Toolbox Removal Hints Needed

[Steve]

I need to remove the toolbox. The bottom is all rusted out as is the floor beneath it. Any suggestions for how to best go about getting the toolbox out would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Steve

[1955CJ-5]

You will need a spot weld cutter, among other things....Harbor Freight has them and I've seen them in good auto body and paint supply stores.

You can also use a regular drill bit...about 5/16" or even 3/8"

The tricky part is finding the spot welds. If you go over the seams where the box overlays the floor and riser with light sandpaper the spot welds should become apparent. you will learn to "spot" them in time...!

You will need to drill out or cut out the spot welds....

The floor of the jeep and the floor of the tool box are one in the same....

Try and get it out in one piece...you can get repros, but they aren't cheap (inexpensive) and they take some work to get a good fit....

[Steve]

Thanks.  I bought a spot weld cutter, so now I have a chance to try it.  The box appears to be on good shape with the exception of the bottom, so I am going to try and save it for sure.

[bretto]

I don't know what spot weld cutter you bought but I have the HF one and found it helped to center punch the work 1st to keep the cutter from wandering.
Regarding floors, if you are on the cheap, you can buy sheet steel at a sheet metal shop and make them for a fraction of repros.  I grafted mine in along the spot where the tunnel meets the floor and where the firewall meets floor.  I just used the old cut out sections as patterns.  I also had the sheet metal shop bend me lengths of hat channels and then I cut and welded as needed.  I got floor material and hats made up for $60 out the door.

[F Bill]

I need to remove the toolbox. The bottom is all rusted out as is the floor beneath it. Any suggestions for how to best go about getting the toolbox out would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Steve

Try and destroy the panel you do not want to keep when removing the toolbox. This would mean you cut up the floor remains instead of the toolbox lip where it meets the floor, where you have access to the spot welds from the bottom, cut them out from the bottom.

Also consider cutting the strip of steel with the spotwelds in it out of the floor, then once the toolbox is out, finish removing the extra steel from the lip. Often grinding directly over the spot weld will reveal its exact location and you can see just when you have ground off the top sheet.

Obviously if you are taking out the welds where the box overlaps the rear floor, you can't do this unless you plan on a new rear floor which is expensive.

[SteveW]

I seperated places where the spot welds were with a putty knife that had a metal blade about 1" wide and the handle part was metal also and used it with a hammer to split the 2 metal pieces when you don't have to worry about saving them both. Just get between them and go along until you hit a weld and if it is poor shape like you say the weld will tear out of the bad spot and you can grind it off.

[F Bill]

I seperated places where the spot welds were with a putty knife that had a metal blade about 1" wide and the handle part was metal also and used it with a hammer to split the 2 metal pieces when you don't have to worry about saving them both. Just get between them and go along until you hit a weld and if it is poor shape like you say the weld will tear out of the bad spot and you can grind it off.

Yup, another way that works well.

There are paint tools that are pretty heavy putty knife/scrapers that will hold up to a hard hammer hit too. You can customize the cutting end with a grinder.

[F Bill]

Also forgot to add if you just cut the bottom lip off the tool box you can always weld on a new bottom section, going as high as needed to get into good solid metal. If that flange is all rotted no point on cutting spot welds out of rotten steel. Measure carefully and put some reference marks so you can rebuild the lip to the right location.

[Steve]

Thanks all for the suggestions. This upcoming weekend, I will take on the removal project.

Steve