is good as is Acropol or just use stonechip inside and out. or even hammerite paint. will kepp the water off the metal.
 
redhand said:
The problem is the soundproofing holds the water and stops the vehicle from drying out. Isoflex is good as is Acropol or just use stonechip inside and out. or even hammerite paint. will kepp the water off the metal.
Click to expand...

Not heard of Acropol but i was mightily impressed with the isoflex, two coats turned a rivetted steel box into a functioning water tank on my traction engine, i'll definately be finding uses for that stuff on the motor.

I'm hoping that i can keep on top of the leaks therefore allowing me to use the sound proofing mat, good thing is that now i know it was wet, i can check it regularly. With the floor effectively waterproof, the only thing that can happen is that it'll go mouldy.

What is it that makes D1's rust in the body, D2's rust in the chassis and so-on?? I think i'd rather have body rust than chassis if i was forced to choose.
 
davek0974 said:
Not heard of Acropol but i was mightily impressed with the isoflex, two coats turned a rivetted steel box into a functioning water tank on my traction engine, i'll definately be finding uses for that stuff on the motor.

I'm hoping that i can keep on top of the leaks therefore allowing me to use the sound proofing mat, good thing is that now i know it was wet, i can check it regularly. With the floor effectively waterproof, the only thing that can happen is that it'll go mouldy.

What is it that makes D1's rust in the body, D2's rust in the chassis and so-on?? I think i'd rather have body rust than chassis if i was forced to choose.
Click to expand...

Acropol is similar to Isoflex but has glass fibre strands in it to make it stronger it's designed for the same purpose as isoflex.

Seriously ditch the soundproofing and get a sheet of stablematting. it's a fook of a lot lighter than soaking wet soundproofing.
 
Ok so the rain stopped any serious work, made the sub-frame up instead in the shop...

DSCN1586.JPG


All nicely welded, should drop straight in and the floor will drop into the frame. One more cross-strip to go on yet but i need to get the location from the car first.

Also got to find some rubber for the pads, i might sikaflex some cut bits of old timing belt there as thats pretty tough stuff.

Dave
 
It was only done 8 weeks ago, i think thats near enough not to worry about :)

Would be good if the floor just lifted out though, the a-frame joint looks pretty accessible too from above.
 
Whilst the floor was out of mine I decided to go for a full chassis clean up (drill with wire brush) and hammerite, new brake lines & flexi hoses, bump stops, ARB joints, replacement lift pump and cleaned out the fuel tank & sedimenter.
The only thing I didn't sort was the A frame joint, sods law it'll need sorting soon!!
 
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