Have MOPAR PAN... stick spot weld?

OK... have the nice new MOPAR floor pan. Ready to cut the side I need off and drop it into place after good prep.

QUESTIONS FIRST.

1. Don't have a large tank on compressor so air saw and grinder are out for old pan removal. Small blade on a electric jigsaw? Removing old spot welds?? Method? Old ones are really bad so I could prolly grind em off with an electric grinder.

NO questions on prep as I'm pretty good in that area. NOT concerned with the seams between areas. I'll be doing a one inch overlap since it's a perfect fit and use POR15 seam sealer.

2. Installing new stock pan. (thin 20 gauge?) Drill holes above frame and spot weld with a stick??

I'm no welder and it'll be a BORG rental unit, either arc or mig depending on advice here. MIG turned all the way down seems to be the choice and since I've never done it, spot welding should be pretty simple to start since I don't have to lay a bead.

Anyone who has welded a stock pan please advise!!! SPECIFICS on wire size/type for gasless wire feed or flux core, sticks and type or whatever.

UNLESS... Cabo Engineering is open or perhaps Brad or the other MWC captains are willing to have a mini-welding class. I'd prep and have everything ready to weld. Drive it over and VOILA... Instant floor pan replacement class.

I redid my floor but at the time they did not have the mopar pan available so I built my own. I used 18g. I initially used a Lincoln 255 mig unit with .045 wire and c25 gas, very very difficult. I then bought a hobart 135 with HB-28 .025 wire and c25. Much much better, I turned it almost all the way down when attaching two pieces of sheetmetal and turned it up quite a bit when tacking to the frame.
I think stick will be very difficult if you are not trained and experienced.
I recomend checking out this site http://www.hobartwelders.com/mboard/

You should get a spotweld drill or cutter, it is a small blunt drill bit that cuts only one side of a spot weld. An angle grinder will probably be your best friend since it sounds as if you have limited tools, like me. You can used the angle grinder to score the metal and then you should just be able to bend it and it will snap.

You can check out my site for some pictures, http://userweb.suscom.net/~navitp4/index.html

Hope that helps
K

i second the angle grinder with a cutoff wheel. a rotozip works too if you have the cutoff attachments. in one case i used my onboard air in tandom with the small shop compressor and another 5 gallon tank. it was a very confusing setup, air hoses running everywhere, but we got the job done.

just in case your wondering, it had to due with three willing people and a suspension that needed to get done NOW!

Dingo

You should get a spotweld drill or cutter, it is a small blunt drill bit that cuts only one side of a spot weld. An angle grinder will probably be your best friend since it sounds as if you have limited tools, like me. You can used the angle grinder to score the metal and then you should just be able to bend it and it will snap.

Click to expand...

diddo,
I am guessing that you have a little rust.
so removal should be easy.
I used a metal chisel for many of the spot welds, and angle grinder was my friend.

for the replacement I made my own floor as well with 16 gage Steel.
as a run down
don't use the flux core, it splatters too much and you will end up burning holes or crappy welds
Stick is too hot, and very hard to handle.
My welder of choise was a MIG, with shield gas. (gas is a must)
I used .35 wire, But i if you are using mopar pan its thinner use .23 or .25

Yes you will want to drill holes along the frame, I used a plasma cutter and poked holes about every 4" or so. you might get a large bit and just reem a hole about 1/4" to 1/3".
Burn hot on the frame and then bring the weld into the pan. be carefull not to start on the pan it may not connect to the frame they are differnt thickness and don't bind easily.

Also It is very important to get the inside of the frame painted while you are there. (at least for me it was) Paint the whole thing sides and everything. then after you have put drilled your holes in the pan lay it in and spray a primer or a light colored marker where the holes are and grind that area off for the weld, this way the area of the frame that is not welded on is protected.
For the frame paint I used Eastwood Rust Encapsolator. its like por15 just IMO better. heat resistant so it does not boil off as quickly when you weld to a differnt portion of the metal.

like you said have it clean. the metal must be clean.

I could go on for a while.... "little floor pan replacement class"
if you have questions feel free ask.
http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=33070
thats a thread of my build. I have come along way since then.

Pics of my project
WWW.WETPAINTFILMs.COM/heep2jeep

btw Hurculiner is my favorite pan cover too...

eace: peas