i have seen several pic's of rig's running expanded metal for the floor (spaceghost being one of them). for those who run it how do you like it? i was thinking of using it in my fj40 project and was wondering if eng/exhaust heat were a problem or if it caused alot of cool air flow when it was cold. this rig is going to be a trail only rig so i think it'll be ok. i just want to hear some opinions on it. thanks

The one guy that I know that ran expanded metal sides on his buggy - ditched them in favor of solid sheetmetal - he just got too much mud, dirt, junk flying into the cab. I suppose it would be worse as a floor.

I run expanded in the rear 1/2 of my rig. I love it. but, then again. here in NM we dont know what rain or mud is.:flipoff2:

i cut out my rockers and replaced about a foot wide strip of floor with expanded metal.. i have been suprised by how little mud and such flies up.. i dont drive through rocker deep mud holes but plenty of puddles here in the east..works fine i would do it again:cool:

I got to ride in and drive SpaceGhosts rig quite a bit this weekend in Farmington. It was cold in the mornings and that's when he put me in the driver's seat :D

In the morning the engine heat kept your legs warm and if it had a windshield instead of me wearing goggles I doubt I would've been cold at all. This was at speeds up to like 35-40 mph, temperature in the 40 degree range. During the day the heat did not bother me at all while sitting in the vehicle. He still has a firewall and sheet metal over his tranny. I recommend expanded metal and will do it to my rig eventually.

*edit* Tracy Jordans new twisted custom's ride has a thick polycarbonate (plexiglass) floor. That was pretty sweet also.

I was discussing this idea with my dad ( he's in the steel fabricating business ) and he advised against using it for floor material, saying that if its there to protect you from stuff coming up through the floor you'd be better of with mesh. He put it this way expanded metal is torn, to make it what it is and something torn is easy to tear more. i thought about and it makes sense so I'm going steel mesh.

I was thinking of it(and sill thinking of it) but most likely won't, in my fj buggy. Because i have stock floor, but only a square foot or so left where each passengers feet are the rest is open. I went to buy some because i thought it would give me more visibility of rocs and save some weight, but It is not the lightest stuff. I found it heavier than sheet metal. So after working with some aluminum I found i like it much much more. It looks bitchen unpainted and weighs nothing. The only down side is you can't see through it and i don't have a tig torch to weld it. but welding tabs to bolt it to work good. If there is an area where i want a panel but need to see through i think i will go with plastic or lexan. But for now leaving as much as possible open and see how i like it.

Ian-

thanks for the replys. i still have not decided. it is between the expanded metal or aluminum. i may just give the expanded metal a try an dif i don't like it i can always change it. i still have some time to decide. i have not gotten that far yet.

I'll throw in my $.02. The gate on my trailer is expanded metal and I put a 1 ft long gash in it loading up my friends 280ZX. A little sheet metal tab on the subframe caught it and ripped it bad. Not nearly as strong as I would have thought. Also on my way to work today I got hit in the neck with a rock. I guess it was kicked up by someones tire and flew in my window. It felt like someone punched me in the neck as hard as they could. It was just a freak occurence but the rock was the only the size of a bottle cap and could easily fit through expanded metal and the little bastard hurt bad, I still have a welt from it. Something like that could easily happen with front tires kicking up rocks. I think there's are much better materials to use for flooring.
Travis

just keep in mind that the plastic or plexiglass will get scratched by any little piece of sand or dirt that gets in there under anybody's boot. then you have a flimsy plastic floorboard that you cant see out of. only fuzzy outlines that kinda look like rocks but who the hell knows what they are:shaking: :shaking:

I must say that use of expanded metal on any rig is HACK. Just my .02 anyway.

can't just use an aluminum spool gun? :confused: or is tig necessary to weld the aluminum to steel?