Replacing floor pans in a 1998 Jeep XJ Cherokee PT1
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- Опубліковано 5 вер 2024
- My XJ has succumb to rust on the floor pan. I was wheeling a few months back and a tree branch found a weak spot on in my floor pans. When I pulled the carpet to inspect the damage, I was greeted with a unpleasant surprise. I found lots of rust and holes in parts of the floor pans and inner sills.
I was able to find a company that has pre-stamped / pre-cut replacement floor pans.
The company I went with was www.c2cfabrica.... This video covers the prep for the panels. Stay tuned for follow up videos on the complete project.
#c2cfabrication #jeepxj
Holy crap!! That looks miserable 😩 Props to you for not trashing the whole XJ; gotta save the XJ’s 🤣❤️🐞
Thanks. Really, I just didn't want to move everything over to another rig. Especially after doing the frame stiffeners. Lol. I want to try and keep this xj as long as I can
FMJeeping - Frame stiffener mod! LOL! I’m very aware of that awesome mod 😉🤣
Glad you haven’t given up on that XJ ❤️🐞
Thanks Bug!!
Thank you for this video, finally someone has shown/explained how to do this properly. I was worried about cutting into the un and wouldn't of thought to use an air chisel in order to break the spot welds on it, you're a genius!
Thank you! The air chisel was a life saver on this project. Glad it helped you.
This was not a properly done repair. I find it sad people see stuff like this and think its a proper way to repair things. Its not. Clearly this isn't a show car but still having some pride in ur work shows in the final results this shows how little he cares
Great work man! I just discovered my 99xj passenger side foot wells are completely rusted out. I pulled my seats and carpet yesterday. This video series is extremely helpful. Thanks so much, now I need to buy some tools.
Thanks for the comment. I'm sorry to hear about your floor. I didn't like my surprise that I found either. I'm glad the video helped.
mine has rusted out in the same spot. lol strange. great channel man. i will be watching all your stuff.
Thanks! I honestly thought that I only had a small spot. Pulling the carpet really opened a Pandora's box. It needed to get done. Thanks for watching. I have more stuff coming down the pipeline.
Thanks very much. I will get the tools and supplies you suggested. I will also be looking forward to seeing your welding video.
I also have an 1998 xj.. only some surface rust atm.. nice work. Hope you never have to a heater core.. was so much fun
Yeah. I'm praying that I don't have to do it. It does not look like fun .
Thanks for video!
You're welcome. Thanks for watching
Great video man. That air chiselers makes quick work of the spot welds
Thanks . I wish I used it on the driver's side. I'd probably be done already. Lol
FMJeeping haha I need to get one for sure. I think mine might need it
Had to do the same job on my 95 XJ. I had ordered the one piece floor panels from C2C (was an option at the time I ordered mine, was a couple of bucks cheaper) they didn't have them in stock and they offered to send me the front/rear pieces at the same cost. Turned out to be a better option, as the one piece floors were a lighter gage metal. I decided not to remove the complete rotted floor panels, only removing the worst sections. Then I coated the inside and underside with POR 15 before installing the new panels. I opted to use panel bond and self tapping screws, rather than welding.
I was thinking about trying that method, but somewhere along the way I just decided to cut everything out
9 months later, how is it holding up? I'm starting my floor pan replacements this weekend, and I'm super worried my welder won't be able to handle the job. Screws and glue sound like an easier / less expensive route, I just worry it won't hold up as well.
But, I'm not looking to do any wheeling really, just restoring a /92 to be my daily. Guess I just talked myself into glues and screws :)
I just got the same floor pan for my driver side . Cool!
Mine have held up pretty well so far.
now go to my second channel project xj now that is a project. my frams are gone and im replacing them well try to.
Frame/unibody replacement is possible. Hopefully, it's localized and small pieces so it is easier.
On mine I think I might needle gun all the rust I can and coat the heck out of what's left with epoxy coating. Then install new thin panels and hammer form, then drill a bunch of holes around the perimeter of the panel and spot weld it in. Then undercoat the heck of of the underneath side. It won't be perfect but it'll buy me 10 more years at least.
That sounds like it would buy you some time.
well, I decided to replace my floor pans on my beutiful 96 xj 5 speed. Everyone trying to rip me off thinking I know shit cus im a girl lol. I always do my own work but my back is bad now. I love this video and definitely going to be referring to. I just need to get all the right tools I need. not going to weld in.
I am cheap and don't like paying for something I am sure I could do. I like learning new things and I like to push my self to improve my skills. I agree there are shops and people who take advantage of women because they thing"they don't know anything about cars". It's sad and you should never underestimate what someone might know. You can do this repair, just do your research and know what you are getting into. Rivets and seam sealer will work just fine as well.
good luck on your floorpans.
Could you make a video about your welder you use, tools needed and how to weld etc? Thanks again Clint
I could definitely try to incorporate it into a video. I am by no means a professional , or even a good welder. Honestly, I have had a bumpy past with welding. I went through 2-3 harbor freight units. (Chicago Electric) . I was so disappointed with the results that I quit shortly after buying the machines. I always thought it was me(and part of it was). I decided after seeing how much not knowing how to weld limited me. I pushed myself to buy a "decent " machine.
I found a barely used Hobart 140 with tank, cart, and hood for cheap. Right out of the box, I noticed my welds were better. Still not great, but night and day better. I kept trying different techniques and just kept laying beads. The more I welded , the more you can see and the more you can manipulate the puddle. I highly suggest anyone who is interested in welding to pick up a decent 110v machine. Like Lincoln or Hobart . Even the Vulcan or Titanium from Harbor Freight is ok . Get a tank. Gas welding is more forgiving. Flux is great, but I harder time getting good beads with flux, but if you can lay good flux beads . You can most likely lay good gas beads.
Anyways. sorry for the tangent.
I am currently running a Hobart 190 . Its small enough to do sheetmetal, but big enough to do thicker suspension stuff. Other tools. Get a tank of argon mix, a grinder with some grind discs, cutting discs , and flap discs. Thats really all you need to start, Just lay beads. practice.
I am in the middle of an axle swap and I am doing more welding now that ever. I am finding myself learning even still.
I see a plasma cutter in your future. And try to drill out the spot welds it’ll help keep the braces in 1 piece
TheJeepKitchen. I tried using a plasma cutter on the driver's side. It's hard to get a nice straight cut where I was working. The cutting disc provided a straighter cut under the dash. The seam sealer from the factory was also catching on fire a lot. I wanted to use it to speed up the process. It just didn't work on this job.
FMJeeping ah gotcha do xjs have any factory under coating on them?
@@MullnerFab mine didn't. This is a common problem. Floor pans, and rockers rust is very common.
FMJeeping i knee the rockers where prone to rotting I didn’t know the floor boards where bad too.
good video - I'm simply wondering: this is a 1998 XJ, so did you submarine your jeep on the trail ? Where does such inner rust come from ?
I live in CT. We use this chemical on the roads during the winter to help melt snow and ice. 20 years of driving in the winter , plus some water crossing on the trails. The carpet got wet and held moisture. The moisture just ate the metal .
@@FMJeeping ok, understand - well,basically the same here in central Europe - I always try to air my XJ and let her dry up .....
@@FMJeeping I live in fl just recently bought my 97xj the windshield leaks and the driver side has a small rust spot.... thru the carpet the passenger side has a good patch of mold towards the seat not the front I already cleaned all that up but my carpet still won't dry I'm thing my carpet out today after work scared of what I will find but I don't mind replacing it, thinking of keeping the carpet out and spraying interior w bedliner my grandpa used to have a 97 wrangler and I loved the floors with the holes It doesn't make sense to me to have Carpet in an off-road vehicle
@@tantheman3359 I agree about the carpet. I just recently ripped mine out and haven't looked back. For a while I tried to keep the inside nice, but it is an offroad rig. Make it manageable,. The carpet just holds dirt, water, and weight. It feels better to have it out now.
@@FMJeeping I'll be ripping mine out later today hopefully I don't need to replace floor panels but I'm kinda expecting it's gonna need it
@FMJeeping. Hi, my 93 Cherokee is 100% rust free, top and bottom. No rust on the underbody at all, front to back. Would it still be a good idea to pull up some of the carpeting and check the floor pans from the inside... Also what type of welder are you using. Thanks, great video btw....
It couldn't hurt to check. I knew I had a small hole where the tree came through. Before that I thought I was fine. But I did pull the carpet back I found a bunch of holes that I couldn't see from underneath.it wouldn't hurt to try to catch them early so that way you don't need to replace entire panels instead just small patches. as for a welder I'm using a Hobart 190 in the video however if you're not going to be doing any real big fabrication projects you can probably get away with a Hobart 140 no problem .
@@FMJeeping Thanks, since I'm not planning on putting this one in the salty winter driving, I'll plan on pulling the carpet up. If it's good, I'll seal coat the inside & bottom. As for a welder, I'm not gonna pass up on any of those late 90's XJ's with bad floor pans or rockers. Good drivetrains with low mileage are well worth keeping the whole vehicle... Thanks again...
@@montydaniels1054 you're welcome
@@FMJeeping Pulled the carpet up on the front passenger side. A little damp. The window sweep is rock hard with a few pieces missing, (rained early that morning.) At any rate, so far the inside floorpan looks really good. No surface rust anywhere from what I could see. Because of the condition and some really bad spots and a couple of large burn holes on the carpeting, I'm planning on replacing it next summer. When I do that, I am going to put a good seal-coat on the entire floor. I thought about using a rust inhibitor type paint but the one I looked at doesn't come in a spray, ya have to brush it on. I will shop around but I believe you have a link on one of your floorpan replacement videos. Seemed sorta high ($20 a can) so it got me thinking that maybe since I'll have the interior all open, maybe I'll clean it, lightly sand and then prime and paint it. I don't know which way to go there since it could always have a moisture problem, which leads me to think if I do seal, prime and paint, perhaps it should be clearcoated as well. I know it sounds sorta dumb but since the motor was rebuilt by the 2nd owner, who also bought and installed a lot of new parts back in 2017 and 2018, this XJ may turn out to be my 3-season ride. I'll get a beater for winter.....
Are you using a weld through primer to help protect the metal as you weld it in? Are you cleaning the uni body channels and rust protecting those?
I used weld thru primer to help where I wouldn't be able to paint later on. I did clean out the unibody and treated it with rust converting paint and then painted again.
what are those sticky aluminum patches? i want to remove them but its REALLY REALLY HARD. im thinking of using a heat gun and trying to melt the glue maby?
They are sound deadening material. Use a respirator and a heat gun and scraper. It should come off. I would suggest doing it outside with the doors and windows open with a mask if possible.
Do you have a link to the new floor pan's?
Yes. Here is where I got mine.
www.c2cfabrication.com/collections/jeep-cherokee-parts/floor-pan
Do you remember what air chisel you used for this?
It was a flat bladed chisel.
What would you quote for replacement of two new ones?
Not sure about $. But I'd quote at about 4 hours per side. On the front. The rear is a little easier and goes faster.
Man that job looks like it sucks...
This repair is not fun at all.
That did not loo fun! But its necessary!!!
You're right. Pain in the rear end. I'm just glad it's over with.