It also includes external and structural panels of the vehicle. When it's corroded or rusted thanks to moisture exposure, damage from road salts, or wear-and-tear through rough riding, you'll need to be careful when buying a new floor pan.
It isn't as straightforward as putting in new fender or bumper fillers after all. It's a bit more complex than that and you have to be careful when doing for some floor pan shopping.
What to Expect When Shopping for a Floor Pan
- Learn More About Your Floor Pan Options: When getting a new floor pan, you don't only check for compatibility. You should also be aware of the many options available. You can actually "trick" your car out with what's usually unseen or unheard of by many. At any rate, don't rush and buy the first generic option you see. Instead, learn about the materials it might be made of, its thickness, and its design that can increase its longevity.
- Tough Against Floodwater or Salt Water: You might wish to search for a floor pan that is tough against flooding or exposure to saltwater. This is because one of the most common reasons why floor pans are replaced in the first place is because of the spray of waves in places like Florida or being flooded. Naturally, you can extend the life span of your floor pan by painting it, putting a protective clearcoat over it, or avoiding too much moisture exposure that could corrode it.
- Choose Who'll Install the Floor Pan: Most motorists don't install floor pan stamps because it's not exactly as simple as disconnecting and removing your car battery or replacing a flat tire. It involves welding new floor pan stamps unto your old and rusted floor pan or removing the floor pan altogether and installing a new pan with stamps and all. You need the assistance of a competent welder and mechanic at your nearest repair shop or dealership for that deal. Or you need welding experience yourself.
- DIY Replacement of Floor Pans in a Nutshell: If you're able to go past the learning curve of handling welding tools like the blowtorch that you can own or rent, then replacing the floor pan becomes much more straightforward and uncomplicated. It's essentially disassembling what's left of the corroded original pan without making a mess of things, trimming and fitting a new floor pan, then reversing your disassembly procedure and putting in floor pan stamps to seal the deal.