ranger floor replacement

[Rmann]

Howdy folks, I have a 95 ranger on a 93 T100. Ive added 2 leaf springs and am ready to put the camper back on but first... I think I should replace my floor. The camper has been dropped and is no longer square. Ive put a couple thousand miles on it and it seems okay for the most part but the floor is in poor condition. Im not ready to do a complete rebuild on it yet .
My question is, How hard is it to just do the floor, and what should I use. Materials? Paint?
Thanks .....Ron

 

[pods8]

Marine plywood is the better wood choice but I suspect the factory stuff is just basic CDX or something of that nature. If you're going low cost on paint Glidden oil based floor and porch paint is what a bunch of us have used to recoat the wood, about $25 a gallon at homedepot.

A place like benjamin moore will have higher end paints as well, up to you if you think it is worth it. For something like a wood floor pack its not that big of a deal to sand/recoat in 5yrs in the Glidden isn't wearing as well as you'd want in my mind. Would be different if we were talking overall visual paint on the camper verse what is sitting in your truck bed.

 

[RamRider]

I gather MOD plywood would be almost as good as marine grade for about 1/2 the price.

 

[Mark W. Ingalls]

Howdy folks, I have a 95 ranger on a 93 T100. Ive added 2 leaf springs and am ready to put the camper back on but first... I think I should replace my floor. The camper has been dropped and is no longer square. Ive put a couple thousand miles on it and it seems okay for the most part but the floor is in poor condition. Im not ready to do a complete rebuild on it yet .
My question is, How hard is it to just do the floor, and what should I use. Materials? Paint?
Thanks .....Ron


I think one difference between marine ply and real good exterior grade is that marine ply cannot have interior voids, or it wouldn't bend 'fair'.

Occasionally, HD has 7-ply A/B exterior glue on sale and I usually grab as many sheet as i can store. Pro'ly outlive the softsides. Just sayin'.

Oh, and "porch paint."

 

[pods8]

MOD plywood


What's that? Never heard of it and not immediately showing up on google.

 

[RamRider]

Sorry a typo MDO http://lumberjocks.com/reviews/965

 

[RamRider]

There was another interesting product called NewWood at my local lumberyard. Seems very appropriate for campers http://www.newwood.com/products#utility tough, waterproof but unfortunately only 1/2 thick. FWC I think uses 5/8 CDX. 1/2 new wood might be a bit under-rated. Somewhere between 1/2 and 5/8 plywood in strength. I've been considering using if for my ranger which you might imagine doesn't exactly fit my Dodge. I'm planning to drop the floor on it 5" or so. Unless somebody trades me more appropriate Hawk or Grandby.

 

[Rmann]

Thanks folks, Im wondering how the floor is attached, can I just rip out the old and screw on a new one or is there cutting involved? I havent seen a clear pic of how its put together.

 

[Rmann]

Sorry a typo MDO http://lumberjocks.com/reviews/965


I would think MDO would be heavy and not as water proof as the marine grade. It is very straight though.
Sorry, I was thinking MDF. MDO is waterproof. Ill look into that.

 

[pods8]

Look at the pics in bell4's thread, he narrowed down the floorpack on an older grandby and there are good pictures of the siding stripped away in areas. http://www.wanderthewest.com/forum/index.php?/topic/5887/

Other than maybe needing to cut some screws I don't think there should be major cutting. One alternative idea that creeps in my head for reattaching the new floorpack to the thin walled aluminum is some longer blind rivets (length driven by the thickness wood you use), if held in place while installed the rivet should suck it up tight and keep it compressed w far less chance of pull out compared to a screw.

Building the new floorpack you might think about getting yourself a narrow crown stapler if you don't have one, not that spendy and will allow you to glue stuff up and then put a decent mechanical attachment in there to hold it all together so you can keep on building it all w/o waiting for the glue to fully cure.

 

[Rmann]

Look at the pics in bell4's thread, he narrowed down the floorpack on an older grandby and there are good pictures of the siding stripped away in areas. http://www.wanderthewest.com/forum/index.php?/topic/5887/

Other than maybe needing to cut some screws I don't think there should be major cutting. One alternative idea that creeps in my head for reattaching the new floorpack to the thin walled aluminum is some longer blind rivets (length driven by the thickness wood you use), if held in place while installed the rivet should suck it up tight and keep it compressed w far less chance of pull out compared to a screw.

Building the new floorpack you might think about getting yourself a narrow crown stapler if you don't have one, not that spendy and will allow you to glue stuff up and then put a decent mechanical attachment in there to hold it all together so you can keep on building it all w/o waiting for the glue to fully cure.


Thanks, those are good pics. Looks like I can just go to town on it. Nothing a few corner braces or rivets cant fix.