Floorboards-Pedal Box Question

[Mitch]

Do you need to take out the pedal box to put in new floorboards, because this is what it looks like, and I'm pretty pissed, because I didn't really want to fiddle with that...

Also, did all 2002's come with that nasty, festering, boiling ass tar paper under the carpet? Because I'm sick of chiseling that shit off.

Thanks.

[andrewro]

There's a trick with dry ice that will help remove the tar, hopefully someone will chime in who has actually done it.

I hope the pedal box doesn't have to come out but I really don't know. I'm going to have to replace my driver's side floor sometime this year.

Good Luck!

Andrew

[Mitch]

Yeah, I heard about the dry ice, but I decided to ruin the tar's shit, and kill it with a converted Craftsman flathead and a hammer.

Damage Assessment: Total

But at least the floor looks good, then the floor is welded in, then frame rail repair, then enough Por-15 to cover Oprah twelve times over.

[MrNvgtr]

I didn't think of this until now, but I bet you can cut closely around the pedal box and then just template the shape and cut the new floor pan to meet up with the pedal box and weld around it.

[Mitch]

I thought of that, but realized that the damn electrode would probably weld the damn box on, one side or another, but I'll think of the plausibility of our joint plan tomorrow.

[Marty]

I think I would just go ahead and drop it, IMHO theres not enough room to weld around it with out burning the sealant between the pedal box and the floor and creating a leak. You could probably just unbolt the pedal box and let it hang below the floorboard while you weld in the new floors.

[DukeRimmer]

(nt)

[02again]

I think you'll find that using a propane torch (Bernzomatic is one brand), will make it Extremely easy to remove the tar stuff found on the floor boards. All you need to do is get the stuff Warmed up a bit then scrape it off with a putty knife. You can then wipe off the remainder with some acetone. It works and

easier and cheaper than dry ice. Obviously you must use exteme care when working with an open flame in a car so as not to get close to anything that might combust .....Like Gas.

[02again]

If the thought of an open flame in your car freaks you out.....and I could see how it might......You could more than likely get the Same results using an electric blow dryer like heat gun.

[Brandon]

Use the dry ice to get rid of the tar. Just buy a bag of crushed up pieces or a brick of it ($30 at most). Score the tar in a checkboard design using a knife. Then doing a section at a time, place the dry ice on the section of tar for about 30 seconds, remove ice and bang the area with a hammer. The tar will actually bounce right of the metal floor into nice little checkerboard pieces. Then use a dust pan or something similar and scoop the pieces up. This method is way easier than chiseling it out and way safer (and cleaner) than using a torch.

The pedal box should be removed to weld the floor properly. Just undo the brake pedal rod that comes up from the box..there is a pin there that can be hard to get out...use an air hammer if you have one..gets the pin out easily, undo the gas pedal linkage, remove the big bolt that holds the pedal box to the brake booster bracket, remove the bolts at the floor holding the box and drop the box. It should just hang there by the clutch master line. Remove the line if you want to remove completely. If you have difficulty getting the box out of the hole in the floor, usually the gas pedal rod gets caught up on the floor...just keep playing with it and it will eventually come.

[Mitch]

I got all of my tar off (maybe not ALL, but the vast majority) today, we also cut out the old pans, a patch is being made as we speak for the driver's side, and some A-Piliar patches, as well. The new pans will be put in after the frame rails get Por-15'd.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v722/Mitch_27/tar_removal002.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v722/Mitch_27/tar_removal003.jpg

[Jack]

I used the dry ice and finished up with the 3M Tar/wax/adhesive remover. For the pedal box I just unbolted it and shimmed it away from the companion flange. Gave me enough room to tie in the weld. For welding on the thin thin sheet metal I used a piece of 2" copper pipe hammered flat and pressed against the back of the joint area. Unless you are really good with sheet metal welding it will kinda "cut you some slack". POR 15 for sure and some Fat Mat.

[Mitch]

Does anybody's tar-removal's look anything like mine? For some reason, I think it shouldjust be completely bare.