Questions about floor covering options in interior

[StumpXJ]

Just wondering what everyone here uses for floor covering on your vehicles? I have a 96 4 door Jeep XJ, and I just removed the carpet. I am looking for something that fits nice, is easy to clean and obviously holds up well.

We have quite a bit of mud around here, so carpet is out of the question. I also carry tons of gear in the back, as well as having to big dogs who shed hair like its going out of style.

I have also removed my rear seat as I have no use for it, but can use the extra space for storage.

My intentions are to build a perfectly flat platform for the entire rear section, as light as possible, and then cover it with something. I am also looking for something for the front of the passenger/driver area.

I have found this website, and think this may be what I am looking for. http://www.automotiveinteriors.com/carpeting-suv's.htm

They offer "molded vinyl" flooring for my specific application. I talked to a rep from this place and she told me the vinyl is about 1/8" thick, and would work great for my application. Anyone have any experience with this stuff? Have any better ideas?

I am not overly concerned about sound inside the cab, as this is not my daily driver, but want something easily cleaned, and tough. I wish I could get the interior rino-lined or the equivilent, but that is not available (atleast not to my knowledge) over here.

Help!

~James

 

[adrenaline503]

I know that Forest Service XJs came with a vinyl floor from the factory, so its probably a good idea. If I had kept my XJ I would have done it in a heartbeat.

 

[StumpXJ]

Yeah, I didnt get much response here, so I just went ahead and ordered the vinyl flooring kit from the company in the link. I will let everyone know here how it turns out, with pics of course. Was going to go the roll on herculiner route, but read too many negatives about it.

~James

 

[OverlandZJ]

James, how did your floor look?

Your gonna love the vinyl flooring (from what i'v read) if it's molded well. You may get some heat buildup in the trans tunnel and pass floor along side it where the exhaust runs. Maybe some dynamat under?

On the website... they list the flooring for 84-96. In 95 they added a brace where the front seat bolts to. I'm curious how this part# could "mold" to both style floors? Unless theres actually two different molds.

My last XJ i used Durabak which held up well. I tried running it without carpet but found it just too warm inside. However a bud runs it in a YJ without carpet and doesnt seem affected.

Look fwd to your impression of this product.

 

[ntsqd]

I would consider doing the Herc or Duraback under the floor mat. Mostly as a waterproofing seam-sealer.

A trick I used on the YJ from Hell was to weld in a 1.5" pipe bung on the bottom of the lowest point of the floor. Then I used PVC threaded plugs. After that it was Rhino-Lined. Removing the place carpets and the plugs meant that all of the Baja sand & silt could be easily swept out. I doubt the current owner even knows that they are there.

 

[R_Lefebvre]

Floor drains, great idea! That's what I need in my Discovery! :wings:

 

[StumpXJ]

John, I got lucky on the floor, it looked great. No rust at all. This Jeep spent most of its life in Colorado, so I dont think it had much time to rust since its been over here.

Yeah, I read about the heat in certain areas, and will be addressing that problem before the vinyl goes down. Dont want the "hot foot". I was also concerned about the ridge under the seat on my truck versus what they say the molding is for, but when I ordered it, they asked me specifically what year I had, as it is a special ordered/manufactured part, so hopefully it works out.

Right now, I have the interior stripped out. I scuffed/wire wheeled the entire floor and sprayed rubberized undercoating on the whole thing. I am trying my best to keep this one rust free, as I have already lost one truck to the rust deamons. I used the same undercoating I use on all of my body armor on the Taco, and it does an excellentjob of keeping rust at bay. Takes about 3 days to dry, which is the stage I am at now. Hopefully the vinyl gets here fast.

Going to spend the weekend getting my newly modified roof rack mounted up. Gonna look kind of funny on a bone stock Jeep and no lift yet.

~James

 

[seve7]

I would consider doing the Herc or Duraback under the floor mat. Mostly as a waterproofing seam-sealer.

A trick I used on the YJ from Hell was to weld in a 1.5" pipe bung on the bottom of the lowest point of the floor. Then I used PVC threaded plugs. After that it was Rhino-Lined. Removing the place carpets and the plugs meant that all of the Baja sand & silt could be easily swept out. I doubt the current owner even knows that they are there.

x2

rhino liner is sweet for interiors, exteriors, and truck beds. My buddy's k30 blazer was rhino lined inside and out. easy to clean, looks good, and doesnt scratch.

 

[StumpXJ]

. I wish I could get the interior rino-lined or the equivilent, but that is not available (atleast not to my knowledge) over here.

Help!

~James

I live in Germany right now, so thats not really an option, at least for a couple more years.

 

[ntsqd]

What was it about the Herc that didn't sound good?
Did the Duraback suffer from the same malady?

MISF did one, and then the other over the top of it. Can't recall which was first, but it was too slippery when wet so he did the second. That was when these products first came out and I've not heard him complain about either other than the slipperiness.
FWIW, "MISF" stands for "My Infamous Scout Friend." This is a guy who broke his back. And then broke the Titanium pin that were put in his back. 110% duty cycle is normal for him, when he leans on something it's more like 150% He doesn't use things for other than what they were intended, but he USES them.

 

[OverlandZJ]

Brian, with using that rubberized undercoating i suggest checking under the XJ for heat shields attached to the underside of the floor above the catalytic convertor and muffler. Some came with shields above the cat/muffler... mine didnt.

You lucked out with the rust, although i just read somewhere that CO is going to start using salt on their roads.

My XJ was originally 2WD and a Texas rig, 10 years here in PA winters are starting to take it's toll. I have some spots that need attention soon.

 

[prepmech]

Rubberized undercoating can get to smelling pretty badly when it is heated up, if you have the stock cat it will heat up pretty good on the passenger side floor near the trans tunnel. Air bake cookie sheats make pretty good heat shields for above the cat to keep it from getting too hot.