Tub Floor and Supports

[Jim-ME]

I'm going to be getting a new rear tub floor and supports built. Can someone tell me the best gauge of alluminum and what size tubing works best.
Jim

[Terrys]

The original floor was about an 18ga. material, but if it were me, I'd go to something heavier, like maybe 14ga.

The supports (hat channels) weren't tubes, Just a U shaped piece with ears. Go to a sheet metal shop and see if they can do them in a heavy galvanized material on their brake, maybe 10ga. or so.

I tried using some dashes, and forward, backslashes, and it looked pretty good but when I posted it, it got parsed all yeeyaw

[Mercedesrover]

Aluminum and steel use a different gauge for thickness.

14 gauge in Aluminum is a little thinner than 14 guage steel. You may want to go as heavy as 12 guage. I'm going to be putting a new floor in a 109 tub soon and was looking into the same thing.

I wouldn't get to carried away with making new tub supports. There are enough of them around. Find a good set and get them galvanized.

[yorker]

Ive got an 88" tub I am going to rebuild and I used to have a metal road sign that actually was a perfect fit for the bed- don't laugh! Beautiful thick aluminum and somehow it was the exact width and nearly the correct length- just needed some cut off. I think I got it at a scrap yard for $5. Someone stole it though so now I am looking at other options. I thought about diamond plate- since the floor gets slippery when wet and muddy. Another thing I have been thinking about is getting one of those thick rubber mats like they have for dairy barns now- cut it to size exactly and put that over the new floor to provide some traction/noise insulation.

[greenmeanie]

For a rear matt I used some of those anti slip tiles from the auto shop. About 1/2 with a stanley knife and it was done. Cheap and really easy. It works well although a heavier rubber would provide more noise insulation.

Cheers
Gregor

[Bertha]

Aluminum and steel use a different gauge for thickness.

14 gauge in Aluminum is a little thinner than 14 guage steel. You may want to go as heavy as 12 guage. I'm going to be putting a new floor in a 109 tub soon and was looking into the same thing.

I wouldn't get to carried away with making new tub supports. There are enough of them around. Find a good set and get them galvanized.

I think he is speaking about the aluminum ribs attched to the aluminum floor and not the metal braces that go between the tub and the truck frame.

[Jim-ME]

Yes I am talking about the 3 ribs that run front to back under the tub floor. I have a complete set of supports that run side to side that are galvanized and will be painted with POR-15 on the side that hits up against the bottom of the tub floor.
Jim

[LaneRover]

18 wheeler Truck mud flaps work well as a rear matt. Palmer spring in Portland used to have them. They are very plain, cheap and you can cut them with a hacksaw to whatever size you need.

Brent

[scatterling]

Tractor Supply Co. has 3/4" thick horse stall mats - really heavy.Usually sitting out front of the store in a big pile. Cuts well with a jigsaw, I fitted one in the bed of mine

[yorker]

Tractor Supply Co. has 3/4" thick horse stall mats - really heavy.Usually sitting out front of the store in a big pile. Cuts well with a jigsaw, I fitted one in the bed of mine

That is exactly what I want to use! How do you like it?

[scatterling]

seems to work well, and it stops the dogs from sliding all over the place

[om617]

Mats

Hello, I also have tractor supply stall mats in my 101 to keep my woodworking tools from sliding around as much. It cuts down on the noise quite a bit and helps if one of my helpers drops anything heavy. (i.e no dents in floor). FYI, My wife and I just bought 20 more mats for our horses. Tractor supply charged $30 to deliver to our door in their company pick-up. We live approx. 25 miles from the store.