LN106 Hilux - Vinyl Floor Project

[GreenPump]

Several weeks ago, I ordered a two piece Grey Vinyl floor from Tru-fit Auto. For fellow North American Hilux owners, this was a great option. Tru-Fit made me some mats for the vehicle, and the vinyl floor. It took a little over a month from the time of order to showing up on my doorstep in Idaho.

My first step was to pull the seats, trim pieces, seat belts, and anything else bolted down to the floor.

Next I pulled my old carpet. It really wasn't too bad, given the truck has under 80k miles on it. However, the vinyl floor will be far more effective at keeping salty winter boots from eating my floor pan. Easier to clean, never smells musty... etc.

 

[GreenPump]

Under the carpet was some kind of horrible sound-deadening material from the 90s. I don't know if this stuff was originally soft, but it had turned as hard as a rock. Two layers in the front, one in the back. I found no better way to remove this stuff other than chipping it out with a screwdriver/chisel and small hammer. I filled two garbage bags with fragments of black chunks.

Afterwards the floor pan was left with a sticky residue and some small pieces of black material. Notice how the factory Grey paint is quite literally painted right over the sound deadening material. Underneath, there was only Primer.

 

[GreenPump]

Next, I needed to grind down the Floorplan for paint. The surface is very irregular with a lot of weird tight spaces. I tried a wire brush, but it wasn't aggressive enough to eat up the Adhesive and Primer. For the flat areas I used a disc sander and for the rest, paint stripping wheels on my drill. I got the pan mostly down to bare metal. The pan was amazingly clean and rust-free. I removed all the plugs and caps covered the subframe and six cab mount bolts.

 

[GreenPump]

After vacuuming up all the dust, I applied POR-15 in two thick coats with a roller. POR-15 is a strange product, but it is extremely tough as long as it is not exposed to UV light (which degrades the coating). The first coat was applied generously and allowed to dry to get tacky but not completely dry. Second coat rolled on with a finer roller. Left to dry overnight. By morning, the POR was extremely smooth and hard, like ceramic glaze almost.

I took this chance to use some cans of fluid film and a 360 degree spray wand to paint inside the subframe, mounts, and rocker panels. Basically any hole in the frame of the cab I could get the wand into. Afterwards I reinstalled all the plastic caps and plugs.

 

[GreenPump]

Dynamat time. I purchased two boxes of Dynamat Xtreme from a local dealer. In addition to being great thermal insulation compared to the stuff I scraped out, the Dynamat will provide a quieter cab. I bought two boxes. According to the box, each one covers 36 square feet. Ended up using about a box and a half and having some extra to do my door panels. Instalation was fun and relatively easy. Sit in the cab and cut pieces and stick em on.

After putting down the Dynamat on the floor, I took my chance to do my rear door panels. Since my speaker wires and seat heaters run under the floor, I routed all the wires and taped them down.

 

[GreenPump]

Vinyl instalation. I started from the back and worked my way forward, I had a hairdryer but it was a hot enough day that the vinyl was relatively easy to work with. I used a punch to press through all the bolt holes and installed trim and hardware as I went. The seam where the two pieces overlap, I think I am going to end up gluing down to prevent spills going underneath.

After a few more hot days, I expect the wrinkles should settle out in the back. Once I glue the center seam down, it will look cleaner. I am quite happy with how it turned out, since I've never attempted something like this before.

Dynamat with the vinyl is noticeably quieter than with the carpet and old insulation. Music is clearer and less road noise.

 

[dirtyham]

Liquid nitrogen is the key to getting that original material off, or dry ice blocks and dosnt damage the paint underneath so no sanding or painting required.

 

[ATL Cruiser]

That looks incredible!! Now you've got me wanting to get a Hilux.

 

[GreenPump]

Liquid nitrogen is the key to getting that original material off

Now that's something to try if I ever do this sort of project again! Chipping away the old material was the worst. Took me a whole day.

 

[Irish11]

x2 on the Dry ice. It works really well. Just put it on a spot and let it sit, then smack it with a deadblow hammer (no dents) and it will fracture and come off.